Last month, Capital One dealt a major blow to travelers with the popular *capone venture x* with some sweeping changes to one of the card's best perks.
Starting early next year, you'll no longer be able to bring guests into the bank's growing list of Capital One Lounges without paying an additional fee. Authorized users will no longer get their own free lounge access, either. To top it all off, the cutbacks extend to visiting Priority Pass lounges, making the Venture X the only premium travel card without any complimentary guest access at lounges.
Since its 2021 debut, the Venture X has earned a loyal following thanks to its modest $395 annual fee, perks like unlimited lounge access, and the ability to add up to four authorized users (each with their own lounge access) for free. That combo made it the absolute best card for traveling families, leading to a boom in popularity … and, eventually, crowded lounges. These changes are Capital One’s way of controlling the crowds, but for travelers, they're a frustrating step backward.
The news hits *venture x business* cardholders too, though with a key difference: While guest access to Capital One Lounges is ending there as well, Priority Pass guest privileges will stick around.
If lounge access was a major reason you signed up for the Venture X, here’s what to know about these changes – and your options to keep bringing guests along without paying up.
What's Changing (& Why)?
Come Feb. 1, 2026, Venture X cardholders will have to pay an additional $45 to bring a guest into Capital One Lounges – or a discounted rate of $25 for children 17 and under. Kids under 2 years old will remain free.
If you're a big spender, you can retain complimentary guest access by charging a whopping $75,000 to their card in a calendar year – a carbon copy of the policy American Express adopted at Centurion Lounges a few years ago.
Plus, even Venture X cardholders' Priority Pass lounge access is taking a hit, as cardholders will have to pay an additional $35 per guest. And even if you do manage to spend $75,000 on your card each year, that won't get you free guest access at these lounges.
While these changes likely sting for most travelers, they're going to be toughest for families to swallow.
For years, Venture X cardholders have easily shared lounge access with loved ones by adding them as an authorized user for free. But starting next February, authorized users will no longer receive complimentary lounge access as a benefit. Instead, they'll have to pay an extra $125 a year for each additional cardholder to maintain lounge access.
Paying an extra $125 per year could still make sense for frequent travelers – heck, if you only stop into the lounge three times per year, you're already coming out ahead. But it becomes a much more costly proposition if you've got kids. While Capital One doesn't have a minimum age requirement for adding authorized users to an account, Priority Pass members need to be 18 or older.
This means you could technically add your five-year-old (or any age kid) as an authorized user to get them unlimited Capital One Lounge access, but you'd still need to pay an additional fee to get into Priority Pass Lounges.
When these changes were first announced, Capital One made clear the cutbacks were critical to keeping their airport lounge experience top notch.
“As airport lounges continue to grow in popularity across the industry, we’ve seen our customers increasingly encounter wait times to enter them,” the bank said in a statement.
Capital One Lounges have no doubt become popular to a fault, leading to long lines and delays to get inside. But in our experience, the bank has done a much better job managing capacity than many of its competitors – here's looking at you, Amex.
With the bank's new(ish) digital waitlist you can often join the queue as soon as you get to the airport. And even when the lounge is at its busiest, you typically only encounter a 10- to 15-minute wait to get in. Most importantly, the bank's capacity controls mean that while you might have to wait, it's less crowded once you get inside.
Still, Capital One isn't satisfied with the experience it's currently delivering and feels these changes are necessary.
“It is important to us that we maintain a great airport lounge experience for our Venture X and Venture X Business customers, while continuing to deliver best-in-class premium travel cards at an accessible price point,” the bank added.
If you ask me, the last part of that statement is telling. It's clear Capital One views the Venture X's more modest price tag as a competitive advantage and rather than try to fix the overcrowding issue with a fee hike, the bank is taking a different approach.
At $395 per year, the Venture X is far cheaper than its closest competitors. In fact, Chase is now charging more than double that for its top-tier *chase sapphire reserve* and American Express has promised a “refreshed” *amex platinum* is on the way … which will almost surely push the current annual_fees annual fee (see rates & fees) even higher.
A Better Card for Family Lounge Access
So what are your options? If you're currently using the Venture X to get your whole crew into the lounge and don't want to pay for guest access or an additional authorized user fee, all is not lost.
In my opinion, the new best card for family lounge access is actually an old favorite: It's the Ritz-Carlton Card. The path to adding this card to your wallet is a bit of a winding road … but trust me, it's worth the trouble.
Since the Ritz Card is no longer open to new applicants, you'll need to start with a different Marriott Bonvoy credit card (issued by Chase) and then upgrade later on.
With the Ritz-Carlton Card you'll get complimentary access to Chase's growing portfolio of Sapphire Lounges – and best of all, you can bring in an unlimited number of guests with you! Yes, you read that right – and that's exactly what makes this the perfect choice for family travelers.
These Sapphire Lounges are run in collaboration with Airport Dimensions – the same group behind “The Club” family of lounges that you'll find throughout the U.S. – but Chase has upped the ante for its branded lounges. The designs are chic and spacious, complimentary food and drinks are a big step above your typical airport club, and there are upscale amenities like showers, wellness areas, and even an ultra-exclusive “Reserve Suite.”
Related reading: Chase Is Winning the Airport Lounge Wars … & It's Not Close
In addition to Sapphire Lounge access, you'll also get a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership – also with unlimited guest access. This means you'll have access to 1,300-plus more lounges around the world, in addition to the Chase-branded lounges you'll find scattered across the U.S. (and in Hong Kong).
But here's the best part: You can also add authorized users – each with their own lounge access – for no additional cost! That means even if you aren't traveling with your spouse or loved one, they can still get into the lounges for free. And you could even extend these benefits to other friends and family, without costing you any extra.
It's clear this card is a winner, but what's the cost? For $450 per year you get unlimited access to Chase Sapphire and Priority Pass lounges (with unlimited guests), an annual free night award (good for any Marriott hotel costing up to 85,000 points per night), an annual $300 travel credit, and more.
Safe to say, this card is worth the effort for most travelers – especially family travelers.
All information about the Ritz-Carlton Card was collected independently by Thrifty Traveler and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
Bottom Line
Capital One is cutting guest access for Venture X cardholders starting Feb. 1, 2026. Bringing guests into Capital One Lounges or Priority Pass lounges will soon cost extra, unless you spend $75,000 per year on the card.
These changes hit families hardest, as the Venture X has long been a favorite for its generous lounge perks at a modest annual fee. If you’re looking for a replacement, the Ritz-Carlton Card from Chase now stands out with unlimited lounge access, free guests, and no extra fees for authorized users.
