Capital One to Open Its Flagship Airport Lounge at JFK

Just beyond the security lines at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), the largest Capital One Lounge yet is opening on the lower level of Terminal 4 on June 19. The 13,500-square-foot flagship space channels a distinctly New York sensibility with iconic local food and beverage brands: Ess-a-Bagel, Murray’s Cheese, and Death & Co. cocktails.

“We really leaned into the New York area as inspiration in the design of the space,” says Jenn Scheurich, vice president and head of Capital One Travel, Lounge, & Retail Experience. It’s designed to feel both grounding and inspiring by incorporating local art, custom lighting, and expansive views to reflect the energy and creative spirit of New York City. And like the city that never sleeps, it’s open 24 hours a day.

Iconic New York food brands on the menu

Capital One has long partnered with local brands in its lounges. In New York City, a cheesemonger from Manhattan-based Murray’s Cheese will ask travelers about their preferences for a personalized tasting at the cheese counter. At least one cheese from New York State and one aged in Murray’s signature cheese caves will always be available, such as Murray’s award-winning Stockinghall Cheddar, aged for a whole year in-house.

Seasonal cheeses will rotate so that frequent fliers have something new with each visit. Guests can also pair cheeses with wine, beer, and accompaniments like creamed honey or preserved fruit, depending on their preferences, all served on custom pieces by Franca Ceramics. According to Beth Ann Coulton, Murray’s wholesale director, the experience is meant to feel like chatting with a neighborhood cheesemonger.

Just a few steps away, in The Bodega section of the lounge, another New York staple makes an appearance: Ess-a-Bagel supplies its beloved hand-rolled bagels made with a par-baked solution that maintains their signature texture and chew, served with premium fixings and egg sandwiches.

The coffee is roasted locally by Bean & Bean Coffee Roasters, and anyone who’s ever landed in an airport after hours will appreciate that there are midnight snacks at 12:30 a.m. – one of Capital One Lounge’s Daily Rituals, which include afternoon tea service, sunset Champagne toasts, and more.

NYC cocktails and beer at the bar

Death & Co, the East Village-born bar known nationwide for its cocktail expertise and book, is contributing an original cocktail from its team of inventive mixologists. The bar also will feature beer from local TALEA Beer Company, barware from Brooklyn ceramics studio Recreation Center, and a Rare Bottle Club, where travelers can purchase hard-to-find spirits and wines — including prohibition-era gins and vintage bourbons.

Brooklyn-based Grimm Artisanal Ales developed a custom Skyscraper IPA for the lounge, designed to evoke a sense of arrival. The beer is crisp and citrusy, brewed with a lager yeast strain for a clean finish while retaining the fruity qualities that define the brewer’s hazy IPAs. The collaboration also included staff training on glassware and presentation.

The team from Unfiltered Hospitality touts bold, creative cocktails that will also be served in the lounge, like the Red Rose, featuring a house hibiscus grenadine, lemon, and Apple Brandy from Laird & Company, the country’s oldest licensed distillery. Another standout menu item is the Green Light District, a nonalcoholic cocktail inspired by a café in Red Hook, made with matcha and a homemade black lime cordial, served in a custom ceramic cup. “It’s super fresh, super zippy,” says Unfiltered Hospitality founder Gui Jaroschy.

“We can actually do things in a fundamentally different way and bring a hospitality experience to the airport that you’d be just as excited to find in your local neighborhood or in a city you were visiting,” says Scheurich.

It’s that attention to detail and local culture that sets this location apart. The flagship in one of the busiest airports in the world will feel like a slice of New York.

Venture X and Venture X Business primary cardholders have unlimited, complimentary Capital One Lounge access with one guest. Additional guests and Venture and Spark Miles cardholders can access the lounge for $45 per visit. Other and non-cardholders can purchase a visit for $90.