Delta Air Lines has just revealed the next location for its premium international lounge network, and it’s not the airport that I would’ve expected…
In this post:
Delta One Lounge planned for SLC
We’re finally seeing Delta One Lounges come to life. The Delta One Lounge New York (JFK) and Delta One Lounge Los Angeles (LAX) have opened recently. Then the Delta One Lounge Boston (BOS) is supposed to open in December 2024, while the Delta One Lounge Seattle (SEA) is supposed to open in early 2025.
We’ve now learned about the location for the fifth lounge in the network, as reported by Sean Cudahy, and confirmed to me by a Delta spokesperson. There are plans for a Delta One Lounge to open at Salt Lake City Airport (SLC). As of now, no further details have been shared, so it remains to be seen when the lounge will open, how big it will be, etc.
For context on the current lounge situation at the airport, there’s a 28,000 square foot Delta Sky Club in Concourse A at the airport. It’s my understanding that a similarly sized Sky Club is planned for Concourse B, though I now feel like that could at least partly become the new Delta One Lounge, if I had to guess.
Keep in mind that there are also plans for an Amex Centurion Lounge in Concourse B, and it’s expected to open in 2025. There are largely overlapping access requirements, given the close relationship between Amex and Delta, so Delta passengers will have quite a bit of lounge capacity at the airport.
If I’m missing something obvious regarding other potential locations for the lounge, please let me know. But given the advance notice and approval that’s required from local authorities for lounge developments, it’s often hard to keep this secret.
What does this mean for Delta’s SLC strategy?
The first four locations that were announced for Delta One Lounges were in competitive markets, which aren’t fortress hubs for Delta. As you can tell, Delta didn’t start with its most dominant hubs — Atlanta (ATL), Detroit (DTW), Minneapolis (MSP), or Salt Lake City (SLC).
That’s probably for a couple of reasons, not the least of which is that airlines don’t feel like they need to invest as much in the passenger experience in their fortress hubs.
Now we’ve seen a lounge announced for Salt Lake City, which isn’t necessarily the first market that you’d assume would get such a lounge. Salt Lake City is currently Delta’s fastest growing core hub. However, it’s overwhelmingly a domestic and regional hub for the airline, with limited long haul service.
Currently Delta’s only long haul flights from Salt Lake City are to other SkyTeam hubs, including Amsterdam (AMS), London (LHR), and Paris (CDG). Furthermore, in 2025, Delta plans to launch a route to Seoul Incheon (ICN), another SkyTeam hub. The Seoul Incheon route also represents Delta’s first long haul route from the airport with an A350, so we may see more of those stationed there.
That being said, what additional long haul growth could we really see out of Salt Lake City, especially with the extent to which Delta is so focused on routing long haul traffic through joint venture hubs?
- Across the Atlantic, I just don’t see Delta expanding all that much to secondary markets, since it’s more efficient for the airline to route people through places like Atlanta and Detroit
- To Asia, it seems like this would have to come at the expense of some service from either Los Angeles or Seattle; maybe we could see a Tokyo flight, but I don’t see much more service than that
- With the LATAM joint venture, perhaps we could see some Delta South America service, though I don’t see that necessarily being hugely successful
- If anything, maybe we’ll see more service from partners, like Air France-KLM, LATAM, Scandinavian Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, etc.
So it’s possible that I’m missing something, and that Delta has some other big plan here. Or I think it’s also possible that Salt Lake City is just getting a Delta One Lounge since the timing makes sense. The airline is actively working on opening a huge new lounge at the airport, so it’s easy enough to convert part of that into the Delta One Lounge.
Meanwhile it’s much harder to undertake such an initiative at an airport that’s already at capacity, without construction.
Bottom line
A Delta One Lounge is coming to Salt Lake City Airport, though we don’t have any details beyond that. My guess is that this will be part of the new Delta Sky Club coming to Concourse B, but maybe I’m missing something.
This development is noteworthy, as Salt Lake City is the first Delta fortress hub that’s expected to get a Delta One Lounge. That’s interesting, because it’s also the Delta fortress hub used least for long haul, international service.
What do you make of plans for the Delta One Lounge SLC?
This author doesnt know anything factually (it may be an AI written article) as Delta no longer flys out of Concourse B at SLC, it flys out of A only. Additionally, there are already numerous flights to Mexico/LATAM from SLC (where the author says none). All the internatiional gates are in A. Delta had a few B gates while waiting for the 20 new gates in A to open (which happened over a year ago).
This is incorrect. Delta does have occasional flights (usually sky west) out of B. With the new expansion, delta will start having more permanent gates at B
I would seriously doubt that Delta would put a Delta One lounge in the B concourse since more than 90% of their flights arrive/depart out of the A concourse.
they will put a SkyClub over there because they will use part of that concourse and any behind security other airline or credit card lounges will go in B.
The international arrivals facility is in A and no other airline will use A other than to access the FIS
It's going to be a carve-our of a previously planned lounge, not a large location, guaranteed. SLT & the region can't support that.
The DeltaOne lounge in SLC will definitely be in the A gates. It doesn't make any sense to put it in the B gates when all the international-capable gates are in A.
is there a space available in the A concourse?
There is plenty of space the new A section that was built to the east for Delta with 20 new gates. The shell of a club was already built during construction in that East wing of A.
Looks like DL is preparing for SLC as its TPAC hub now that both SEA and LaX have flopped big time.
Hah! Nonsense.
I'm not a DL fanboy...so...
Maybe SEA is slow growth. LAX is highly competitive. But your SLC comment? Gee whiz. That would imply DEN/PHX/LAS could be significant TPAC hubs?
People really say the craziest things on the internet.
The first and foremost factor for launching routes is the O&D demand. SLC commands the lowest O&D out of all the top 30 US hubs.
UA is able to turn SFO into a TPAC powerhouse specifically because SFO has such high O&D traffic.
While it's true Delta is struggling at SEA/LAX, it would still be massively unprofitable to funnel a bunch of connections via SLC, when...
People really say the craziest things on the internet.
The first and foremost factor for launching routes is the O&D demand. SLC commands the lowest O&D out of all the top 30 US hubs.
UA is able to turn SFO into a TPAC powerhouse specifically because SFO has such high O&D traffic.
While it's true Delta is struggling at SEA/LAX, it would still be massively unprofitable to funnel a bunch of connections via SLC, when they could be selling higher fares for nonstops out of SEA/LAX.
"People really say the craziest things on the internet."
and then you say
"While it's true Delta is struggling at SEA/LAX"
pot meet kettle.
You repeat all kinds of social media sourced cherrypicked data and yet cannot explain how Delta manages to generate the highest revenue and profits in the industry and yet somehow manages to support all of these weak underperforming hubs that simpletons like you think exist.
Tell us, please, where are AA...
"People really say the craziest things on the internet."
and then you say
"While it's true Delta is struggling at SEA/LAX"
pot meet kettle.
You repeat all kinds of social media sourced cherrypicked data and yet cannot explain how Delta manages to generate the highest revenue and profits in the industry and yet somehow manages to support all of these weak underperforming hubs that simpletons like you think exist.
Tell us, please, where are AA and UA's weak hubs. Elliott came in and exposed where all of the skeletons are in WN's closet but there are equally as many skeletons in AA's closet. Even given that DL and UA are the best performing airlines in the world financially, DL still managed to outperform UA in the 3rd quarter despite the CrowdStrike issue and the Paris Olympics, both of which cost DL a half billion dollars in revenue.
DL reported a pre-tax margin of 10% while UA reported the same metrics as 8.7%.
and let's also not forget that UA has yet to agree to a new contract with its FAs but instead decided to spend up to a couple billion on stock buybacks - clearly afraid that its relatively low stock performance and its abundant cash - which it though it would use for new airplanes - makes it a target for corporate raiders.
and UA's revenues are always weaker in the 4th and 1st quarters so the gap between DL and UA will widen.
So, again, tell me where UA's weak hubs are... the 3rd quarter of 2024 was UA's best hope to close the gap and it simply not only did not happen but won't happen for years to come.
and, again, tell me what 8 cities UA will have 8 Polaris lounges in within 2 years and that is when it is just about certain that DL will have D1 lounges in all 8 of its hubs that have longhaul international flights.
for those that ask why so many threads devolve into discussions about DL vs. UA, it is precisely because of irrational comments like yours that are based on cherrypicked data.
yes tim, we know delta is the most profitable airline in the world. that doesn't mean it doesn't have weak, underperforming hubs. you know, people don't hate you because you're a DL partisan, they hate you because you cannot acknowledge any take that is not a completely and unabashedly glowing review of DL's strategy.
who knows the specifics of DL's profitability at SEA or LAX, but it shouldn't be controversial to say that DL does...
yes tim, we know delta is the most profitable airline in the world. that doesn't mean it doesn't have weak, underperforming hubs. you know, people don't hate you because you're a DL partisan, they hate you because you cannot acknowledge any take that is not a completely and unabashedly glowing review of DL's strategy.
who knows the specifics of DL's profitability at SEA or LAX, but it shouldn't be controversial to say that DL does not have a dominant position there like in ATL/DTW/SLC/MSP. DL itself has acknowledged the bulk of their profits come from those hubs. What do they have in common? Not only are they fortress hubs, there aren't even any secondary airports in the area. Contrast this with
DAL for DFW
OAK / SJC for SFO
MDW for ORD
DCA for IAD
HOU for IAH
At the hubs where DL actually has to compete, it's a mixed bag. Safe to say i they're winning at long haul out of JFK. LGA is probably doing fine. But SEA and LAX are both massive question marks, unless you have the data to prove otherwise. SEA in particular, they fly to LHR / CDG / ICN (JV hubs - fine) and HND and TPE. It does seem like HND is succeeding, though I would argue that's less of DL's own doing and more that Japan -> US traffic is down a ton due to the weak yen, which obviously affects NH and JL more than DL. But TPE... I mean it's still new, but it's a distant 4th in the US-Taiwan market, right? BR is clearly the top dog, followed by CI, then UA. DL and JX are competing for scraps at the bottom of the barrel. I'm not sure what DL has going for it that would allow it to grow its TPE operation to larger than UA's at SFO. Same goes for HKG / PVG / SIN / SYD or any other premium high yield TPAC destination, where it has to compete H2H against high quality Asian / Pacific airlines, and doesn't have the benefit of local dominance like UA does at SFO.
Anyway, the point is - more bluster about Delta's system wide profitability isn't going to convince anyone.
A mixed variety of informative, nonsensical and funny comments. That's the web!
I am surprised that a primarily domestic hub is getting a D1 lounge. Some have mentioned the HA D1 flights to support the lounge, but do HA flights (combined with few international flights) generate the volume and yield to support the expense of the D1 lounge (leases, build-outs, staffing, operating expenses, etc)? I have no doubt that DL's team knows the numbers/analysis, but...
A mixed variety of informative, nonsensical and funny comments. That's the web!
I am surprised that a primarily domestic hub is getting a D1 lounge. Some have mentioned the HA D1 flights to support the lounge, but do HA flights (combined with few international flights) generate the volume and yield to support the expense of the D1 lounge (leases, build-outs, staffing, operating expenses, etc)? I have no doubt that DL's team knows the numbers/analysis, but without the data it's hard to analyze on a blog.
Is the strategy perhaps supported by some Amex CC agreement? What will be the size of the non-international hub D1 lounges be? Will the offering be different for connecting hubs v. O/D hubs? Etc.
And what happens @ ATL given its operating and space-limited configuration?
Anyways...happy flights...
Ooops! Meant to reference HI not HA (or should I reference AS?:))
DL's decision to add a D1 lounge which has and probably will have the smallest
DL's decision to add a D1 lounge in SLC which has and probably will have the smallest longhaul international network is because DL wants consistency of its lounge product. Size will differ but it realizes it cannot sell a connection or the local market at SLC while offering a different product than at SEA or LAX.
and that is why SLC's announcement is indication that D1 lounges are coming to ATL, DTW and MSP...
DL's decision to add a D1 lounge in SLC which has and probably will have the smallest longhaul international network is because DL wants consistency of its lounge product. Size will differ but it realizes it cannot sell a connection or the local market at SLC while offering a different product than at SEA or LAX.
and that is why SLC's announcement is indication that D1 lounges are coming to ATL, DTW and MSP in addition to BOS, JFK, LAX and SEA.
SLC is probably the easiest to put a D1 lounge in and that is because of all the construction that has taken place and continues to take place at SLC.
Salt Lake City in general is becoming a very fast growing and higher income city. Silicon Slopes.
Delta has always treated SLC so much better than United treats Denver. Think about it Salt Lake City, which is a much smaller hub is said to get the premier lounge that Delta has to offer.
Meanwhile United doesn’t have any plans of opening a Polaris lounge in Denver. Denver always gets the bastard child treatment in United network
given that SLC has the lowest number of widebody flights of the remaining "core" 4 hubs, this means that DL is clearly on track to have Delta One lounges at 8 airports.
Can someone(s) kindly post the locations of premium business class lounges for each of AA and UA - and for that matter any other airline that flies to the US?
Seems to me that 8 airports with D1 lounges will be class -leading. Not bad considering DL had none just a year ago.
Let's align our numbers with reality and basic fact checking. Delta currently has a grand total of 2 actual D1 lounges at LAX/JFK with 3 planned in SEA/BOS/SLC.
UA has a total of 6 at LAX/SFO/ORD/IAH/EWR/IAD with 7th planned in DEN.
AA has 5 with LAX/DFW/MIA/ORD/JFK and 6th planned in PHL.
That still makes Delta the airline with the least business class lounges existing or planned.
Assuming they build them in all 8 locations.
"and for that matter any other airline that flies to the US?"
I'd list all the ones for Emirates, but they have 39 total (32 outside the UAE).
Singapore has 11 SilverKris lounges alone.
Sigh. Another exercise in Tim Dunn logic. Delta itself hasn't even announced plans to open D1 lounges in 8 airports, and yet here you are saying "they're clearly on track" to do so. Clearly to you, but not to anyone who doesn't have Delta fanboy glasses on (including, apparently, the CEO of Delta, who has made no such announcement that they're "on track" to open 8 lounges).
Let's apply Tim Dunn logic to other airlines:
Sigh. Another exercise in Tim Dunn logic. Delta itself hasn't even announced plans to open D1 lounges in 8 airports, and yet here you are saying "they're clearly on track" to do so. Clearly to you, but not to anyone who doesn't have Delta fanboy glasses on (including, apparently, the CEO of Delta, who has made no such announcement that they're "on track" to open 8 lounges).
Let's apply Tim Dunn logic to other airlines:
Since Greenland has the lowest numbers of US visitors, and United has just announced a flight to there, clearly, United is on track to have flights to every single city in the entire world that is larger than Nuuk, Greenland! No matter that United hasn't announced any further int'l expansion. Such details aren't necessary to see the track clearly. Can you kindly point out all of Delta's international flights to cities larger than Nuuk? Clearly United is leading!
Since AA has announced lie-flat beds in its A321XLR planes (not yet delivered, but who cares about such details?), clearly American is on track to have lie flat beds on every single plane that is the same size or larger. Can you kindly point out all of Delta's single body jets that currently have lie-flat seats? Clearly, American is leading!
Usually, you take Delta's announcements and compare it to other airlines' actual, existing service, as if Delta vaporware is the same as an existing product (yet strangely not allowing the same courtesy in reverse, taking other airlines' announcements at face value and comparing them to Delta's current services). But now you've outdone yourself by going beyond Delta's announcements, to somehow psychically divine what Delta's plans are beyond what they've announced, something that only exists in your fevered imagination, and then challenge people to compare that to United and American's currently existing lounges.
I do get a kick out of how you all twist yourselves into knots trying to argue....
if DL is putting a D1 lounge in SLC, they will be coming to all 8 of DL's hubs that have intercontinental service - which will put them at more than AA and UA have.
And the "in the US' part clearly confounds some people.
Now, once again, tell me how many foreign airlines have their...
I do get a kick out of how you all twist yourselves into knots trying to argue....
if DL is putting a D1 lounge in SLC, they will be coming to all 8 of DL's hubs that have intercontinental service - which will put them at more than AA and UA have.
And the "in the US' part clearly confounds some people.
Now, once again, tell me how many foreign airlines have their own dedicated business class lounges in 8 or more US airports.
and, since the AUS hub is moving even further to reality, suppose it will have a D1 lounge too?
"they will be coming to all 8 of DL's hubs that have intercontinental service"
Yeah? Says who? Who at Delta has announced that d1 lounges are coming to 8 Delta locations? Do you know something Ed Bastian doesn't? Are you saying you know more about the future plans of Delta than even their own executives?
Two can play at that game. I, a random Internet user, declare that, since United announced service to Nuuk, they...
"they will be coming to all 8 of DL's hubs that have intercontinental service"
Yeah? Says who? Who at Delta has announced that d1 lounges are coming to 8 Delta locations? Do you know something Ed Bastian doesn't? Are you saying you know more about the future plans of Delta than even their own executives?
Two can play at that game. I, a random Internet user, declare that, since United announced service to Nuuk, they will have service to 300 more international destinations, from 50 American airports, thereby destroying every single other airline in existence. Don't listen to their CEO, their executives, or their public statements. Trust me instead!
PS: "how many foreign airlines have their own dedicated business class lounges in 8 or more US airports".
British Airways (9). And unlike Delta, they all exist right now, not just in the mind of some random Internet dude.
"And the "in the US' part clearly confounds some people.
Now, once again, tell me how many foreign airlines have their own dedicated business class lounges in 8 or more US airports."
How about you tell us how many lounges DL has overseas? Not to spoil your day, but it wouldn't surprise me if some foreign airlines operate more lounges in the US than Delta operates overseas...
Your constant ejaculating over DL doesn't make what you say about them correct.
and, if you are capable of critical thought, which you aren't, you would know that most foreign airlines use other carrier's lounges.
and even if you tout EK overseas, they still have dozens of airplanes that don't even have direct aisle access in business class - which is also true of UA's 757s.
The only aircraft with that feature at DL are the ex-Latam 359s and they have now begun their refurbishment.
You and...
and, if you are capable of critical thought, which you aren't, you would know that most foreign airlines use other carrier's lounges.
and even if you tout EK overseas, they still have dozens of airplanes that don't even have direct aisle access in business class - which is also true of UA's 757s.
The only aircraft with that feature at DL are the ex-Latam 359s and they have now begun their refurbishment.
You and others are incapable of seeing that DL will have D1 lounges in all 8 of its longhaul hubs and so cling to the "but DL is not better" mantra because you desperately can't face reality.
Delta will not only have the most premium business class lounges in the US of any airline but also more than AA and UA.
DL SkyClubs were always better than AA and UA's "standard" lounges and DL has more of them.
Now, DL is addressing the business class lounge product and will quickly bypass AA and UA in that regard.
Anyone that is even remotely objective can see the big picture and how quickly DL is moving forward w/ its plans.
"and, if you are capable of critical thought"
You're the one who keeps changing the goal posts every time someone counters your "facts" with real facts! LOL
You're the one who brought up foreign airlines and their lounges, so when someone points out how wrong you are, you suddenly change tactics to "most foreign airlines use other carrier's lounges" and "they still have dozens of airplanes that don't even have direct aisle access in business...
"and, if you are capable of critical thought"
You're the one who keeps changing the goal posts every time someone counters your "facts" with real facts! LOL
You're the one who brought up foreign airlines and their lounges, so when someone points out how wrong you are, you suddenly change tactics to "most foreign airlines use other carrier's lounges" and "they still have dozens of airplanes that don't even have direct aisle access in business class". Like, deflection and changing the goal posts.
And this is even even bringing up that Air France and Lufthansa also have more overseas lounges than DL does as well.
"The only aircraft with that feature at DL are the ex-Latam 359s and they have now begun their refurbishment."
So is Emirates on all of it's planes that don't offer aisle access in business class, but I guess you forgot about that. But then you'll probably deflect to another issue...
"You and others are incapable of seeing that DL will have D1 lounges in all 8 of its longhaul hubs"
That is still yet to be guaranteed.
"Anyone that is even remotely objective"
You keep making comments like that but the irony of each and every one of them seems to pole vault over your head each and every time.
@tim-
I see you declined to reply to my answers. That's okay. A simple "you're right lune, I'm wrong" would go a long way to getting people off your back.
Anyway, I repeat. I answered your question. British Airways has 9 of their own lounges in the US. They exist today, unlike your deluded speculations. Do you admit that as it stands today Delta is far below United and American in the premium lounge...
@tim-
I see you declined to reply to my answers. That's okay. A simple "you're right lune, I'm wrong" would go a long way to getting people off your back.
Anyway, I repeat. I answered your question. British Airways has 9 of their own lounges in the US. They exist today, unlike your deluded speculations. Do you admit that as it stands today Delta is far below United and American in the premium lounge race, and that *even if* everything you claim comes true (which not even Delta execs are announcing) that British Airways will still be ahead?
And what about Aaron's question: if you compare Delta to foreign airlines in the US, then it's entirely fair to compare Delta to foreign carriers in other countries. And Delta comes up sorely lacking.
Finally, I've proclaimed that United will soon fly to 300 international destinations. I have as much evidence for this as you do about Delta's lounge "plans". Tell me another airline that *right now* flies to as many foreign destinations from the US. Clearly united beats them all!
Generating more TPAC revenue from a captive hub rather than the allegedly super profitable competitive SEA?
Sure hope a DTW D1 Club is still in the works. Thought the small Skyclub was built for that?
Yes, the smallish Sky Club was supposed to be for Delta One. But it's probably too small for the number of passengers. The main Sky Club is supposed to be renovated later this year to add a permanent bar and a better food area. I suspect we'll see something about Delta One after that time.
FNT, you're wrong. The hearsay we've seen on blogs and comments about the "intention" for the small DTW club was all based on some speculation by a local lounge agent, right? Seems like the more it gets repeated, the more it becomes gospel.
I would guess they put it in A concourse - perhaps renovating part of the existing sky club after the B concourse sky club opens. All the international arrivals (and presumably departures unless they are going to tug planes to B) are at A so it wouldn’t make sense for the D1 lounge to be at B and all departures at A
Would love to see D1 to NYC added. Current daytime flight to JFK is almost always sold out in J days before departure.
SLC to JFK in Delta One would be a really short route. You could make the same argument for Denver too. Delta tried Seattle for years and it just never worked.
Fully agree that this lounge should be in the A concourse. Delta occupies all A gates and, while Delta uses B gates that's where all the other airlines are. But who knows, maybe the widebody traffic will all be out in B
1) SLC is a fast growing metro in a fast growing state
2) D1 passengers connecting in NYC, LAX and such to other D1 flights will be Abe to access the new D1 lounge
3) I think Delta flies D1 to both OGG and HNL from SLC, so don't forget those flights as well
Interested to see what Delta plans for ATL in this space...
SLC as the next location is not some big strategy. They were building a new concourse and a new lounge, so they are adding a D1 lounge. Same story as SEA. Having the first D1 lounges at JFK and LAX may have been strategy, but I think everything after that will just be when they have the opportunity.
+1 Dont think overthink strategy or metrics to the order of the build outs.
Pretty surprised to see this news as well but also neat to see. My guess is that it's easier and less expensive to build a new D1 lounge at SLC compared to ATL, MSP, or DTW given that they are pretty built out, as you mentioned Lucky. SLC just went through a massive airport redevelopment and my guess is that DL secured some extra space ahead of time too.
On the AA side, it would...
Pretty surprised to see this news as well but also neat to see. My guess is that it's easier and less expensive to build a new D1 lounge at SLC compared to ATL, MSP, or DTW given that they are pretty built out, as you mentioned Lucky. SLC just went through a massive airport redevelopment and my guess is that DL secured some extra space ahead of time too.
On the AA side, it would be great to see CLT get a Flagship Lounge (which could happen given the plans for a new and expanded Admirals club there within the next several years). PHX would be another good spot for a Flagship Lounge even though they only have 2/day LHR flights- just not enough room to expand in T4 nor enough international flights to warrant one at the moment.
Delta didn't just come up with the idea of adding Delta One lounges last year but rather years ago.
SLC has been in the process of rebuilding its terminal and now has great facilities that are only going to get better as the facility is expanded.
SLC will probably end up w/ one of the smallest longhaul international flight portfolios of all of the intercontinental DL hubs (LGA obviously excluded) but the current known 4...
Delta didn't just come up with the idea of adding Delta One lounges last year but rather years ago.
SLC has been in the process of rebuilding its terminal and now has great facilities that are only going to get better as the facility is expanded.
SLC will probably end up w/ one of the smallest longhaul international flight portfolios of all of the intercontinental DL hubs (LGA obviously excluded) but the current known 4 destinations is apparently enough to justify a D1 lounge.
And, the international widebody gates and FIS are on the A concourse so I don't think the D1 lounge will be on B; I doubt if DL paid for FIS facilities in 2 concourses - and, yes, DL is paying for most of the rebuild of the SLC airport.
In the now partially deleted article from Bastian's chat up in MSP, there was a slip about a D1 lounge there so they will be coming to the "core" hubs.
Ironically, ATL will probably be the hardest to figure out because DL operates widebody international flights out of 2 concourses and there is supposedly not a lot of room left for more lounges w/o costly additions.
DL already has the most lounge space of any airline in the world but they are clearly nowhere near finished adding to their list.
Someone was awfully vocal about it's going to be MSP next but never said anything about SLC.
Now SLC is part of a grand scheme.
I wonder who it was.
feel free to find the original article and talk w/ the person who was there.
There was no doubt that DL would expand D1 lounges to the core hubs; it is simply a question of what hubs come first
"but the current known 4 destinations is apparently enough to justify a D1 lounge."
Not just those though. Anyone starting in Salt Lake and connecting to NYC for secondary Europe, or Atlanta for Latin America, or LAX for Oceania, or Seattle for Asia, etc would also be able to use them. I'm betting that that's how they plan on filling this lounge, throughout most of the earlier and middle parts of the day.
A couple of considerations for this decision.
1. They just built a new airport with lots of space
2. There has been a significant growth of tech companies setting up in Lehi
3. SLC is always in competition with United for the mountain west business so given the recent renovations in DEN they feel they need to be competitive to grow this business
Additionally I expect delta is opening smaller lounges to understand how to scale the product before opening them in markets like Detroit and Atlanta
They better keep them coming
When you look at the top 10 Mormon countries quite a few are from Latin America and you could see SLC as a connection from anywhere from a lot of the central US to Latin America. I have to say it's a surprisingly progressive city compared to others between the appalachian and the continental divide. A you don't interfere with us and we won't with you.
This is weird bc SLC barely has any Delta One flights?
They don't even have daily LHR? And the remaining is the usual 1x CDG/AMS with the new addition of ICN. I suppose HNL is classified as Delta One, but that's less than 5 flights a day.
Obviously DL is thinking ahead and bullish on SLC. There will be more Delta One flights. If not, the lounge could be a place for high value customers to enjoy something more elevated than the Sky Club.
It'll probably be telling to see how the lounge hours are. SLC has 2 primary D1 flight departure times, one mid-day around 11amish, and then an afternoon 3pm bank. Arrivals are all basically in the afternoon as well overlapping.
This is a huge investment for something that will probably be very underutilized, I don't see Delta running an expensive D1 lounge all day just for Delta 360 passengers to run up the bill.
Honolulu is daily on a 767. So, it has Delta One. Isn't there a Maui flight, too? Maybe that one has Delta One. I imagine there are at least 100 or 200 Delta 360 passengers. They would get access if flying Delta domestic first-class. So maybe, 400 passengers a day? Maximum. I would guess some combination of: (a) Delta is going to add more long-hauls, (b) partners like Virgin Atlantic and Air France are adding...
Honolulu is daily on a 767. So, it has Delta One. Isn't there a Maui flight, too? Maybe that one has Delta One. I imagine there are at least 100 or 200 Delta 360 passengers. They would get access if flying Delta domestic first-class. So maybe, 400 passengers a day? Maximum. I would guess some combination of: (a) Delta is going to add more long-hauls, (b) partners like Virgin Atlantic and Air France are adding long-hauls to SLC, and (c) Delta thinks its can also route more passengers from high-demand Denver and Phoenix through Salt Lake City.
Don't underestimate Salt Lake City and Utah.
The state is booming in all the right areas. Demographically, relocations, and businesses (including a half-dozen or so Fortune 500 companies).
There's a relatively large international or ethnic population, thanks to the Mormon church.
You have multi-millionaires and billionaires with second or third homes there because of the skiing.
And wait for it ... Salt Lake hosts the 2034 Olympics.
So, compared to say Minneapolis or Detroit, Salt...
Don't underestimate Salt Lake City and Utah.
The state is booming in all the right areas. Demographically, relocations, and businesses (including a half-dozen or so Fortune 500 companies).
There's a relatively large international or ethnic population, thanks to the Mormon church.
You have multi-millionaires and billionaires with second or third homes there because of the skiing.
And wait for it ... Salt Lake hosts the 2034 Olympics.
So, compared to say Minneapolis or Detroit, Salt Lake City probably has much higher origin and departure passengers.
"So, compared to say Minneapolis or Detroit, Salt Lake City probably has much higher origin and departure passengers."
That's not quite true. DTW and MSP have 2 and 3 million more O&D passengers domestically than SLC.
SLC is growing fast, so my guess is that Delta forsees sustained rapid growth that will justify this investment, considering that they average less than 5x daily Delta One flights.
Is that combined? I have a hard time believing that Detroit on its own has more O&D than SLC.
SLC Metro is 1/3 the pop of Detroit Metro. People way overestimate populations in the mountain west and pacific northwest relative to california, texas, and the midwest/east coast.
O&D traffic numbers:
- MSP: 11.5M
- DTW: 10.5M
- SLC: 8.7M
SLC actually has the least amount of O&D among the top 30 airports in the US.
Billionaires don't fly commercially, and airlines don't plan international service around second homes for millionaires nor 2 week long sporting events.
SLC has a lot going for it. Mormon population on the decline (which is sad from an etiquette/decorum perspective, but good from a not-being-in-a-cult perspective). Kirkland & Ellis opened its SLC office three years ago. Imagine being 24 years old fresh out of law school and making $250k (inclusive of bonus) in SLC. Even better, imagine being a partner making $8MM (avg. profit per equity partner) while having access to the best airline in the...
SLC has a lot going for it. Mormon population on the decline (which is sad from an etiquette/decorum perspective, but good from a not-being-in-a-cult perspective). Kirkland & Ellis opened its SLC office three years ago. Imagine being 24 years old fresh out of law school and making $250k (inclusive of bonus) in SLC. Even better, imagine being a partner making $8MM (avg. profit per equity partner) while having access to the best airline in the country and now the top tier lounge of such a top tier airline.
Oh and I almost forgot the nature, skiing, etc. is just absolutely amazing out there.