In one of the year's most welcome trends, another financial firm is deepening its ties to the travel industry.
Capital One, the 'What's in your wallet?' folks, is launching a series of tapas-style airport lounges in conjunction with noted celebrity chef Jose Andres, according to Conde Nast Traveler.
The eateries will be part of the Capital One Landing lounges, the first of which opened last year at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
"Travel is a huge part of my life, and food is deeply linked to the travel experience," Andres said in a statement. "It's the best way to learn about a place and its people. But as someone who spends a lot of time in airports, many times I find myself wanting more."
The first lounge will be located at Terminal B at New York's newly revamped LaGuardia Airport.
Andres, noted for his New York City restaurants Zaytinya and Nubeluz, has teamed up with Capital One to launch several 10,000-square-foot Spanish-influenced tapas lounges. After LaGuardia, one is planned for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in suburban Washington, D.C.
It is not known if Capital One is more than just the partner and sponsor of the lounges, or whether it will become an exclusive place to eat requiring the use of a Capital One card to pay for it.
"Capital One Landing will be an alternative to the traditional lounge experience, focused on bringing elevated dining to metropolitan airports where shorter stays are the norm," the company said.
Banks and financial institutions have stepped up their efforts to partner with travel entities, including in some cases acquiring travel service-related companies.
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