Leading with Local: Newest Capital One Lounge Opens at IAD

Long before the Capital One Lounge at Washington, D.C.’s Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) opened on September 7, we’ve been hard at work thinking through the pain points of the travel ecosystem. At Capital One, we design our Lounges to cater to a variety of traveler needs, and to serve as a respite during what can be a stressful point in the travel experience. To do this, we seek to deeply understand from our customers what was working and what wasn’t in existing lounge offerings. We especially recognize that travelers’ preferences are much more diverse and many are looking for a different type of experience that fits their unique needs. With that in mind, we design airport spaces — namely Capital One Lounges and Capital One Landings —to cater to a variety of needs ranging, from business travelers to jet setters to multigenerational families traveling together. We’re also “keeping it local” in the process,” paying homage to local architecture, partnering with local partners and purveyors, and showcasing local art and design.

“The Capital One Lounge at Dulles Airport has been developed with the goal of providing a differentiated airport lounge experience. To us, this means meeting the evolving needs of the modern traveler while at the same time incorporating authentically local touches throughout,” says Jenn Scheurich, Vice President and Head of Capital One Travel. “Thanks to the tireless efforts of our Capital One teams as well as external partners, we are thrilled to bring this unique lounge experience to IAD as part of our ongoing effort to set a new standard for the modern lounge experience and provide a better end to end travel journey for our customers.”

 

The Finnish architect Eero Saarinen designed the main terminal of Washington Dulles International Airport by reimagining the nature of flight and bringing a “mobile lounge” to passengers. As an homage to Saarinen, the Capital One Lounge design was artfully inspired through a mid-century modern approach to designing and furnishing the space. Located in Capital One’s hometown, the Capital One Lounge at IAD is another testament to our continued commitment to the National Capital Region and building incredible experiences for both residents and travelers alike. 

As with all Capital One Lounges, the new Capital One Lounge at IAD features unique, locally-inspired, premium amenities that provide visitors with a best-in-class travel experience from the moment they step through the door. It’s thoughtfully designed to accommodate all types of travelers, from those looking for a quick drink or bite before they board their flights to those who are looking for a place to relax and recharge before their travel journey. 

Throughout our food and beverage program at our Capital One Lounge at IAD, we partner with local DMV-area breweries, mixologists, coffee roasters, and bakeries as a way to bring to life the many culinary offerings of the Nation’s Capital. In partnership with Unfiltered Hospitality, Capital One’s lounge beverage and cocktail program partner, Capital One aims to create a locally immersive experience through its lounge network, including:

• Lost Rhino Brewery, an Ashburn-based brewing company whose award-winning and high-quality craft beer is on draft at our full-service bar. Lost Rhino will also be creating a beer exclusively for the Capital One IAD Lounge as part of the Capital One’s “best airport beer” lounge initiative. 

• Will Patton, Beverage Director at local favorites Bresca and Jônt, will be serving Bresca’s signature citrusy cocktail, Bee’s Knees, in the Lounge

• Blanchard’s Coffee Roasting Company, a Virginia-based coffee roaster with a commitment to sustainability, whose specialty coffee and espresso will keep travelers going during busy travel days

• River-Sea Chocolates, a Chantilly-based chocolatier crafting bean-to-bar chocolate in a sustainable way—with cherry blossom-flavored sweet treats on hand to surprise-and-delight travelers

"Unfiltered is proud to partner with Capital One to create a first class beverage experience for their lounge network. We share a passion for fostering engaging and inclusive spaces that highlight local communities while providing the best customer experiences possible,” says Gui Jaroschy, Co-Founder and Partner at Unfiltered Hospitality. “We feel that the strength of the partnership and our mutual commitment to these values is palpable to guests visiting the lounge bars." 

The design of our new Capital One Lounge at IAD takes inspiration from the historic terminal at Washington Dulles International Airport, and thus is heavily influenced by mid-century revolutionaries, Eero Saarinen, the airport’s architect, and Harry Bertoia, a renowned artist commissioned for a now-famous bronze sculpture in the heart of the terminal. 

Inspired by this aesthetic, and a desire to preserve and showcase the airport’s rich history while adding our own unique contribution, the Capital One Lounge at IAD showcases historic architectural images of the airport’s original control tower and terminal designed by Saarinen and features beautiful teak wood architectural elements and mid-century modern furniture, including Bertoia and Womb chairs. 

In addition, the Capital One Lounge at IAD celebrates contemporary artists from the National Capital Region, including:

• Acorn Pottery & Farm, a studio from Central Virginia that will create custom and hand-crafted mugs and pottery for use throughout the Lounge’s beverage program. 

• Charles Philippe Jean-Pierre, a painter known for his contemporary and traditional Haitian paintings, as well as international street murals, collage work, and portraiture.

• Kristen Gaudio Ensley, a painter and ceramicist known for trademark ability to create visual textures with a rich, adventurous color palette and expressive techniques.

• Michael Crosset, a mixed-media artist who captures the familiar sights of Washington, D.C. and then transforms his imagery with silk screens, layering hundreds of images into vibrant arrangements of recognizable D.C. icons.

• Judy Southerland, a contemporary artist known for using cross-media to construct paintings, drawings, and screenprints.