In mid-2021, we learned that the Amex Centurion Lounge network would be expanding to Atlanta. There’s an exciting update, as this lounge will be opening tomorrow, Wednesday, February 14, 2024.
Continue reading: Massive Amex Centurion Lounge Atlanta Opening!
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
One interesting thing to consider here is that the Amex Platinum and Amex Delta Reserve, as of now, still have unlimited visits to Centurion Lounges. Next year, both of those cards will have caps on SkyClub visits (unless you spend $75K in 2024). So where both Centurion Lounges and SkyClubs exist, a lot of cardmembers will want to visit the Centurion Lounge so they don't use one of their SkyClub visits.
I look forward to checking this lounge out, looks sweet.
The DCA Centurion lounge, originally scheduled to open in December 2022(!), is still ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ .
Totally agree. E is one of the least used concourse at ATL. I can imagine a lot of F passengers going there as Delta's F lounge is always packed and The Club is terrible and also packed.
It'll also likely be popular with
1) DL fliers as long as there are lines and those fliers have time to get to/from E, and
2) DL employees with Amex cards that had lounge access revoked (except when traveling on revenue tickets) in early 2023.
It's going to be packed once every Amex Plat and DL Reserve cardholder have used up their 5 and 10 annual visits to the Delta Club Lounge after 2024.
If you are planning to fly through ATL any time in the next few months, it would likely be a good idea to go ahead and get on the wait list for this lounge. I anticipate that is the only way you'll get it.
Concourse E is primarily used for Delta's international flights, or widebody domestic flights. At least that is the intention.
Amex also requires a revenue ticket to access the Centurion Lounges, so sadly DL employees will still get shut out
Delta just released its 2023 10K (annual report to investors filed with the SEC) and one of the categories of OTHER is miscellaneous. It is under that subcategory which DL says is "primarily composed of lounge access, including access provided to certain American Express cardholders, and codeshare revenues."
In accounting, the largest item is usually first.
Delta reported about $550 million for that category in 2021, almost $900 in 2022 and $1.1 billion in 2023.
If even half of that category is AmEx payments to DL for non-DL SkyMiles cardholder access (such as the non-DL Amex Platinum card), Amex is paying DL a fortune for SkyClub access.
It thus makes all kinds of sense for Amex to build its own lounges as well as, to the extent possible, get some revenue from DL customers using Centurion lounges.
Amex's opening of such a large club in ATL is to stem the amount of money they have to pay DL and will also reduce overcrowding in SkyClubs.
lol of course they are serving chicken thighs. Has anyone been to an Amex lounge recently where that wasn’t the main protein option?
I was just in a DL lounge in ATL. The food was better than most centurion lounges.
Big or not. I expect this to be a big giant clusterF. Just with the DL reserve holders trying this lounge for the first time. Than you have people with limited visits to SkyClub.
What is the phenomenon that causes people here to react to unmitigated good news (i.e. significantly more lounge capacity at an airport that desperately needs it) with negativity and snark? People, just be happy for a minute!
If Amex's new lounge at ATL can replicate the experience of Delta's *new* lounges (such as at LAX), great. But, if it ends up simply being a larger version of the same experience at other Amex lounges, no thanks.
The F Delta lounge (i.e. the one in the international terminal) is actually pretty good
I, for one, welcome the chicken thigh. While it has more fat than the breast, this helps avoid overcooking which is common in breast, particularly when its been sitting in a warmer too long....
This is welcome news as ATL aiport sucks when it comes to lounges.
Only choice for peioeity. Lin members is “The Club” which is pretty basic with long wait times.
Admirals club can be accessed only when flying American and so is the case with delta .
So ,it is finally great to have a decent lounge which you can access no matter what airline you fly.
I am looking forward to trying it
I thought according to the internets everyone has dropped the Reserve and Amex Plat., and everyone had status matched to AS, AA and B9 after the late 2023 DL status nerfs.
ATL is my home airport. It's a horrible place for lounge access through Priority Pass or for frequent flyers with other airlines besides DL. Although all terminals are connected airside after security, it is a long train ride from the T-gates (which I love as they are close to security) where majority of UA/AA flights leave from, the Club is at the other end of the airport. The other issue is overcrowding at the Club. So, addition of the Amex Centurion lounge is welcome news indeed.
Wow Thats exciting news It’s looks beautiful So cool to have the option of of outdoor seating The food sounds scrumptious!
Long lines as they block the 10 tables with couches and chairs with a "reserved for black card" sign, and 90% will stay empty, always.
DL employees traveling non-rev (standby) can't access Centurion lounge any ways without a confirmed seat.
My flights are usually from T,A or B E is far away even if the plane train is running
I tend to think folks will still choose the lounge closest to their gate. I'm Miami-based, and with the Sky Train undergoing routine maintenance (err... experiencing structural cracking in the support columns after only 13 years of operation due to a corrupt bidding process and shoddy construction), I will only use Centurion Lounge if my gate is in low D. Anything on the other end of D or out in the punishment gates in E and I'll use the Admirals Club at D30. It's just too far of a walk otherwise.
One would think so with all the noise on the internet. (and I do understand that your comment was tongue in cheek). However, Delta's load factors continue to be high and they don't appear to have reduced frequencies. I most commonly fly DCA-ATL. They've doubled the base price on that route in the last few months. And get a little closer to departure and they go through the roof. I tried to book one way DCA-ATL in late March last night -- economy was between $500 and $700 ONE WAY over the course of the day. I popped over to American and booked for $210. I'd prefer the frequencies of DL on that route and the fact that they fly it themselves. AA's are (at least some of the time) operated by their regional partner. On the other hand I'm pretty much guaranteed an upgrade on AA on that route and it's unlikely on DL (i'm both AA EXP and DL Diamond)
But I digress. DL is NOT suffering from a mass exodus of customers. ATL may be their biggest hub and ATL travelers may be captive, but if they were losing connecting traffic, it would be noticeable.
I'm sure the extra capacity will help with skyclub crowding. It will attract travelers with gates at D, E and F. It seems like E is nearly always the most crowded club. But I do wonder if in 2025 things are going to get a little crowded with the vast majority of people with access to nine lounges all with capped visits trying to preserve those visits. I'd love to know what percentage of DL cardmembers use more than 15 visits a year.
Would imagine it'll get pretty crowded. Given how insanely over-generous credit card perks are in the USA it would seem nuts to be a traveller and not have a premium Amex card, you basically get the fee back in credits which is way different to everywhere.