Free airport lounges with Capital on Tap — is it worth it?
TIP · UK business owners: the Capital on Tap Business Rewards card bundles a DragonPass lounge membership. Honest review of the trade-offs.
You don't need a £400-a-year platinum card to get into the lounge before a 6am flight. If you run a UK business — even a side-hustle sole-trader setup — there's a credit card that bundles airport lounge access, no FX fees on spend, and proper cashback into a free product: Capital on Tap.
What it actually is
Capital on Tap is a credit card built for UK businesses. Limited companies and registered sole traders only — you can't apply on a personal account. On the free tier you get 1% back as Avios, points or cashback. The paid Business Rewards tier (around £299/year) adds bonus points, no-FX-fee spending abroad, and the headline feature for travellers: free airport lounge access via DragonPass.
The lounge access bit
Business Rewards cardholders get a free DragonPass membership, which gives discounted (and on some promotions, free) entry to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide — including a good chunk of UK regional airports plus Heathrow's third-party lounges. It's not unlimited free entry like an Amex Platinum, but it's close enough that one or two long-haul trips a year covers the membership fee easily.
Why we like it (honestly)
The card itself is genuinely fee-free on the entry tier — no annual fee, no FX markup if you upgrade to Rewards, no clever fine-print fees on direct debits. The Avios conversion is 1 point per £1 spent (1:1 ratio with Avios) which is better than most UK business cards we've seen. Approval is fast (a few days) and the credit-limit checks are sensible — they look at business turnover rather than just your personal credit file.
The catches
It's strictly a business card — you need a registered business and a business bank account to apply. Late payment fees are real, like any credit card. The free tier doesn't include lounge access — you need to upgrade to Business Rewards (£299/year) for that. And the Avios rate drops if you redeem for cashback instead of points.
Is it actually free lounge access?
Strictly: it's £99/year for the Rewards tier that includes the DragonPass membership. If you fly internationally twice a year that pays for itself on the lounge passes alone (typical pay-as-you-go lounge entry runs £30-50 per visit). If you barely travel, stick to the free tier — you still get the 1% Avios.
How to apply
Click through to Capital on Tap, fill in the business details (it takes about 10 minutes — companies-house number, business bank, estimated monthly turnover). Approval usually takes 1-3 working days. Once your first card transaction goes through, you get 7,500 reward points credited (worth about £75 against statement, gift cards, or Avios) — and so do we, because you used our referral.
Capital on Tap vs Revolut Business — quick comparison
The two cards we actually use side by side. Different problems, both worth having.
| Capital on Tap (Rewards) | Revolut Business (Basic) | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | £299 | £0 |
| FX markup | 0% (Rewards tier) | 0% on £1,000/mo, then 0.5% |
| Type | Credit card | Current account + debit card |
| Best for | UK + travel spend, earning Avios | Foreign currency spend + multi-currency accounts |
| Lounge access | DragonPass free | Paid tiers only (Grow+) |
| Welcome bonus | Avios on first spend | £600 cashback via our referral |
Honest answer: get both. The total cost is £299/year and the combined value over a year of moderate business travel is typically £800+ in avoided FX + lounge access + Avios.
See our full UK travel cards comparison →
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