Aqueous potassium carbonate has a number of advantages such as low solvent costs and low energy consumption, therefore it has been paying more attention in recent years. But its main disadvantage is the slow absorption rate. The addition of promoters into carbonate solutions can effectively enhance the absorption performance. This work reviews the advances in carbon dioxide absorption with the carbonate based solutions. Rate promoters are classified, and their promotion mechanisms are summarized. Meanwhile, research trends such as development of ionic effective promoters and process integration and intensification based on the precipitation technology are highlighted.