There are few situations less elegant than schlepping around an airport, hungrily looking for food, between flights. Finding a serviceable snack isn’t tough if all you’re after is a package of nuts or a granola bar, and many places even have cut fruit and vegetables if you’re craving something fresh. But hearty, tasty sit-down meals that aren’t of the burger or sandwich variety are typically much tougher to find, especially for less than $20—given all this, sometimes you’re stuck with just an apple and some chips for a meal.
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This sad reality is why I jumped at the chance to preview Capital One Landing, a new dining concept at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Virginia that promises a chic stopover and tasty, filling food. The lounge opens today in Terminal 2 near Concourse D, and offers a restaurant and cocktail bar with a menu of Spanish tapas from celebrity restaurateur and chef José Andrés. More Landing lounges will roll out at airports around the country in the future, including a location at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, but for now this lounge is the first of its kind.
What is Capital One Landing at DCA?
The idea here is a bit different from other lounges, which are designed for longer visits; here, the goal is to provide a comfortable but short stay, a mission that makes sense for the location given most of the flights in and out of DCA are short-haul (although more long-haul routes may be added soon). You won’t find any places to sleep or shower here, but you will find amenities that’ll “put you in the right mood” before flying, as Andrés said at a preview last week. Think comfy places to sit, drink, eat, charge your tech, and rest.
With its many tables and low lighting, the space feels more like one of Andrés’s restaurants than an airport lounge. A sleek calm permeated throughout the space, which Andrés co-designed; the warm woods, walls of floor-to-ceiling windows, and artfully placed books and greenery gave everything a soothing vibe. A jumble of rattan-shaded lamps preside over a dining room outfitted with booths, tables, and two-seaters.
Each seat includes a power outlet, and there are spots to store luggage and hang personal coats. The lounge is also host to a handsome bar, coffee station, dessert station, and wheeled carts of portable dishes like labneh cones topped with caviar, gin and tonics, Basque cheesecake, and mimosas that roam around the space.
The lounge is open daily 6am-9pm and will serve seasonal breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes. Don't expect to find buffets here like you would in other lounges. Visitors can walk right up to the bar to order snacks, soup, salads, and desserts; hot entrees and breakfasts are ordered by scanning a QR code at the table, and delivered by a server. Walk right up to the bar or chat with a server to order drinks.
How to access Capital One Landing at DCA
Those who have Capital One Venture X and Venture X Business credit cards can visit the lounge for free; the cost of food and drinks are included, so you can order as much or as little as you'd like, and you're allowed to bring one guest for free or pay $45 per person for each additional guest. Spark Miles and Venture cardholders pay $45 to enter. Everyone else can access the lounge for $90 for a three hour visit. Kids under 2 get in free.
To get in, present the boarding pass for your connecting or departing same-day flight up to three hours before you're set to leave. Once you're in, you can order as many dishes and drinks as you like.
Food and drinks from chef José Andrés
If you’re curious about how you’ll have time to squeeze a steak meal into a layover, know that efficiency is the name of the game here— a Capital One representative said that each drink and dish is designed to be prepared and served within seven minutes of ordering. Some of the drinks at the bar are even poured from a tap to make whipping them together faster.
I got a taste of the lunch and dinner offerings, many of which are reminiscent of the tapas on the menu at Jaleo, Andrés’s first D.C. area restaurant. Visitors to the Landing can order snacks that include pan con tomate, a crispy toast topped with chopped tomatoes, Spanish anchovies cured in vinegar, croquetas, and a selection of meats and cheeses. The drinks on offer aren't your sad rail drinks. Perched at the bar, I watched the talented bartenders mix together my Ben Franklin's Milk Punch, a smooth, clarified concoction of Spanish brandy, nutmeg, and lemon. The non-alcoholic drink I tried, the bright pink Fresa y Piña, was just as satisfying.
In terms of food, the Gambas al Ajillo, red shrimp confited with olive oil and spices, were tender and melted in my mouth when I piled them atop crispy bread. The grilled hanger steak with mojo verde sauce and grilled zucchini with yogurt and herbs were a satisfying combo, as well. I also sampled the Pincho de Tortilla de Patatas, which graces both the morning and evening menus, a traditional Spanish omelet with caramelized onions and potatoes.
My favorite parts, though, were the desserts, which included a savory burnt Basque cheesecake made with goat cheese, oat milk soft serve, and flan. The experience of eating in the lounge was on par with being at Jaleo, Oyamel, or Zaytinya—I actually forgot I was at the airport until a light from outside caught my eye.
The breakfast menu in the dining room includes plenty of coffee, tea, cocktails, and non-alcoholic drinks. Hot dishes include eggs benedict, olive oil pancakes served with seasonal berries and maple syrup, and lots of pastries and fruit.
Even those who don’t want to pay to enter the Landing can enjoy Andrés’s food. On the Fly, a smaller food and drink kiosk that doesn’t require lounge access and is open daily 5am-10pm, will face out into the terminal and offer travelers grab and go snacks and drinks.
Sit down for breakfast, which consists of hot and cold sandwiches, or peruse the pastry case for a snack like xuxos, a Spanish twist on a croissant stuffed with chocolate cream. A small refrigerated section includes snacks like containers of Spanish olives, yogurt and fruit parfaits, packaged Caesar salad, and the only freshly squeezed juice available at the airport (according to a Capital One rep, at least). Venture X and Venture X Business cardholders get half off their purchase at On the Fly, too.
Who should try Capital One Landing at DCA?
With how chaotic air travel can sometimes be, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that you may have several hours to spare if a flight is delayed or canceled. If you have one of the above credit cards, stopping by Capital One Landing at DCA even for 30 minutes is a no brainer. Paying $45 to enter is also a great deal.
However, if you’re not an eligible card member, the $90 price tag feels steep unless you have plenty of time to take full advantage of all the food and drinks. I don’t have any of the above credit cards, and while I felt at ease in the space and very satisfied with all the food and drinks I tried, I’m not sure it would be worth spending the money for a stay of less than a couple hours, although you could easily run up a $90 tab at any of Andrés's restaurants. Airport food is often ludicrously expensive and far less enjoyable, so you can certainly do worse than the Landing in terms of value.
I, along with many other travelers I suspect, am probably more likely to stop into On the Fly for a quick breakfast or snack than spring for the full experience on a time crunch. But if I am in the situation where I have hours to wait for a flight, I will certainly beeline for the Landing.