Delta Air Lines has been investing a lot in its lounge network lately, including expanding the network of Delta Sky Clubs, plus opening Delta One Lounges. The airline has just opened its latest Sky Club, and it’s at one of American’s fortress hubs.
In this post:
Basics of the new Delta Sky Club Charlotte Airport
As of December 18, 2024, a new Delta Sky Club has opened at Charlotte Airport (CLT). The new lounge is 14,165 square feet, with seating for 246 guests. The Sky Club is located in the recently expanded Concourse A, on the mezzanine level, near gate A32. It’s open daily from 5AM until 8PM.
The new Delta Sky Club Charlotte is described as having “a modern Neoclassic design that pays tribute to the city’s namesake, Queen Charlotte, and her influence in fashion and design.” The natural elements and materials in the lounge are intended to be a nod to Charlotte’s tree conservatory efforts and green spaces. With the lounge’s location on the mezzanine-level, the club provides views of both the concourse and the apron.
The lounge boasts a buffet, two beverage stations, and six soundproof booths. As is standard at Sky Clubs, you can expect a selection of hot food, complimentary alcoholic drinks, and more.
Below are some pictures that Delta has provided of the new lounge.
Okay, so, umm, I can’t decide fits into the “travel like royalty” category, or if it’s just full-on kitschy, and looks like something designed by Lisa Vanderpump.
See this post for Delta Sky Club access policies. In addition to being open to select premium passengers and members, Sky Clubs can also be accessed with The Platinum Card® from American Express (review) and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (review).
From Charlotte, Delta offers service to seven of its hubs, including Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), Detroit (DTW), Minneapolis (MSP), New York (JFK & LGA), and Salt Lake City (SLC).
You’ve gotta love competitor lounges at fortress hubs
Charlotte is of course a huge hub for American, and Delta’s presence there is tiny, by comparison. One of the cool things about the “big three” US carriers is that they tend to open lounges at the fortress hubs of competitors whenever possible, in hopes of having any chance of capturing traffic in the market.
Whether it’s the American Admirals Club in Atlanta or Denver, or the United Club in Dallas or Phoenix, or the Delta Sky Club in Newark or Philadelphia, airlines have a big incentive to open these kinds of lounges.
Here’s the thing — as any American flyer can attest to, Charlotte is an absolutely awful airport to connect at. It’s not that the airport as such is terrible, but rather it’s that American has a banked schedule, and pumps an uncivilized number of people through the hub over very short periods of time.
American’s Admirals Club situation in Charlotte has to be one of the least pleasant in the system, both in terms of quality and crowding. This Delta Sky Club looks like one of the world’s best lounges, by comparison. So while Delta might not be able to get you many places from Charlotte, premium passengers will at least have a pleasant experience.
Bottom line
A new Delta Sky Club has opened at Charlotte Airport. The lounge is nearly 15,000 square feet, so it’s huge for an outstation lounge at an airport where Delta doesn’t even have that much service. The lounge looks so much better than the Admirals Club, so this should be a treat for those who have access.
What do you make of the new Delta Sky Club Charlotte?
I actually think Charlotte airport is quite nice, especially compared to airports in the northeast like Philadelphia. The A concourse is especially nice, and some AA flights depart out of there. B and C have been nicely renovated and the main atrium is really nice. Even E is actively being renovated and departing on a regional flight is turning into a nice experience. They have some decent restaurants including 1897 market and CPK.
I...
I actually think Charlotte airport is quite nice, especially compared to airports in the northeast like Philadelphia. The A concourse is especially nice, and some AA flights depart out of there. B and C have been nicely renovated and the main atrium is really nice. Even E is actively being renovated and departing on a regional flight is turning into a nice experience. They have some decent restaurants including 1897 market and CPK.
I will say that it can get quite crowded, but the advantage of Charlotte is that it doesn't have that many international flights, so it's not crowded like JFK. Also, AA has become way more reliable in the past few years so its not as painful to connect there as it was in the past.
However, the AA lounges absolutely suck. The Admirals club near C and D is just a former US Airways club and hasn't been renovated since. It's old, crowded, and outdated. The lounge in B is nicer and has been renovated but it's quite small so it can get really crowded. Also, the food options have always been lacking. I will say though that the C and D lounge is being renovated and will be the largest Admirals club in the system, so I'm looking forward to seeing that open. There will never be a Flagship lounge in CLT because there aren't many international flights.
Connecting through CLT isn’t that bad. It isn’t great either as there are a lot of choke points that make getting around challenging and then not enough space once you get to your gate. The problem is getting in and out of there. The airport just isn’t designed to handle that many passengers ground side. Construction to improve this has made it even more painful, but it is still going to be bad when it’s done.
Terminal A is a punishment for anyone who dares not fly American, but all the DL flights seem to be sequestered over there, so while it's a zillion steps and a half from the security checkpoint, the Sky Club is spitting distance from Delta's gates if that is what you are flying. I was just there a couple weeks ago and it looked like a nice spot they were putting together.
If you are...
Terminal A is a punishment for anyone who dares not fly American, but all the DL flights seem to be sequestered over there, so while it's a zillion steps and a half from the security checkpoint, the Sky Club is spitting distance from Delta's gates if that is what you are flying. I was just there a couple weeks ago and it looked like a nice spot they were putting together.
If you are trying to do an Amex Platinum visit though, hard pass if your connection is in any other concourse, regardless of layover time. Concourse A is the "F You for not flying American" concourse. Even with a 4+ hr layover, the walk to the very end of A sucks
first, DL is the #2 airline in more AA and UA hubs than the other way around. People wonder how DL gets its revenue premium and it is about its domestic size not just in its own hubs but also in competitive markets.
UA simply has no hub in the SE which is why they are so far below AA, DL and WN in domestic size.
Second, AA has been trying for decades...
first, DL is the #2 airline in more AA and UA hubs than the other way around. People wonder how DL gets its revenue premium and it is about its domestic size not just in its own hubs but also in competitive markets.
UA simply has no hub in the SE which is why they are so far below AA, DL and WN in domestic size.
Second, AA has been trying for decades to have a competitive hub to ATL in the SE and with the US merger, gained one in CLT after trying on its own to build separate hubs at RDU and BNA -and closing both. Like at DFW, AA pushes huge amounts of connecting traffic through CLT with low minimum connect times given the size and complexity of the facility - which is part of why AA's system on-time is consistently worse than DL's. Connecting itineraries on AA via CLT are typically $15-25 cheaper than on DL via ATL so there is a price for what DL can get over the chaos that is CLT on the ground or even the massive complex at DFW. AA's baggage handling rates system wide are consistently near the bottom of the industry undoubtedly due to CLT and DFW which are overscheduled relative to the size of the hubs and the facilities at both airports.
Third, CLT is like BNA in that both are too close to ATL to get much if any traffic but DL does serve both cities well to its eastern US hubs; CLT only gets service as far as SLC from CLT while DL has all 3 western US hubs. That is a function of the small local market and AA's command of the local CLT market, even if it is with low quality service.
finally, the CLT SkyClub is larger than the AUS, BNA, and MCI SkyClubs, all of which are fairly new, indicating that DL is willing to invest in larger SkyClubs were it can get the space.
The DL advantage at CLT is space and order at an airport where that is non-existent on AA.
First, Nobody
Second, Cares
American passengers would be jealous if the truly evil and despicable Delta provided a lounge that was the Black Hole Of CCU. The Admirals' Clubs there are truly disgusting.
Looks better than anything Delta has open at ATL right now!
Don't poke the pigeon.
How CLT can be a primary hub for AA with those 2 sh$tholes for an AC is beyond imagination. The C Club keeps getting a call from 1984 business travelers wanting their lounge back. With no need for outlets because they have nothing to plug into those missing outlets.
And AA management can't figure out why their financials look more like Spirit versus UA or DL.
Ideally, this new club competitor combined with Delta adding routes will spur American to up their game in CLT by adding a club in E and expediting the BC replacement. Otherwise AA risks losing pax and revenue in their fortress.
I just wish we could get some competition on transcon flights.
A few weeks ago, my connecting AA flight was delayed out of CLT so I took a walk to the DL gate area. Wow, it looks nothing like the AA gates most of us are used to. Wide open spaces, available seats, plenty of charging ports. Definitely the opposite of the B/C third world gate chaos.
Anyone hearing rumors of a Skyclub coming to IAH or Hobby? We'd be over the moon! The IAH Centurion lounge is awful and too far from the DL gates.
Looks great! Ya planning on reviewing it soon?
Connected in CLT last week for the first time in 40 years.
I hope it’s another 40 before I have to go back.
This is why Delta SkyClubs have long been hailed as the best credit card lounges. And henceforth become so crowded.
Sadly AA's monopoly (largest % fortress hub in the US) means there's virtually no transcon service, which means West Coast flyers are stuck with the trash that is AA and the half burnt down Admiral's Club at CLT.
Is it possible for Delta to launch LAX/SEA service to CLT? Delta interior hub connections are way...
This is why Delta SkyClubs have long been hailed as the best credit card lounges. And henceforth become so crowded.
Sadly AA's monopoly (largest % fortress hub in the US) means there's virtually no transcon service, which means West Coast flyers are stuck with the trash that is AA and the half burnt down Admiral's Club at CLT.
Is it possible for Delta to launch LAX/SEA service to CLT? Delta interior hub connections are way too tight and inevitably lead to delays from having to be rebooked.
I’ve always wondered why United has never attempted flights from Charlotte to San Francisco (or at least not anytime recently).
I did also find that strange considered UA even has a SFO-ATL flight. With Spirit exiting the market, I think all the major West Coast airports are served from CLT by AA only, LAX/SFO/SAN/SEA/SNA.
I would guess, AA has exactly captured the entirety CLT to West Coast market with their scheduled flights meaning that any additions/frequencies would only depress yields, leaving no room for competition.
CLT just isn’t that high up on the O&D,...
I did also find that strange considered UA even has a SFO-ATL flight. With Spirit exiting the market, I think all the major West Coast airports are served from CLT by AA only, LAX/SFO/SAN/SEA/SNA.
I would guess, AA has exactly captured the entirety CLT to West Coast market with their scheduled flights meaning that any additions/frequencies would only depress yields, leaving no room for competition.
CLT just isn’t that high up on the O&D, so serving them just a few times daily is the perfect amount for the West Coast market. Also CLT isn’t exactly high yield outside of important banking clientele, which AA has locked up in corporate contracts.
Kudos to DL. Hopefully this is a wakeup call to AA with their 4th world country mindset (not even 3rd world) in one of their biggest hub. I do understand the need to keep cost down, but it's really such a disgrace for any flyer flying AA from CLT (and PHL to that extend).
CLT is a literal zoo. Except even zoo animals get more space and are treated with more dignity by the staff. It’s what happens when you pair low landing costs with insufficient airport capacity and over 70% of your pax are connecting.
I hate it, yet I have to go there far more frequently than I desire. And AA remains the only viable West Coast option for nonstops.
Finally some fair and balanced poasting. This lounge is just a small part of why Delta's RASM is $1,000,000 when American's is $0.00000000001
I'm torn. I fly to CLT on Delta a lot, mainly from LGA. That new section of Concourse A is so far from security and the exits, it feels like getting out of the airport takes longer than the flight. Yes, it's nicer to have a club but you can get a week's worth of steps in just one day now.
And AA flyers won't be jealous of the club, they'll never be anywhere near it.
Hey Lucky,
AA actually has 2 clubs in CLT, not just one. There’s the “state capital rotunda” and another one in B
Apart from the loud wallpaper, it looks really nice.
LOL! #Premium #A3501000
To which one can add:
#ICNisAsiasBest
#KoreanAirRocks
#DL767300Forever
Sorry, t________name, couldn’t resist.
Y’all really have the other kind of TDS (TimDunn Derangement Syndrome).
Half of the first 8 comments are about him, and he hasn’t even shown up or typed a single letter.
You all love to complain about him, but let him live in your head rent free and actively egg him on before he’s here.
It’s far beyond pathetic. These trolls need a more productive hobby
VT-CIE version
#HNDisAsiasBest
#SingaporeAirlinesRocks
#ANA7878Forever
Sorry P__________, couldn't resist.
Did Tim Dunn write this?
@ Francesca -- No, just someone who can actually call things as they are, rather than having an agenda. ;-)