Chicago has two major commercial airports: Chicago-O’Hare and Chicago-Midway. The former serves as a major hub for American Airlines and United Airlines, while Southwest Airlines has a large presence at Chicago-Midway.
With plenty of flyers traveling through the city on a daily basis, there are a number of airport lounges available to those who want a quiet space to relax before their flight.
Find out which airport lounges are available to travelers at Chicago-O’Hare, plus the latest information about a new, first-ever airport lounge at Chicago-Midway.
About Chicago’s airport lounges
Chicago-O’Hare
Depending on how you access a lounge and with which airline you’re flying, there are several lounges at Chicago-O’Hare worth exploring. The airport has lounges in Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 5.
Your best bet to get into a lounge here will be if you’re flying with United or American or if you hold elite status in one of these airlines’ loyalty programs. A small number of international airlines also have lounges in Terminal 5.
You may get access to lounges depending on your elite status level with an airline, even if traveling in economy class.
Chicago-Midway
Chicago-Midway doesn’t currently have any lounge options, but it will be opening its first-ever lounge in late 2024. Called “The Club MDW,” it will part of the network of lounges dubbed “The Club” be accessible to Priority Pass members.
If you want to purchase Priority Pass membership, an annual pass for unlimited lounge visits costs $469. Cheaper memberships are available but only allow a limited number of visits per year.
Chicago-O’Hare Terminal 1: United Clubs and Polaris Lounge
Terminal 1 is primarily used by United Airlines and select partners. It has four lounges for passengers traveling on United and partner carriers. Here are the lounges available at Chicago-O’Hare Terminal 1.
United Club
Three locations: near gate B6 (Concourse B), gate B18 (Concourse B) and gate C10 (Concourse C).
Open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Must present a boarding pass to enter.
Open to United Club members, one-time pass holders, United and Star Alliance premium cabin passengers and eligible elite status holders (including Star Alliance Gold) on eligible international flights. Virgin Australia Velocity Gold, Platinum and VIP members plus Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge members, all of whom must be traveling from Chicago-O’Hare on United, can also visit United Club locations. Access is also available to certain United credit cardholders.
United Clubs offer hot and cold buffet meals and drinks from an open bar. Work stations, free Wi-Fi, seats with power outlets and Illy coffee machines come standard.
Polaris Lounge
Located near gate C18 (Concourse C).
Open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Must present a boarding pass to enter.
Open to United Polaris and Star Alliance premium cabin passengers as well as eligible elite status holders (including Star Alliance Gold flyers on non-United flights) on international flights. Star Alliance Gold members who are traveling domestically on United cannot use the Polaris Lounge, but may access the United Club instead.
Polaris Lounges have a more substantial buffet of hot and cold food items, an a la carte menu in a sit-down restaurant, an upgraded bar with complimentary drink selections, lounge areas, showers and nap rooms.
🤓Nerdy Tip
United Club members can bring a spouse and child under 21 or up to two guests. The United Club℠ Infinite Card comes with lounge membership that can be used when flying United or a Star Alliance partner.
Chicago-O’Hare Terminal 2: United Club
Terminal 2 is used by United Airlines as well as a handful of other airlines like Alaska Airlines and JetBlue Airways. Here is information on the sole lounge at Chicago-O’Hare’s Terminal 2:
United Club
Located near gate F9 (Concourse F).
Open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Must present a boarding pass to enter.
Open to United Club members, one-time pass holders, Star Alliance premium cabin passengers and eligible elite status holders (including Star Alliance Gold) on eligible international flights. Virgin Australia Velocity Gold, Platinum and VIP members plus Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge members, all of whom must be traveling from Chicago-O’Hare on United, can visit United Club locations.
United Clubs offer hot and cold buffet meals and drinks from an open bar. Work stations, free Wi-Fi, seats with power outlets and Illy coffee machines come standard.
Cards with United Club access
United℠ Explorer Card
on Chase’s website
United Club℠ Infinite Card
on Chase’s website
United℠ Business Card
on Chase’s website
United Club℠ Business Card
Details
Annual fee:$0 intro for the first year, then $95):
Lounge access: Two one-time United Club passes after account opening and each year for your cardmember anniversary.
Annual fee:$525.
Lounge access: Primary cardholders get a United Club membership.
Annual fee:$99.
Lounge access: Two one-time United Club passes after account opening and each year for your cardmember anniversary.
Annual fee:$450.
Lounge access: Primary cardholders get a United Club membership.
Still not sure?
Chicago-O’Hare Terminal 3: American Admirals Clubs and Flagship Lounge
Terminal 3 is primarily used by American Airlines and some of its partner carriers. Here are the details for the lounges located at Chicago-O’Hare Terminal 3.
American Airlines Admirals Club
Three locations: near gate G8 (Concourse G), between gates H6 and K6 (Concourse H/K) and near gate L1 (Concourse L).
Open daily from 6:15 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. (Concourse H/K lounge is open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.)
Must present a boarding pass to enter.
American’s Admirals Clubs offer buffet snacks and an open bar. Some include pop-up stations with avocado toast in the morning and made-to-order guacamole in the evening.
Work stations, seats with power outlets and lounge areas are also available. If you’d like to take advantage of the Club’s shower facilities, you’ll need to head to the location between the H and K Concourses.
American Airlines Flagship Lounge
Located between gates H6 and K6 (Concourse H/K).
Open daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Must present an eligible boarding pass to enter.
Open to ConciergeKey travelers, eligible AAdvantage and Oneworld elite status members on international flights and premium cabin passengers on eligible international, premium transcontinental and long-haul Hawaiian island flights. One-day passholders can also enter for $150 per person or 15,000 AAdvantage miles. Also eligible to enter are Alaska Airlines MVP Gold and MVP Gold 75K members on eligible flights.
American’s Flagship Lounges are a step up from the Admirals Club and have expansive buffets with hot and cold items, self-service bars, a range of snacks, work stations, showers, seats with power outlets and premium Champagne and wine.
Chicago-O’Hare Terminal 5: Delta Sky Club and international airline lounges
Since Delta moved its operations to Terminal 5, it joins a few other domestic carriers as well as most other international airlines operating from Chicago-O’Hare.
🤓Nerdy Tip
It’s not easy for travelers departing from Terminals 1, 2 or 3 to access these lounges since they must leave the secure area, take a train and re-clear security. If you’re connecting through O’Hare with a flight leaving from Terminal 5, a free shuttle within security is available after showing an eligible boarding pass.
That said, these four Chicago-O’Hare airport lounges are best suited for passengers departing from Terminal 5.
Delta Sky Club
Located between gates M11 and M14 (Concourse M).
Open from 4:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day except Saturday when hours are 4:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Must present a boarding pass to enter.
Open to Delta Sky Club members, Delta One passengers, premium cabin passengers traveling internationally on a SkyTeam flight and Medallion members (except Silver) flying internationally in a premium cabin. Non-Delta members with SkyTeam Elite Plus status traveling on an international itinerary also receive access, as do those who hold The Platinum Card® from American Express, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card or select Centurion cards from American Express. Travelers may only access the lounge up to three hours prior to their flight. Anyone holding a basic economy ticket will not receive access. Terms apply.
The Sky Club offers a buffet of hot and cold food items, an open bar (including a dedicated wine bar), work stations with power outlets, an interesting collection of artwork and plentiful seating overlooking the Delta gates.
Cards with Delta SkyClub access
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Annual fee
Still not sure?
British Airways Lounge
Located between gates M11 and M12 (Concourse M).
Open from 12:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Must present a boarding pass to enter.
This lounge is open to premium cabin and eligible Oneworld elite status members on international British Airways or Oneworld flights.
In the lounge, a range of self-service snacks and an open bar are available, although there is limited seating given its small size.
SAS Lounge
Located near gates M19 and M20 (Concourse M).
Opening hours vary based on flight schedule.
Must present a boarding pass to enter.
This lounge is accessible to SAS passengers and eligible elite status passengers on other Star Alliance flights from the terminal.
While compact, the lounge has a decent spread of snacks, self-pour refreshments including alcohol and work stations with power outlets.
Swissport Lounge
Located near gate M13 (Concourse M).
Open from 7 a.m. to 12:30 a.m (7 a.m. to 9 p.m. for Priority Pass members).
Must present a boarding pass to enter.
This lounge is available to Priority Pass members and eligible customers with access via their airline. If you have access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, you also have Priority Pass membership, giving access to this lounge.
The lounge offers visitors a buffet of snacks, an open bar and seating although power outlets can be hard to find. This is not one of the most attractive lounges at the airport, but it is the only Priority Pass option.
Chicago-Midway: The Club at MDW
Opening in late 2024, this new Priority Pass-accessible lounge will be available near the Central Market between Concourses A and B.
This will become the first Chicago-Midway airport lounge.
10 complimentary Priority Pass lounge visits per year. Enrollment required.
Terms apply.
Eight free Priority Pass lounge visits per year.
Learn more
For Midway passengers without a qualifying card or Prioriy Pass membership, a day pass can also be purchased for those with a boarding pass for $50.
Chicago airport lounges recapped
Chicago-O’Hare has several lounge options across United, American, Delta and international airlines. Chicago-Midway, meanwhile, will be opening an airline-agnostic lounge for Priority Pass members in late 2024.
As it currently stands, travelers need to rely on their airline ticket, elite status or lounge membership to give them access to a Chicago airport lounge.
The information related to United Club℠ Business Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is a premium card that comes with a number of benefits, including Hilton Honors™ Diamond Status, a $400 Hilton resort credit, a $200 airline credit and more. Terms apply.
Hilton and American Express recently updated the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card benefits so that cardholders can earn free Hilton award nights. Below we’ll dive into whether it’s worth taking advantage of this new benefit.
How to earn free hotel nights with the card
In the first year of your card membership and every year at renewal.
New: After making $30,000 in purchases on your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card in a calendar year.
New: After making $60,000 in purchases on your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card in a calendar year.
Terms apply.
While you’ll continue to earn at least one free award night each year with your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, is it worth spending up to $60,000 for extra free nights?
Spending $30,000 to earn a free reward night
If you’re able to maximize the value of the free award night, it may very well be worth spending $30,000 on the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card to earn an extra free reward night. Terms apply.
14 points for every $1 spent at a Hilton property.
7 points for every $1 spent on flights booked directly with airlines, travel booked on amextravel.com, on select car rental companies and at U.S. restaurants.
3 points for every $1 spent on everything else.
Terms apply.
This means that, at a minimum, you’ll earn 90,000 Hilton Honors points by spending $30,000 on your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
Those 90,000 points would be worth approximately $450, given NerdWallet valuations. This comes out to be a 1.5% return on that $30,000 spend. That said, you have the potential to earn even more points if your $30,000 in spend includes money spent on a Hilton stay or on the 7x categories listed above.
The opportunity cost
This comes out to a minimum return of 2.8% if you spend that $30,000 on the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
When it could still make sense
Even though the points you earn from the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card may be worth less than the amount you’d earn with other cards, this doesn’t take into account the value of the free Hilton award night you’d get after spending $30,000 on your card in a calendar year. If you’re able to maximize the value of your free award night with Hilton, the math can change completely. Terms apply.
For example, you could use your free award night to book a standard room at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi — when we checked, the cheapest stay cost $2,735 after taxes and fees.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Hilton award stays waive resort fees.
If you take the $2,735 for the free award night and add the $450 in value you’d otherwise earn from spending $30,000 on the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, this comes out to $3,185 worth of earnings on the card, or an impressive return of 10.6% for every $1 spent on the card. (Keeping in mind that you probably wouldn’t fly to the Maldives for a one-night hotel stay.)
The math is very different if you use your free award night for a less expensive hotel. For example, if you used the free award night at the Hampton Inn Dalton in Georgia, the cash price of the same night would only be around $123, including taxes and fees.
If you take the $123 for the free award night and add the $450 in value you’d otherwise earn from spending $30,000 on the card, this comes out to $573 worth of earnings, or a return of 1.9% for every $1 spent. This is less value than if you had the same spend on the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
The bottom line is that it’s only worth spending $30,000 on your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card if you can maximize the value of the free award night by booking a stay at an otherwise expensive property.
Spending $60,000 to earn two free reward nights
You’ll want to do similar math to determine whether it’s worth spending $60,000 on your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card to earn two free award nights (since you earn one free award night after $30,000 in spend and a second free award night after you hit $60,000 in spend).
If you spend $60,000 on your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, you’ll earn a minimum of 3 points per $1 spent, or 180,000 points worth $900 per NerdWallet’s valuation — a return of 1.5% for every $1 spent on the card. Terms apply.
If you’re able to maximize your free award nights at high-value Hilton properties, it could again make sense to spend $60,000 on your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
When should you skip it?
Below are some scenarios where spending $30,000 (or $60,000) on your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card to earn free award nights may not make sense:
You may not use the award night, since they generally expire within one year.
You may not use the award night at a high-cost property.
You are instead putting that spend toward a credit card that offers a high sign-up bonus.
You’d rather get a credit card that includes airline or hotel status.
You have The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, where you earn a free award night after spending only $15,000 in a calendar year. Terms apply.
Since there’s no one-size-fits-all solutions, you’ll want to think about how you’ll use your Hilton free award nights compared to how you’d earn points used on another credit card before deciding to commit to the $30,000 or $60,000 spend requirements on the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
The bottom line
Hilton and American Express updated the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card so that you can now earn an additional free award night after spending $30,000 on the card in a calendar year, or earn two additional free award nights after spending $60,000 on the card in a calendar year. It’s only worth taking advantage of this benefit if you plan to redeem the Hilton free night awards at a high-value Hilton hotel.
Given that, you should carefully think about how you’ll use the free award night certificates before committing to spending the $30,000 or $60,000 needed to get the free Hilton award nights on your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. Terms apply.
All information about Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by NerdWallet. Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is no longer available through NerdWallet.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a premium credit card that offers cardholders a host of benefits, such as a $300 annual travel credit, 10,000 anniversary bonus miles, 10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and Priority Pass membership.
Below we dive into the specifics of the Priority Pass membership benefit so you can take full advantage of it when traveling with your Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
Overview of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Priority Pass benefit
For frequent flyers, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Priority Pass membership is one of the card’s most useful benefits as it gives cardholders access to the global Priority Pass airport lounge network.
Authorized users of the card are also eligible to sign up for a Priority Pass membership, meaning that if you have a Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and add someone as an authorized user (for instance, a spouse or relative), that individual can also access Priority Pass lounges when traveling.
How to enroll in Priority Pass as a Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card holder
To take advantage of the Priority Pass benefit, you’ll need to enroll by following these steps:
Receive your Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card in the mail, which can take up to two weeks after you’ve been approved for the card.
Enter your Capital One card number, country of residence and address to create your Priority Pass account.
Enter your billing details, which will be used to identify you when you arrive at a Priority Pass lounge.
Review and accept the membership declaration, then click “Join.”
Once you’re enrolled, you can access your account through the Priority Pass website or the mobile app.
🤓Nerdy Tip
We recommend downloading the Priority Pass mobile app, which makes it easy to find Priority Pass lounges while you’re traveling. You can also take advantage of the digital card on the app to enter eligible lounges.
How to enter Priority Pass lounges with your membership
To enter a Priority Pass lounge using your membership, you’ll first need to locate a lounge to visit.
Priority Pass has plenty of lounges — over 1,500 internationally. As of this time, the lounges are available in 44 U.S. cities.
U.S. Priority Pass Locations
Baltimore.
Buffalo, N.Y.
Charleston, S.C.
Charlotte Douglas, N.C.
Cleveland.
Colorado Springs, Colo.
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.
Hebron, Ky.
Indianapolis.
Jacksonville, Fla.
Kahului, Hawaii.
Las Vegas.
Lexington, Ky.
Little Rock, Ark.
Los Angeles.
Minneapolis/St. Paul.
New Orleans.
Newark, N.J.
Oakland, Calif.
Orlando, Fla.
Philadelphia.
Pittsburgh.
Portland, Ore.
Providence, R.I.
Salt Lake City.
San Diego.
San Francisco.
San Jose, Calif.
St. Louis.
Syracuse, N.Y.
Tampa, Fla.
Tucson, Ariz.
Washington, D.C.
Some airports may have several Priority Pass lounges, and some have none at all.
Once you find a Priority Pass lounge to visit, you’ll need the following to get in:
A same-day boarding pass.
An ID, such as a driver’s license or passport.
One of the following:
YourCapital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
Your physical Priority Pass membership card.
Your digital Priority Pass membership card.
Keep in mind that Priority Pass lounges have capacity limits and can fill up, so we recommend having a back-up lounge or plan in mind if the Priority Pass lounge you want to visit is full.
Are there limits on guests or visits to Priority Pass lounges with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card?
One of our favorite features of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Priority Pass benefit is that there is no limit to the number of lounges you can visit in a year.
Additionally, all guests traveling with you also receive complimentary access to the lounge.
Is it worth getting a Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card for the Priority Pass benefit?
The annual fee on the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is $395, while a Priority Pass membership that offers unlimited visits costs $469 per year, making the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Priority Pass membership a great value.
But if you’re able to take advantage of the other benefits offered by the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, like the card’s $300 annual travel credit, 10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and the 10,000 miles anniversary bonus, then it makes sense to sign up for Priority Pass and the card’s other benefits.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Priority Pass, recapped
Cardholders need to enroll in Priority Pass to gain access, but the process is straightforward. Once enrolled, you’ll be able to access a global network of Priority Pass lounges with no limit on the number of visits you can make or guests that you can bring each year.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:
Ahead of March Madness and summer events, Capital One is offering certain cardholders more rewards when they make purchases for sporting events, concerts, travel experiences and more through the ticketing platform Capital One Entertainment.
Through December 2025, cardholders of the following will earn an unlimited 5X miles on all purchases made through this platform instead of the standard 2X miles typically offered:
Powered by online event-ticket marketplace Vivid Seats, Capital One Entertainment allows cardholders to redeem rewards for tickets and packages to more than 500,000 events. Access is available through the Capital One mobile app or Capital One website (capitalone.com/entertainment.)
If you hold an eligible card and you’re planning on attending an event over the next few months, the potential rewards can help you get ahead on travel or other goals. Beyond booking through Capital One Entertainment, you can maximize rewards further if you book the tickets for those joining you in the fun. But be cautious to only book tickets for friends who are certain to reimburse you.
Examples of upcoming events include the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four games; exclusive trips to Seville, Spain; Oaxaca, Mexico; and Paris with cultural experiences; special events created in partnership with Cultivist, a leading global arts club; the iHeartCountry Festival; and iHeartRadio Music Festival; among others.
The information related to the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.
Dulles International Airport (IAD) is one of three airports servicing the U.S. capital. It is situated about 26 miles outside Washington, D.C., in the Northern Virginia suburbs.
Compared to its counterpart in Virginia, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Dulles’ footprint is at least 12 times larger, sitting on more than 11,000 acres.
Washington-Dulles is known for its vast international flight options, for being a major United Airlines hub, and for its iconic main terminal, designed by well-known architect Eero Saarinen (the same architect who brought the New York-JFK terminal that’s now the TWA hotel to life).
Washington-Dulles is comprised of a main terminal building which features ticketing, security and a small set of “Z” gates, plus baggage claim and customs on the bottom floor.
There are two separate midfield terminals that run parallel to the main terminal: one long building housing the A and B concourses, and another housing the C and D concourses.
Map of IAD terminals
Dulles Airport main terminal
The Washington-Dulles main terminal building is the immediately-recognizable structure most people think of when picturing the airport, with its vaulted ceiling and all-glass facade.
Inside, the building is huge, spanning 1.1 million square feet, and is close to a quarter-mile in length.
The main terminal is divided two floors: departures upstairs and arrivals downstairs.
Upper level
Inside the main terminal on the upper level, there are four large islands with ticket counters for domestic and international airlines.
All passengers pass through security in the main terminal, so if you’re a Clear member, you’ll be able to use the service no matter which airline you’re flying.
The standard TSA checkpoint is downstairs.
Once you pass through security, you’ll catch the Aerotrain or people movers to your specific departure terminal.
Downstairs
Downstairs on the arrivals level is baggage claim with 15 carousels, as well as the airport’s customs facilities, which include Global Entry access.
Food options
Pre-security: Cafe Americana, District Chophouse, Capitol Gounds Coffee.
Retail
International Currency Exchange, Dulles Gourmet Market.
Lounges
The main terminal building houses a brand new Capital One Lounge just beyond the TSA PreCheck lanes.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
NerdWallet Rating
Annual fee
$395
Transportation
Since Dulles operates out of three main terminal buildings, travelers have to take transportation to move between each.
Aerotrain
The most convenient option is the Washington-Dulles Aerotrain, an automated train system that runs between a few of the terminals. It’s usually a quick ride, with a maximum of two minutes between stations.
You can take the Aerotrain if you have a flight in the A gates, B gates or C gates. However, note that it is a decent walk from the station to the C gates.
People movers
One of Dulles’ best-known quirks is its “mobile lounges,” or “people movers.” These Star Wars-esque machines haven’t entirely been phased out with the Aerotrain.
Inside, the people movers feel like a combination of a waiting room and a bus, and they take passengers from one terminal to another.
You’ll typically ride the people movers if you’re:
Flying out of the D gates (one of United’s concourses).
Connecting between United’s D gates and Terminal A (gates A1A through A6F).
Arriving on an international flight to get to the customs area in the main terminal.
Passenger walkway
If you’d rather get some steps in, there’s also a 1,000-foot underground pedestrian walkway that connects the main terminal with Concourse B, featuring moving sidewalks in both directions.
Dulles Terminal A
Airlines
United (regional United Express flights, gates A1A through A6F).
International airlines occupy the main portion of terminal.
Lounges
Air France Lounge, near gate A20.
Open daily from 10:30 a.m. until last flight
Priority Pass eligible.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, across from gate A32
Open starting around four hours before Virgin Atlantic flights.
Priority Pass eligible.
Other amenities
Food and beverage
Jersey Mike’s Subs.
Smashburger.
Starbucks.
Extreme Pita.
Cacao Chaser.
Capitol City Ink.
Duty Free America.
Gen X Wireless.
Hudson News.
International Currency Exchange.
Souvenir Library.
Terminal B
Airlines
American Airlines.
Delta Air Lines.
Southwest Airlines.
International carriers like Aer Lingus, ANA, Lufthana, TAP Air Portugal and others.
Lounges
British Airways Lounge, located near Aerotrain station: Open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Lufthansa Business Lounge, located across from gates B49 and B51: Open 1:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily. Priority Pass eligible.
Turkish Airlines Lounge, located next to gate B43: Open 7:15 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily. Priority Pass eligible.
Other amenities
Food and beverage
Bracket Room.
Capitol Grounds Coffee.
Carrabba’s Italian Grill.
Chick-fil-a,
Commanders Burgundy & Gold Club.
DC-3 Hot Dog Joint.
Five Guys.
Peet’s Coffee.
Potbelly Sandwich Shop.
Vino Volo.
Wendy’s.
Cacao Chaser.
Chanel & Christian Dior.
DC Marketplace.
Duty Free Americas.
Eden’s Boutique.
Estée Lauder / M.A.C. Flag World.
Gen X Wireless.
Montblanc.
Ralph Lauren Polo.
See’s Candies.
Stellar News.
Sunglass Hut.
Travel Tech.
Vera Bradley.
Vineyard Vines.
Washingtonian.
Terminal C
Airlines
Lounges
United has four lounges in Concourse C:
A United Club near gate C4: Open 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. daily.
A United Club near gate C7: Open 5:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily.
A United Club near gate C17: Open 5:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily.
Other amenities
Food and beverage
Au Bon Pain.
Auntie Annie’s.
Be Right Burger.
Chef Geoff’s.
Devil’s Backbone Taproom.
Starbucks.
Brookstone.
Capitol City Ink.
Duty Free Americas
Hudson News.
International Currency Exchange
Terminal D
Airlines
Lounges
United Club near gate D8: Open 5:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily.
Food and beverage
Bistro Atelier.
Dulles Gourmet Market.
Pizza Hut.
Rusty Taco.
Starbucks.
Duty Free Americas.
Forbes News.
International Currency Exchange.
NBC4 Travel Store.
A ‘bonus’ concourse of sorts, Dulles has a small handful of Z gates located in the main terminal building. A mix of airlines service these gates, and the only food and beverage options are Dunkin and Subway.
Washington-Dulles has several parking options. The priciest are right near the terminal and in garages, and the most affordable is a cheaper, satellite economy lot requiring a shuttle. You can reserve your parking online or take your chances of finding a free spot at the airport.
Terminal parking
Located just in front of terminal.
$29 per day or $6 per hour.
Follow covered walkway to terminal (brief walk).
There’s an additional “Valet” parking option for $39 per day that allows convenient pickup in front of the terminal parking lot for ultra convenience.
Garage 1 or Garage 2 Parking
Parking garage close to terminal.
$21 per day or $6 per hour.
Walk to the terminal via an underground or covered pedestrian walkway or take a shuttle.
Garage 2 is the most convenient for international departures.
Economy parking
Satellite parking lot.
$14 per day.
Shuttle service runs every 15 minutes. Give yourself at least 15 minutes of travel time to the terminal.
Rental cars
To get to and from the rental car facilities, you’ll have to take one of the airport’s free shuttle buses, a few minutes’ ride.
Dulles has most major rental car companies, including:
Enterprise.
Washington Metro Access
Dulles has direct access to the Washington Metro system via the Silver Line station. It’s located opposite the main terminal, across the terminal parking parking facilities. You’ll take an underground path with moving walkways to get to the Silver Line station.
From there, you can catch a Metro train that will take you through Tyson’s Corner, and eventually through Rosslyn and into downtown D.C. Metro’s trip planner shows it’s a ride of more than 50 minutes to Metro Center, a key connecting station in downtown D.C.
Check Metro’s website for information on hours of operation and fares.
Uber/Lyft from Dulles
Customers hoping to use a rideshare service like Uber and Lyft when they get off the airplane can be picked up on the arrivals level outside baggage claim outside Doors 2, 4 and 6.
(Top photo courtesy of Sean Cudahy)
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:
Discover card travel insurance used to be a common benefit of many of the bank’s cash-back cards. But in early 2018, Discover cut the travel insurance benefits on all of its cards (alongside benefits like extended warranty and price protection).
That means that today, Discover cards don’t offer any type of travel insurance. Instead, the bank now focuses on the simplicity of cash-back awards on its rewards credit cards.
Which other cards offer travel insurance?
Since Discover card trip insurance is a thing of the past, you might consider spending on other cards that offer travel insurance protections.
Chase cards with travel insurance
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® offer some of the most robust travel insurance coverages available on a credit card, including trip delay protection, primary auto rental collision damage waiver insurance, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage protection and travel accident insurance.
Chase Sapphire travel benefits
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
on Chase’s website
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
on Chase’s website
Travel insurance coverage
Trip cancellation.
Trip interruption.
Trip delay.
Baggage delay.
Lost luggage.
Auto rental collision damage waiver.
Travel accident.
Trip cancellation.
Trip interruption.
Trip delay.
Baggage delay.
Lost luggage.
Auto rental collision damage waiver.
Roadside assistance.
Travel and emergency assistance.
Travel accident.
Emergency evacuations and transportation.
Emergency medical and dental.
Learn more
Here is a full list of credit cards that offer Chase travel insurance:
Chase cards with travel insurance
Premium cards with travel insurance
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
NerdWallet Rating
Annual fee
$395
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card includes primary auto rental collision damage waiver, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, trip delay reimbursement insurance, a $1 million worldwide common carrier travel insurance policy and lost luggage protection.
No-annual-fee cards with travel insurance
While you’ll get the most travel insurance coverage from a premium travel card, some cards with no annual fee offer travel insurance as well.
What types of travel insurance coverages do credit cards usually offer?
Here are some of the most common types of travel insurance offered on credit cards.
Auto rental collision damage waiver insurance covers damage to or theft of cars that you rent using your credit card. For auto rental collision damage waiver insurance to apply, you must make your reservation and pay for your car rental with a card that has this benefit. You must also decline the car rental company’s collision damage waiver. Most auto rental collision damage waiver insurance is secondary, meaning that you must make a claim through your personal auto insurance before the credit card insurance will pay. Primary auto rental collision damage waiver insurance is a benefit on some premium credit cards.
Baggage delay insurance can reimburse you for expenses you incur as a result of a temporary baggage delay. Incidentals like toiletries, clothing, chargers and medication are typically reimbursable through baggage delay insurance.
Lost luggage reimbursement covers the cost to repair or replace your checked and carry-on baggage and its contents. Lost luggage coverage is usually provided as secondary insurance and will cover the difference between what an airline or other carrier reimburses you and the amount of your loss, up to the limit of coverage.
Travel accident insurance can compensate you or your survivors for loss of life, limb or function when you book your common carrier ticket, such as an airline ticket, with your card. Travel accident insurance typically specifies a payout amount for each type of covered loss.
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance may reimburse you for certain prepaid travel expenses when a trip is interrupted or canceled for a covered reason. Trip cancellation and interruption insurance policies vary widely but usually cover at least airfare booked with your card. Some policies may cover a wide range of prepaid travel expenses.
Trip delay reimbursement can cover meals and overnight accommodations when you are significantly delayed and you book your travel with your card. Trip delay benefits usually kick in after a certain number of hours of delays or when you are delayed overnight.
You can also buy travel insurance separately
If you aren’t interested in adding a new credit card to your wallet but want travel protections, you have options.
Consider shopping for one-off plans from third-party travel insurance companies to find coverage that fits your risk tolerance and budget. A bonus of purchasing travel insurance out-of-pocket — rather than using a card’s built-in benefits — is that you can customize the plan to meet your needs.
You can even add on Cancel For Any Reason coverage to more confidently protect your upfront and nonrefundable payments.
Expect to pay roughly 7% of your trip budget for travel insurance.
Should I use a Discover card for travel?
With no Discover travel protection, does it make sense to use a Discover card to book travel? The short answer is probably not.
Discover does not offer any credit cards featuring additional rewards on travel purchases. Discover does market the Discover it® Miles travel credit card, but the card earns 1.5 miles per dollar on every purchase and has no rewards or benefits specific to travel.
The information related to the Chase Freedom® Student credit card, Chase Slate Edge℠, Ink Business Plus® Credit Card, Starbucks® Rewards Visa® Card and the United Club℠ Business Card credit cards has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuers of these cards.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:
The Plumeria Lounge is one of two Hawaiian Airlines lounges at Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. It’s available to Priority Pass members, as well as to select Hawaiian Airlines business and first class travelers, plus frequent fliers with Hawaiian Airlines’ Pualani Platinum elite status.
Unlike the tropical paradise you’ll find elsewhere on Oahu, this lounge is more like an oasis of beige. It has some snacks, but don’t arrive seeking a feast. If all you need is a comfy chair, a place to charge your devices and a brief escape from the pre-flight pandemonium, the Plumeria Lounge is just fine.
Here’s what it’s like inside:
Spaces to relax and work
The design of the Plumeria Lounge is bland, though not bad. Prepare your eyes for a steady color palette of beige on beige.
There are a few types of seating options, including counter seating, table seating, booths and armchairs. Most have access to power outlets. The Plumeria Lounge also has a strong, lounge-exclusive Wi-Fi network, so it should be easy to get connected before your flight.
Food and drink at the Plumeria Lounge
Some people judge lounges based on the food offerings. At Honolulu’s Plumeria Lounge, the food is solidly mediocre and spare. There is a self-service buffet with complimentary light snacks.
Expect some apples, cheese, small sandwiches and soup.
There are also a few types of prepackaged snacks such as pretzels and gummies. Delightfully, though, there are cookie jars with Hawaiian desserts including Honolulu Cookie Company shortbread and Mele Macs macadamia nuts.
There’s a coffee maker for lattes and espresso, as well as a standard drip coffee dispenser. A soda fountain nearby offers standard soft drinks.
The alcoholic beverages are also self-serve. There are wine bottles on the counter, so you can pour yourself a glass. Or you can grab a beer from the fridge.
Bathrooms
The bathrooms were quite clean. However, during our visit in December 2023, one of the three women’s bathroom stalls was out of service.
There are some nice touches, including colorful flowers and complimentary feminine care products.
How to get into the Plumeria Lounge at HNL
Plumeria Lounge access is offered to:
Business class guests departing Honolulu to Japan, South Korea, Australia or New Zealand.
First class guests departing Honolulu to New York or Boston.
Pualani Platinum elite status holders departing Honolulu to Japan, South Korea, Australia or New Zealand. These travelers may bring one guest.
All other Hawaiian Airlines passengers who purchase a day pass.
Priority Pass members.
Cards with Priority Pass access
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card
Annual fee
Priority Pass benefits
Full Priority Pass Select membership. Enrollment required. Terms apply.
Full Priority Pass Select membership. Includes two guests per visit. No restaurants.
Full Priority Pass Select membership. Enrollment required. Terms apply.
10 complimentary Priority Pass lounge visits per year. Enrollment required. Existing cardholders who enrolled in Priority Pass on or before Jan. 31, 2023 will no longer have a membership as of Feb. 1, 2024. Cardholders who enroll between Feb. 1, 2023 and Jan. 31, 2024, will continue to have membership through Oct. 31, 2024. Terms apply.
Eight free Priority Pass lounge visits per year.
Learn more
As a Priority Pass member, you don’t need to fly on Hawaiian Airlines to access the lounge, but you will have to show a same-day boarding pass with an outbound departure from the HNL airport.
🤓Nerdy Tip
The Plumeria Lounge uses a waiting list for Priority Pass members, so access isn’t guaranteed if the lounge is busy.
Purchasing a Plumeria Lounge day pass
You can purchase a day pass either as a walk-in directly upon arrival at the lounge or beforehand during check-in.
The general admission price is $40, though there are discounts for passengers with Pualani elite status. Day passes for Pualani Gold cost $30 and Pualani Platinum can purchase day passes for $25.
Though, don’t try buying a day pass if you’re flying out of Honolulu on any other airline. You must present a same-day Hawaiian Airlines boarding pass to be able to purchase a day pass.
Getting to the Plumeria Lounge inside HNL
The Plumeria Lounge is located in Terminal 1 on the third level.
Honolulu Airport has two terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Both are connected post-security, which makes it possible to access the Plumeria Lounge even if you’re flying out of Terminal 2, but it could be a long walk. You also could take the Wiki Wiki Shuttle between the terminals.
Other HNL lounges to consider
Honolulu’s other Priority Pass Lounge is the I.A.S.S. Hawaii Lounge. It’s adorned with colorful walls, plumeria print chairs and a view of lush plants outside. It might be more aesthetically appealing, but the snacks at the I.A.S.S. lounge are almost nonexistent, so if you prioritize complimentary food, the Plumeria lounge is the better choice.
Is the Plumeria Lounge Honolulu worth it?
The Plumeria Lounge is hardly making any lists of best airport lounges. But if you received complimentary access anyway (by purchasing a premium airfare or having a Priority Pass membership), then it’s tough to complain about this lounge.
The food isn’t fancy, but few airport meals are. You’ll have a place to set down your bag. And don’t overlook the unlimited supply of coffee, soda and other drinks. The Honolulu Cookie Company shortbread treats are tasty, too.
As far as whether it’s worth purchasing a day pass, that’s a tougher decision. If you’ll otherwise purchase multiple adult beverages elsewhere in the terminal, then that might end up justifying a good chunk of the $40 day pass fee right there. If you’ve got a long layover, a delayed flight or just got to the airport way too early, then it might be easier to justify the day pass simply given how many more hours you’ll get out of your stay.
Sure, you’d much rather be lying on the beach in Waikiki. But, if you’re stranded in the Honolulu Airport, then the Plumeria Lounge has some complimentary food and drinks to help pass the time, but not much else.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:
The Hong Kong and Boston Chase Sapphire lounge locations were the first to open, and a third spot is entering the scene: As of January 2024, the Chase Sapphire Lounge at New York’s LaGuardia Airport has opened its doors.
Here is what you can expect when you visit this two-level Chase lounge at New York-LGA.
Getting to the Sapphire Lounge LaGuardia
To get to the Chase Sapphire Lounge in Terminal B, pass through security and turn right. Go past the colorful falling water fountain. At the end of the concourse, you’ll find the entrance to the Sapphire Lounge, next to the Centurion Lounge entrance.
Take the elevator down to the ground floor to enter the lounge.
Hours of operation
The Sapphire Lounge at LaGuardia is open from 4:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily. The private Reserve Suites are open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Layout
The Sapphire Lounge by The Club at LaGuardia beats out many of its competitors on square footage alone. At 21,850 square feet, this massive Sapphire Lounge can fit a maximum of 269 people. The Centurion Lounge next door comes in at less than half the size by square footage.
There are two levels. The lower level has seating areas, play areas (not just for kids), relaxation rooms and the main dining area and bar.
Ascend the set of stairs located to one side of the center bar and you’ll find yourself in what Chase staffers called “The Perch.” This mezzanine area features more seating and tables, a refreshment station and access to the Reserve Suites: three reservation-only rooms available to groups who want more privacy than the lounge affords.
Design
The theme of trees and greenery runs throughout, with several large “tree trunks” breaking up space on both the first and second levels. The pervasive woodgrain, mid-century furniture and colorful, abstract art on the tambour panel walls gives the feeling of walking into a particularly chic rainforest. There’s even a canopy of plants lining the railings of the upper-level mezzanine.
The womb chairs and light, oak-colored wood are in line with current design trends. Yet, the lounge has an air of timelessness that feels sophisticated but fun — falling somewhere between the retrofuturism of the TWA Hotel at JFK and the intentional whimsy of a hip coworking space. Elevated furnishings can be found in the by-reservation private suites, but more on that later.
The lounge doesn’t have a lot of windows because of its location within the airport. However, even without natural light, there’s not a spot in the lounge that feels underlit. The sconces and variety of other lighting fixtures are a delightful detail.
Throughout the lounge, you’ll find touches of New York City, whether it’s a book of Bill Cunningham photos on the shelf or a series of photos featuring matchbooks from iconic New York restaurants like The Bitter End.
Seating areas on the lower level
The first floor of the lounge features plenty of space for work, relaxation, dining and even a little play. Cushy couches and chairs are scattered throughout.
A backlit, water vapor fireplace provides ambience in a more work-oriented section of the lower level where guests will also find two-person booths and a private phone room.
No need to worry about keeping your devices charged — there are outlets galore embedded in furniture, walls, tables and the floor.
Photo booth and arcade
On top of the areas for working or relaxing, there are a few rooms dedicated entirely to play. One is a photo booth that guests can use to snap photos with their traveling companions. Photos can’t be printed, but guests can have a digital copy sent to their email.
The photo booth doubles as an entrance to what Chase staff referred to as “the speakeasy” — a hidden arcade room featuring a pinball machine, tabletop shuffleboard and a jukebox. While there’s no drink service in the speakeasy, staffers indicated that there might be someday.
Children’s playroom
Families can use an enclosed playroom on the lower level without having to worry about disrupting other lounge guests.
Nursing room
A nursing room featuring a sink and changing table is available for use by families in addition to a dedicated changing room for those with babies.
The Reserve Suites
The Reserve Suites are three rooms that can be booked within the lounge that offer groups a private seating and entertainment area, access to fully-stocked showers and an upgraded menu. The privacy comes at a premium though.
Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders can reserve one of the two six-person suites and one four-person suite. The six-person suites feature a movable wall between and can be booked together for use by up to 12 people.
Suites are available in three-hour slots. Each of the six-person suites costs $3,000 to reserve (or $6,000 to combine the two suites) and the four-person suite is $2,200 for a reservation slot. You must book suites through the Chase mobile app at least 72 hours in advance.
So what does roughly $1,000 per hour get you?
In addition to private showers stocked with bathrobes and high-end toiletries from Oribe and Augustinus Bader, guests get access to a personal lounge staffer and a private menu from the New York restaurant Jeffrey’s Grocery.
Menu highlights include a hefty lobster roll and the Plateau le LaGuardia, a two-tiered tower featuring king crab legs, shrimp cocktail and a variety of tinned seafood. The suite-exclusive wine list is curated by New York City wine bar Parcelle and each of the suites includes caviar service in its price.
In the sitting area of each suite, there’s a beautifully incorporated TV on the wall that comes with a PlayStation 5 for guests. The TV can be turned off, leaving the design element of a stark, glossy black circle on the wall rather than a blank TV — a subtle touch that’s in line with the elevated feel of these private suites.
One of the few windows in the lounge is in the four-person suite, providing a near-panoramic view of The Perch and lower level of the lounge; though, there’s a curtain for privacy should you prefer it.
Meditation pods and treatment rooms
If you want to luxuriate a little but don’t want to shell out for the suites with their private showers, stop by the wellness area and treat yourself to some spa time.
The ordeal of engaging with commercial air travel can be more than a little de-centering. If you feel like you need some time to refocus and quiet your mind, the lounge offers two meditation pods, which can be booked in 30-minute slots via the Chase app or the QR codes found throughout the lounge. Meditation pod reservations are complimentary.
You can also book a free spa treatment, such as jade rolls and oxygen blasts, on-site on a first-come-first-served basis. The private treatment rooms are staffed by estheticians and feature products from New York facial bar Face Haus.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Each spa guest can also snag a free travel kit of skincare products from Face Haus.
Bathrooms
There are several bathroom stalls in the men’s room and women’s room on the first floor and an all-gender restroom on the mezzanine.
Food
Cold plates and made-to-order meals
At the back of the lounge’s lower level is the main dining area. The kitchen serves breakfast (4:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.) and all-day fare (11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.) with menus featuring more typical lounge options alongside special, made-to-order dishes from Joseph Leonard, a West Village bistro.
During breakfast and regular service, cold and hot plates are available at the buffet counter. For breakfast, guests can expect the usual fare like pastries, fruit, yogurt, eggs, pancakes and French toast. Made-to-order options — including omelets, egg and cheese baos, and vegan spinach bowls — can be ordered by scanning the QR codes found at every table.
All-day food choices include Korean fried chicken bites, pumpkin muhammara, grilled cheese and made-to-order dishes like burgers or seared salmon over braised leeks. The latter items punched a fair bit above the lounge food weight class, retaining the restaurant quality you’d expect from a curated menu.
A selection of sweets is also available at the buffet, including lemon squares, chocolate chip cookies and mini chocolate bites.
The bar
Situated amid the dining space and seating areas is a circular bar, beautifully appointed with white stone countertops, mauve barstools and brass accents. Chase teamed up with New York mixologists Apotheke for locally-inspired cocktails.
The cocktail menu includes drinks exclusive to the LaGuardia lounge, like The Blackburn’s Sour — a berry-forward rum drink named for one of the first passengers to disembark at LaGuardia when it opened in 1939 — and a signature cocktail that you’ll find at all Sapphire Lounge locations, fittingly and simply called Sapphire.
Other standouts include the Red Eye, an interesting take on the all-too-familar espresso martini that takes things in a more refreshing direction with the addition of black cherry.
A wine list curated by Parcelle, spirits and a selection of beers on tap round out the bar’s menu, with soft drinks, juices and coffee also available.
Refreshment stations
The lounge features three refreshment stations, two on the first level and one on the second. Each refreshment station includes a mini fridge of canned beverages as well as drip coffee, tea, a digital espresso machine, nonalcoholic drinks on tap and assorted fruits and biscotti.
In keeping with the locally-sourced beverages, coffee is supplied by Greenwhich Village roaster Joe Coffee and teas are from SoHo-based tea blenders Harney & Sons.
How to get into the Chase Sapphire Lounge LGA
Access to the Sapphire Lounge by the Club at LaGuardia is pretty simple: you need to carry a qualifying Chase card or have a Priority Pass membership. Some credit cards include a Priority Pass membership as a benefit.
Chase cards that get you lounge access include:
Chase Sapphire Reserve® and J.P. Morgan Reserve cardholders each get two free guests, per visit. Additional guests come at a fee of $27 each. Ritz-Carlton cardholders get unlimited guests.
Priority Pass cards that get you access to the Chase LaGuardia lounge include:
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card
Annual fee
Priority Pass benefits
Full Priority Pass Select membership. Enrollment required. Terms apply.
Full Priority Pass Select membership. Includes two guests per visit. No restaurants.
Full Priority Pass Select membership. Enrollment required. Terms apply.
10 complimentary Priority Pass lounge visits per year. Enrollment required. Existing cardholders who enrolled in Priority Pass on or before Jan. 31, 2023 will no longer have a membership as of Feb. 1, 2024. Cardholders who enroll between Feb. 1, 2023 and Jan. 31, 2024, will continue to have membership through Oct. 31, 2024. Terms apply.
Eight free Priority Pass lounge visits per year.
Learn more
(Top photo by Steve Miller)
The information related to the J.P. Morgan Reserve and The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:
When you rent a car during your travels, you usually aren’t thinking about what happens if you crash your car. that is, until the agent at the rental car desk paints that worst-case scenario during their collision damage waiver pitch.
Should you pay extra to cover your car in the case of an accident? Not if you hold the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
If you are involved in a fender bender, you can rely on your credit card coverage to pay for damage to your rental car without making a claim against your personal auto insurance.
Although it’s a great idea to use your Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card to book your rental cars, the auto rental collision damage waiver benefit on the card doesn’t cover everything or every trip.
Here’s what you need to know about what the policy covers and how to file a claim.
How the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card rental car insurance works
Every credit card car rental insurance requires you to use the card for your rental transaction and decline the car rental company’s collision damage waiver option. The car rental coverage provided by the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is no different.
If you want your Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card car rental insurance to cover your rental car, here’s what you must do:
You must use your Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card to reserve and pay for your entire rental car transaction.
You must decline the car rental company’s collision damage waiver provisions.
Simply being a Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card member isn’t enough — you must use the card to cover your rental transaction and decline the collision damage waiver offered by the rental counter.
Be aware that some rates include collision damage waiver insurance. If you book using one of these rates, you won’t be covered by the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card car rental insurance on that rental.
What is covered?
The most important thing to understand about Capital One’s car rental insurance is what it covers. It covers only the following types of losses:
Damage to a rental car caused by a collision.
Loss of a rental car due to theft.
While your card’s insurance coverage will reimburse you for damage to your rental car, an accident can also cause damage to another driver’s vehicle or result in bodily injury.
If you injure someone (including yourself) in an accident or if you damage someone else’s vehicle, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card car rental insurance won’t cover these losses. Here are some items that are not covered by Capital One’s rental car insurance.
Personal liability.
Loss or theft of personal belongings.
Bodily injuries of any kind to anyone.
Damage to anything other than the rental vehicle.
Wear and tear or mechanical breakdowns.
Most likely, you’ll want travel insurance or personal auto insurance to shield yourself from liability, in case you are involved in an accident that damages someone else’s car or causes an injury.
Finally, Capital One car rental insurance covers rental periods of only 15 or fewer consecutive days within your country of residence. Rentals outside your country of residence are covered up to 31 consecutive days.
Notable exclusions
Certain vehicles
Capital One car rental insurance is meant to cover rentals of non-luxury passenger vehicles. The policy will pay only for the actual cash value of cars with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of up to $75,000 when new, so extremely expensive luxury cars won’t be covered.
If you’re renting a Toyota Corolla, you’re going to be covered. If you want to drive an Aston Martin, you’ll need to find other insurance. Here are some of the types of automobiles that are excluded:
Expensive automobiles with an MSRP of over $75,000 when new.
Antique vehicles that are over 20 years old or have not been manufactured for 10 years.
Vans, other than those designed for small-group transportation and seat up to nine people.
Trucks and vehicles with an open cargo bed.
Two-wheeled vehicles like mopeds, motorcycles and motorbikes.
Limousines.
Recreational vehicles.
Certain destinations
Most car rental insurance policies provided by credit cards exclude certain countries from coverage. Your
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card car rental insurance does not cover rentals in Israel, Jamaica, the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland.
Who is covered?
Capital One provides rental car damage and theft coverage only to you, the person whose name is embossed on your eligibleCapital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. You must reserve, pick up and pay for the rental car and be listed as the primary driver.
Additional drivers on the rental car are covered by your Capital One car rental insurance, but you (the cardholder) must be the primary renter of the car.
How to file a claim
If you have an accident or your rental car is stolen, you will need to call the car rental benefit administrator to report the incident as soon as possible, regardless of your liability.
Within the U.S., call 800-825-4062. If you’re traveling outside the U.S., you can make a collect call to 804-965-8071. You can also initiate your claim online at https://www.eclaimsline.com/.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Be sure to submit your claim form within 90 days of the date of theft or damage or your claim may be denied. Submit the claim form even if you don’t yet have access to all other requested information.
To prepare to submit your claim, you’ll want to collect documentation that will be needed to process your claim. Here’s what you should collect and be prepared to submit to the benefit administrator.
The accident report form provided by the rental company.
A copy of the front and back of the initial and final rental agreements.
A copy of repair estimates and an itemized repair bill.
At least two photographs of the vehicle.
A police report, if one can be obtained.
A copy of any demand letter you receive from the car rental agency.
You’ll also need to fill out a claim form and submit the above documentation, plus a copy of your credit card billing statement including the rental charge. The benefit administrator may also request additional documentation to validate your claim.
Your claim will usually be processed within 15 days after the benefit administrator has received all requested documentation.
Capital One Venture X rental car insurance recapped
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers car rental insurance that covers damage to or theft of your rental vehicle when you decline the car rental company’s collision damage waiver insurance and charge the entire rental transaction to your credit card.
The coverage does not include liability coverage of any kind or cover trips longer than 15 days in your country of residence or 31 days abroad. Be sure to check your card’s Guide to Benefits for coverage details.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:
Capital One is offering a signup bonus of up to $3,000 signup bonus on their business Spark Cash Plus card, as follows:
$1,500 once you spend $20,000 in the first 3 months.
An additional $1,500 once you spend $100,000 in the first 6 months.
Card Details
$150 annual fee not waived
Card earns 2% cash back on all purchases
Earn an annual $200 cash bonus every year you spend $200,000 or more
Card earns cashback; if you have a different points-earning Capital One card (such as the Venture or Spark Miles), you’ll be able to transfer over the cash back into miles which could be more valuable
Our Verdict
Both of these tiers might make sense for someone with a lot of unbonused spend. The lower tier is a really nice deal for cashback – you’ll get 9.5% cashback on $20,000 in spend. This is better than prior offers we’ve seen. Personally I can’t do the $100k tier, but I’m going to try getting approved and doing the $20k spend tier. (In the past I haven’t had great luck getting approved with Capital One. 🙁 )
Another option is a newly launched similar bonus on the Venture X Business card.
Remember, Capital One pulls all 3 credit bureaus. Unlike most Capital One business cards, Spark Cash cards do not report the statement balances to the personal bureaus; see these Things to Know About Capital One Credit Cards before applying. We’ll add this to our List of Best Credit Card Signup Bonuses.