Delta Elites Will No Longer Get Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Access At London Heathrow

Excellent news.

By allowing DL elites access to the clubhouse the potential to dilute the experience was always there.

Glad it's now reserved for VS golds and premium passengers only.

@ Ben -- Sadly, this is the right move by Delta. Maybe they can expand the Virgin lounge, which is too crowded and a bit dated anyway?

Sure it's disappointing for Delta elites but I'm sure they saw how the crowds would get out of hand. They weren't interested in the ridiculous overcrowding like you see in the Centurion lounges.

YAY ! Good move there, the lounge needs to try and be exclusive or it will just be as crowded as the galleries lounges in terminal 5 which are horrible.

Totally off topic, but of the 8 or so times I've been in the Clubhouse, the hot tub/spa has been emptied of water and not it operation once. Not a single time. Has anyone else experienced that? I keep seeing this picture of it and them am consistently disappointed when I can't take a dip. What gives?

They have also eliminated Delta Diamonds, etc. from Zurich lounges which are rarely crowded. Very irritating as there is not another lounge choice and ZRH options for sitting, dining, and so on are limited and expensive. World's largest airline does not pride itself on global service quality.

So, if I am flying Delta One to LHR and then connecting to PVG on Virgin Atlantic Upper Class in November, this doesn't affect me and I will still have access to the Clubhouse (even though I don't currently have status on either airline)?

On the other hand, sounds like anyone traveling on Delta One (Elite or not) will get access.

This is absolutely the right move.

This needed to happen.

Overcrowding getting out of hand.

The No1 Lounge Heathrow Airport is already full to capacity, with CX elites having access there whilst the CX lounge is still under renovation (though it's due to reopen very soon). I was there last week and unfortunately was curtly declined entry (using Priority Pass). I was directed to the Swissport Lounge next door, which was also totally full. After about 20 minutes, I decided that it was probably less claustraphobic in the main terminal area and left.

What happens with a Anerican express delay reserve card? Can they still have access to the DL lounge?

I can also see why they did this, but @TC is right; if you thought the Clubhouse was crowded you should go try getting denied entry to the No 1 Traveller Lounge sometime. I haven't once been in there when it was less than 90% full. There's too many companies sharing contract status with the one lounge. And it's made so, so much worse by the fact that the lounge continuously keeps more than half their space "reserved" for "meetings."

Every time I've been in the lounge they've had at least three large, separate rooms roped off as "reserved" and also completely empty. Has anyone else noticed this?

Last year, transiting LHR from Africa, the VA Clubhouse was packed full and very noisy. Clubhouse may have already lost its cache

Well of course the Virgin elites are happy, the references to basically snob status though are pathetic. I never saw the Virgin Lounge overcrowded, I never struggled for a seat, and especially after lunch it is quiet. Knowing Delta this is likely cost saving. At T4 elites didn't even get priority security, and I notice that Virgin elites are denied access to Delta lounges in the US unless travelling in Delta One or First Class. This looks like a domestic spat to me

I think it also has to do with the Clubhouse going for refurbishment which starts very soon. The combination of Delta elites now all being coalesced into T3 and having access to the Clubhouse was probably too much considering the numbers of UC passengers and Gold card holders that the Clubhouse usually deals with. Its absolutely packed in the mornings and I've been here 10 times this year (VS Gold card holder disclaimer) at different times for different flights. Only the afternoons does it calm down and lots of seating appear.

Hello! Now I am confused about what lounge I can access as a arriving passenger at Heathrow.

I will be flying Upper Class LAX-LHR next week, and was hoping to access the Virgin Clubhouse at LHR when I arrive. Can I not access that club on arrival? Is only the lounge available for arriving passengers the Revivals lounge?

Thanks for the tips!

Just flew back from Heathrow last week on Virgin Atlantic economy. I'm a Delta Diamond medallion and when I inquired with the check-in agent about the access to the Clubhouse lounge, he mentioned that the Clubhouse is going through an expansion and as such space is limited now. However, once the expansion is complete, he mentioned Delta Elites should have access back to the Clubhouse irrespective of the class of travel.

I'm a DL DM and flying economy on DL from LHR-ATL. I had no issues getting myself & my wife (GM, also economy) into the clubhouse.

I am more annoyed at Delta and Virgin Atlantic moving from T4 to T3. I had booked a Delta ticket going ATL - LHR on VR which was going into T4 when I booked but was changed to T3 before my trip. I also had a KLM flight booked from LHR and now had to rush to T4 from T3. So I missed my connection because of delays and a broken sky bridge at LHR. I guess the promised seamless travel between SkyTeam airlines is a big lie. London has one of the worst airports in the world and the highest airport taxes. Never again will I book any flight through London. The dirty SkyTeam Lounge at T4 and the crappy No1 lounge at T3 are as everything at LHR on the bottom of my list of places to visit.

Mark, where you able to access the Virgin Club as an arriving passenger? I was told recently that it is for departing passengers only and the Revival Lounge was my only option.

This is no longer accurate. Delta Platinum and Diamond have access to the Virgin Clubhouse. Gold have access to the No. 1 Lounge.