Locally rooted beverages and a relaxed vibe at the Capital One Lounge at Washington Dulles will make you hope for a little extra time before takeoff. Out of all the innovative, rotating drink selections at the Capital One Lounge at Dulles International Airport, one wildly popular option has remained on the menu since the beginning. A classic Bee’s Knees cocktail is poured into the thorax of a gold and glass vessel shaped like the honey-producing, stinging insect and garnished with a tiny rose. It’s a fitting emblem for the lounge experience itself: thoughtfully designed, quietly refined and every bit as enjoyable to linger over as to look at.

Dulles was a follow-up to the first lounge, which opened in 2021 at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. Since then, the banking and credit card giant has launched a handful of other outposts with amenities such as coffee bars and grab-and- go options; the recently opened flagship at John F. Kennedy International Airport features niceties like complimentary sunset Champagne, a cheese monger station collab with Murray’s Cheese and “Midnight Snacks” when the rest of the lounge is closed.

The Bee’s Knees cocktail © Kelly Magyarics

Since my home airport is IAD, I frequent the Dulles location and love its interpretations of locally inspired drinks, a hallmark of the Capital One Lounge brand. The IAD menu was created by Will Patton, award-winning beverage director for D.C.-based Hive Hospitality, which includes Michelin-starred restaurants Bresca and Jônt, and managing partner of Press Club Cocktail Bar.

The Bee’s Knees glows up the original recipe, keeping the gin and lemon but adding a splash of Suze for an herbal-citrus tone and kombucha honey cordial for tangy sweetness. (I arrived again a few weeks after opening day to find the cocktail served in coupes; staff told me sticky-fingered guests had nicked all the bee glasses. Soon afterward, there was a new swarm lined up behind the bar that has happily remained in the hive.)

Patton also leans into D.C.’s botanical gifts from the Japanese that line the Tidal Basin with libations such as a cherry blossom margarita crafted with elderflower liqueur and an eponymous syrup that’s also used in a zero-proof version of the Rickey. The Rickey, a highball made with gin or bourbon, lime and carbonated water, dates back to the 1880s, when lobbyist Colonel Joe Rickey asked the bartender at Shoomaker’s to add lime to his daily bourbon and mineral water; in 2011 it was declared D.C.’s official native cocktail. A recent riff on the menu topped local gin with blueberry, pink grapefruit soda and lime.

Not surprisingly, the Bloody Mary gets its savory bite from a healthy dose of Old Bay, the beloved seafood seasoning blend that’s ubiquitous in Mid-Atlantic spice cabinets. And Capital One’s “Perfect Airport Beer” — a feature at every lounge, spotlighting a local brewery — is an easy-drinking lager from Lost Rhino in Ashburn, just a short hop from baggage claim. Hopheads can also throw back Lost Rhino’s Face Plant IPA and other local suds, and wines on tap like the bright and pleasant Pays d’Oc rosé. It all cozies up nicely with a rotating buffet of individually portioned tapas-style bites, from shrimp bao buns and roasted butternut squash with pepitas to Lebanese-spiced deviled eggs.

With a more elevated experience than in other lounges, there can be painfully long waits during busy times; cardholder restrictions coming in 2026 aim to mitigate the crowds. When I can get in, my home airport lounge proves more than a spot to bide time before catching the train or mobile lounge to my terminal; its local beverages, thoughtful culinary options and inviting design transform a wait into an experience. Capital One Lounge’s catchphrase — also its WiFi password — may capture it best: “Love Your Layover.”