The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has established a reputation as a solid travel rewards card, offering its members stellar benefits like a travel credit, solid reward-earning rates and lounge access.
In fact, the Venture X has become renowned for its generous lounge access policy for both authorized users and the primary cardholder’s guests. Unfortunately, however, that’s changing in a big way starting February 2026 (more on that later).
Let’s dive in and discuss why adding responsible authorized users to your Venture X might be a smart move and how it can make your card even more valuable when you factor in its myriad perks.
Venture X overview
Currently, new Venture X applicants can earn 100,000 miles after spending $10,000 on purchases within the first six months of account opening. According to our December 2025 valuations, this offer is valued at $1,850.
When it comes to earning rates, cardholders will enjoy:
- 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
- 5 miles per dollar spent on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- 2 miles per dollar spent across all other purchases
At $395 a year, the Venture X presents cardholders with excellent value when you take the annual $300 Capital One Travel credit into account, which almost entirely negates the annual fee. This is in addition to a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus each year, which, per TPG’s December 2025 valuations, is worth $185.
Between these two benefits alone, you entirely cover the cost of holding the Venture X.
Then there’s airport lounge access: Venture X cardholders receive unlimited access to Capital One Lounges for themselves and up to two guests at no extra cost. Each additional guest after the initial two will incur a cost of $45 per person.*
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts
Cardholders will also receive a Priority Pass membership that grants them, and up to two accompanying guests, access to more than 1,300 Priority Pass lounges worldwide.*
*Capital One and Priority Pass lounge access will change starting Feb. 1, 2026.
Related: 6 things to do when you get the Capital One Venture X
Venture X lounge policy changes
But big negative changes are coming to the Venture X’s lounge access benefit next year.
Beginning Feb. 1, Venture X cardholders will still have access to Capital One Lounges and Priority Pass lounges; however, they will be charged for any additional guests they bring. Likewise, authorized users will no longer receive complimentary lounge access.
Instead, primary cardholders will have to pay an annual $125 fee per authorized user (for up to four users) in order for them to receive access to Capital One Lounges, Capital One Landings and Priority Pass lounges.
Additionally, primary cardholders and authorized users will no longer be able to bring in guests to Capital One lounges for free unless they spend at least $75,000 on their Venture X card in a calendar year. Otherwise, guests will cost $45 per adult and $25 for children 17 and younger. (Children under 2 continue to enter for free.)
Similarly, Priority Pass guest access will no longer be complimentary. Instead, card members will pay $35 per guest, even if they spend $75,000 or more on their card.
Venture X benefits that apply to additional cardholders
While the Venture X’s $395 annual fee may seem high on paper, one key benefit is the ability to add up to four authorized users for no additional charge.
That’s important considering the American Express Platinum Card® and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) both charge $195 per authorized user (see rates and fees for the Amex Platinum). This makes the Venture X a much more affordable alternative, even if you pay $125 per authorized user for lounge access starting in February 2026.
Airport lounge access (for now)
For the time being, cardholders and authorized users receive access to Capital One’s lounges at:
The amenities in these spaces — such as Peloton bikes and premium, locally sourced food — are outstanding.
One reason that the Venture X has secured its position as the most generous lounge access card on the market is that authorized users enjoy the same lounge access privileges as the primary cardholder. That is, until February rolls around.
You can currently add four free authorized users to your card. Each authorized user can visit all the lounges listed above and bring their own guests.
But again, this will change in February 2026 when the card loses guest lounge access. You will also have to pay $125 per authorized user in order to share lounge access.
Related: The 10 best Priority Pass lounges around the world
Complimentary Hertz President’s Circle elite status
Hertz’s partnership with Capital One grants complimentary Hertz President’s Circle elite status** to Venture X primary cardholders and authorized users. This top-tier status gets you a guaranteed one-class car upgrade, 50% bonus points on all rentals, access to a broader range of cars and a dedicated customer service line.
Eligible cardholders must enroll through the Capital One website or mobile app. Cardholders can register by visiting their eligible card’s “Rewards” tab or “Capital One Travel Benefits” tab and clicking on the Hertz benefit tile. Primary cardholders must enroll authorized users through this same process.
You can also stack this benefit with the ability to earn extra miles on rental car bookings made with Capital One Travel. You can get your Hertz perks and earn 10 miles per dollar spent on rentals booked with Capital One Travel; this isn’t a stacking combination available with other cards, portals or rental agencies. In this way, you’re guaranteed the best of both worlds.
**Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at that status level through the duration of the offer. Please note that enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g., at hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program, and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.
Purchase and travel protections
The Venture X is a Visa Infinite card, so there are several important travel and purchase protections that both the primary cardholder and authorized users can count on.
- Cellphone protection: Receive up to $800 in coverage per claim, with a maximum of two claims and $1,600 per 12-month period. A $50 deductible applies per occurrence.
- Lost luggage reimbursement: Receive up to $3,000 per covered trip if the airline damages or loses your bags.
- Primary rental car insurance: Receive up to $75,000 due to damage caused by collision or theft to a rental car.
- Purchase, extended warranty and return protections: Receive up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account on purchases. Warranties are extended by an additional year. Return protections are for up to $300 per item and $1,000 per account.
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance: Receive up to $2,000 per person for prepaid, nonrefundable tickets for you and immediate family members.
- Trip delay reimbursement: Receive up to $500 per person for reasonable expenses, such as hotel rooms, food, toiletries, or clothing, when your flight is delayed overnight or by six hours or more.
Benefits that Venture X authorized users don’t receive
Authorized users on the Venture X do not receive their own $300 annual credit or another Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit. Each of these is limited to a single credit per account. Likewise, only the primary cardholder will receive the 10,000-mile anniversary bonus.
That said, authorized users’ spending earns Capital One miles at the same rates as the primary card, and their purchases count toward the card’s minimum spending requirement to earn the introductory bonus. So, adding users to your account and having them spend (responsibly) on your behalf could help you snag those 100,000 bonus miles faster.
How to add authorized users to your Venture X
Once you decide to add authorized users to your Venture X, go to your Capital One account and look for the “I Want To” button on the right side of the screen. Then, click “Add Account User.”
You’ll then have to decide the level of access you want to provide to your authorized user. You have two options:
- Account manager
- Authorized user
Here’s what primary cardholders, account managers and authorized users can access.
Once you review the options and make your selection, you’ll enter your authorized user’s first and last name, phone number, date of birth and Social Security number.
Bottom line
The Capital One Venture X provides generous benefits to authorized users. The best part is that you can add four additional cardholders at no additional cost, making the Venture X affordable for larger families and groups.
Unfortunately, however, the card’s lounge access policies are changing on Feb. 1, 2026. After this, you can no longer bring guests into Capital One Lounges, and you’ll have to pay $125 per authorized user to share your lounge access benefits with them.
For more information, read our full review of the Capital One Venture X.
Learn more: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here.