Delta has been growing significantly in Seattle, and last October they opened a gorgeous new SkyClub as part of their investment in the airport. Nick wrote about the lounge back when it opened, though I wanted to add a review as well, given how impressed I was by this lounge. I’d argue this is the nicest membership lounge run by a US airline in the US (in other words, I’m excluding the American Flagship Lounge New York and United Polaris Lounge Chicago, since those are only for international travelers).
The Delta SkyClub Seattle is located between Concourses A & B, so after clearing security I turned right, and then after a short walk the entrance to the lounge was located to the left.
Delta SkyClub Seattle exterior
You can get access to the Delta SkyClub using The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, assuming you’re flying Delta the same day. I was flying Delta to Spokane, so used the personal card to access the lounge. Either way, these are some of the best credit cards for lounge access.
The first thing I noticed about the lounge was how friendly everyone was. From the person at the front desk who welcomed us and explained the lounge amenities, to every person who came by to clear plates and ask if everything was okay, to the awesome bartender, I was so impressed by the people in this lounge. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a US airline lounge with such friendly and professional people. That’s probably partly a function of the lounge being in Seattle, but it goes beyond that — they were much friendlier than the Alaska Lounge agents, in my opinion.
In addition to the desk where you register, there was also a customer service desk, which had a cool piece of Seattle artwork behind it. How cool is that?
Delta SkyClub Seattle local artwork
At ~21,000 square feet, the lounge was huge and stunning. I loved the high ceilings and the amount of natural light, even if the amount of sunshine in Seattle is limited for much of the year.
Delta SkyClub Seattle
Delta SkyClub Seattle
Inside the lounge and to the right was the bar, buffet, and cafe seating area, with a variety of dining tables.
Delta SkyClub Seattle bar
Delta SkyClub Seattle seating
This lounge has some of the best furnishings I’ve seen of any US airline lounge, especially in terms of the variety of seating options.
Delta SkyClub Seattle seating
Delta SkyClub Seattle
I mean, seriously, take a look at all the types of furniture below, and that’s just in one part of the lounge.
Delta SkyClub Seattle seating
Delta SkyClub Seattle seating
Delta SkyClub Seattle seating
Delta SkyClub Seattle seating
Delta SkyClub Seattle seating
Delta SkyClub Seattle seating
Throughout the lounge there were views of the nearby gate area, including one gate that’s right in front of the lounge, which makes for some cool views as planes arrive and depart.
Delta SkyClub Seattle view
Delta SkyClub Seattle view
The lounge also has a second floor, which has more seating. This area was mostly empty, as there’s not much else here. I’d almost view it more as overflow seating.
Delta SkyClub Seattle second level
Delta SkyClub Seattle second level
Delta SkyClub Seattle second level
Delta SkyClub Seattle second level
While the bar and buffet were on the first floor, the second floor had water, snack mix, cookies, and whole fruit.
Delta SkyClub Seattle second level snack bar
The second floor also had fantastic views of the main part of the lounge, as well as the tarmac.
Delta SkyClub Seattle second level view
Delta SkyClub Seattle second level view
As mentioned above, the buffet was located inside the lounge and to the right. Delta SkyClubs blow away the competition when it comes to food selection in their lounges, and this lounge might have just had the best food selection I’ve seen.
Delta SkyClub Seattle buffet
There was a soda fountain, water, iced tea, tea, a Starbucks coffee machine, snack mix, and cookies.
Delta SkyClub Seattle soda fountain
Delta SkyClub Seattle buffet
Delta SkyClub Seattle tea selection
Delta SkyClub Seattle Starbucks coffee machine
But the selection of fresh food was so impressive. Not only did they have a bunch of fresh options, but everything I tasted was exceptional. There were a variety pre-made salads, and there was a salad bar where you could make your own more traditional salad.
Delta SkyClub Seattle buffet
Delta SkyClub Seattle buffet
Then there were raw veggies, hummus, olives, cheese that actually looked good (unlike the cubed cheese in other AAirline loUAnges), and pita chips.
Delta SkyClub Seattle buffet
There were warm, fresh sandwiches, restaurant-quality clam chowder, and a couple of hot dishes, including a really good pasta dish.
Delta SkyClub Seattle buffet
Delta SkyClub Seattle buffet
Then there were potato chips and bread rolls.
Delta SkyClub Seattle buffet
Seeing this food spread made me so sad to be an Admirals Club member. The difference between the food selection in the two lounges is night and day. I can’t stress enough not just that there was a big selection, but that I found the quality exceptional. Furthermore, there were attendants constantly refreshing the buffet, making sure everything was presented properly, etc.
There was just a sense of pride that the employees had in this lounge that I’ve never seen at American or United.
In addition to complimentary house wine, beer, and spirits, there’s a selection of drinks for purchase, and you can even redeem SkyMiles for these drinks at a lucrative rate (typically about two cents per mile compared to what they’d charge in cash). Here’s the drink list:
As a champagne lover, I couldn’t help but redeem 10,000 SkyMiles for a bottle of Krug. I wrote a separate post about this experience, so check that out for more details. What a cool thing for an airline to offer, even if it was a splurge.
Delta SkyClub Seattle Krug with a view
In terms of the lounge’s other amenities, the restrooms were pretty nice, and the lounge also had showers, though unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to check those out.
Delta SkyClub Seattle bathrooms
The lounge also has an Asanda Spa, located just next to the buffet. You have to pay for all the treatments and they’re not cheap, though I’m sure some appreciate this option. You can find the spa treatment pricing list here.
Delta SkyClub Seattle spa
Delta SkyClub Seattle bottom line
Visiting the Delta SkyClub Seattle made me want to become a Delta flyer, and made me sad about the experience I’ve become accustomed to at American. For a domestic US lounge, this is simply unrivaled, in my opinion. Everyone working in the lounge couldn’t have been friendlier, the lounge is a stunning space physically, the food selection is exceptional, and it’s cool that you can redeem miles at a reasonable rate towards the cost of premium drinks.
Well done, Delta. Very well done.
Anyone else as wowed by this lounge as I am?
Generally I love the Delta Skyclubs. But here's an email from my wife, a Delta Diamond flyer:
When I checked into the club the "manager" was extremely rude I thought. She said -- are you a club member or do you need to purchase a day pass. I said I'm a life time member - she said -- show me your card. I said, I don't need to, it's on my boarding pass. Now she had to know that. I've never been addressed that way in a Delta club -- not even a KLM one.
DL is my Carrier of choice now after flying them to OKC back in 2012. It's the best out of Big Three AA & UA arent even close
Showers there are nice and the attendant was friendly and very helpful making sure the room was completely stocked with soaps, etc, and offered me some "to go" if I wanted.
Delta's Seattle SkyClub lounge is the Best! I thoroughly enjoyed my three-hour layover there recently.
The lounge provided ample seating and quiet locations.
Every staff person was extraordinarily helpful and friendly.
The buffet offered delicious soup too. The Starbucks Coffee station was handy.
The ability to charge your phone, tablet, etc. at every comfortable chair was outstanding.
The bathrooms were immaculate.
I look forward to visiting Delta's JFK International...
Delta's Seattle SkyClub lounge is the Best! I thoroughly enjoyed my three-hour layover there recently.
The lounge provided ample seating and quiet locations.
Every staff person was extraordinarily helpful and friendly.
The buffet offered delicious soup too. The Starbucks Coffee station was handy.
The ability to charge your phone, tablet, etc. at every comfortable chair was outstanding.
The bathrooms were immaculate.
I look forward to visiting Delta's JFK International lounge and Amsterdam Schiphol lounge.
@tdfd17 I actually haven't been to the lounge in F so I can't compare those two specifically. I don't fly through ATL a whole lot and usually my connections are somewhere between the A-D concourses. B is definitely nicer than the A and D lounges I've been in. It still has a shiny newness to it and it's located upstairs above the main concourse so it has pretty decent views of the action going on outside.
I love the SEA club. I live in NYC, but all my family is in Seattle, so whenever I travel I book the transcon service through LAX (because Delta One is just so much better as a soft product compared to the SEA-JFK First). It’s really convenient that the Delta Shuttle between LAX and SEA usually leaves out of A1, it’s the easiest premium experience I find in the US. Clear>lounge>gate next to the lounge....
I love the SEA club. I live in NYC, but all my family is in Seattle, so whenever I travel I book the transcon service through LAX (because Delta One is just so much better as a soft product compared to the SEA-JFK First). It’s really convenient that the Delta Shuttle between LAX and SEA usually leaves out of A1, it’s the easiest premium experience I find in the US. Clear>lounge>gate next to the lounge. I’m so glad the built one in the main terminal, as the only other option was the Alaska Boardroom or Centurion lounge. While Delta isn’t always my favourite, they certainly scored here in access, services and convenience.
I went through the B and E Skyclub lounges in ATL and the new lounge in SEA in one flight, and I'd have to say that the high ceilings in the SEA lounge are really nice. The B lounge, while new, doesn't have that feature. It did, however, have a nice expensive Corton-Charlemagne that the SEA lounge didn't.
I agree that SEA and SFO are almost neck to neck, but for me, SEA wins by a hairline.
I am very pro-UA and was genuinely excited at the new ORD lounges. However, after reading this review and seeing the pics, I feel like it's not even a close comparison. The new UA lounges (while aesthetically appealing) do not keep the food as nicely presented, have nowhere near the same amount of hot and cold offerings, and the DL liquor selection looks like it blows them away.
I love the healthy options they offer and that they use actual plates and silver wear (not paper plates and plastic cutlery, like at JFK, ATL, etc.). Rivaled only by the SFO lounge, IMO.
@Tom -- I'm going to be in ATL next month on an extended layover after a redeye -- ~5:30am-11am. Do you recommend the DL lounge in B over the other (8) DL lounges at ATL? How does it compare to F, which I hear has showers and an outdoor deck?
Thanks.
Nice review. Gah the lime green is ugly. Everything else amazing. So much better than the PP Alaska lounges there which literally just had ... a tiny salad bar. Really?
@Kelly, what's "beneath?"
Excuse my ignorance, but what are those twisty blue things hanging from the ceiling? Are they representative of anything?
This is a far cry from the meager beginnings of the Delta Crown Room back in the '80's when I was starting my road warrior days. I wish Delta would increase its presence in SAN because I'd love to leave AA and go back but unfortunately I just can't get to key European gateways in less than three DL flights from here. Great review!
Love the lounge. Can't wait to get the Platinum American Express card!
Uh, GEG? What on earth were you traveling there for?
That aside, a single lounge would not change my mind about DL. Window dressing won't hide what's beneath.
The Sky Lounge at SFO looks similar with large windows, but isn't quite as nice. Still it is arguably better than the Centurion Lounge given its crowds, and blows the United Club out of the water.
Not sure if the concourse B lounge in ATL has been reviewed here, but this looks similar and appears to be being billed as a premier lounge for Delta in the US. Even with all of the other SkyClubs in ATL, if I have more than 90 minutes or so between flights, I'll head there. That being said, the more typical lounges found all over seem to consistently offer plenty of comfortable seating, relatively reliable...
Not sure if the concourse B lounge in ATL has been reviewed here, but this looks similar and appears to be being billed as a premier lounge for Delta in the US. Even with all of the other SkyClubs in ATL, if I have more than 90 minutes or so between flights, I'll head there. That being said, the more typical lounges found all over seem to consistently offer plenty of comfortable seating, relatively reliable WiFi, and enough food for a light meal to carry you over to your destination. I'm not familiar with the domestic lounges of the other 2 airlines, but reviews like this reaffirm my own experiences with SkyClubs.
But the old lounge in S doesn't get any of the new better food.
Delta is unquestionably the Best US Airline, both on the ground and in the air. Here in HNL, Delta took over the old CO Presidents Club a few years ago and it is hands down better than AA's or UA's dreary offerings (and don't even get me started on HA's abysmal lounges, they should be ashamed to have such places at their home base).
"cheese in other AAirline loUAnges"
Joke or typo? If it is a joke, it definitely went over my head...
I went through this lounge on 1/Apr/2017 this year, and Delta were having issues that day. The lounge staff were amongst the most helpful I've encountered (almost as helpful as those with the DL partner I hold status with), putting me on an Alaska Airlines flight to make sure I made my AA flight out of LAX.
One of the food offerings they regularly seem to have at this lounge is Macaroni and Cheese that is sourced locally, and it is genuinely very good!
Despite issues, DL are, I think, the hands down best of the US legacy carriers and have been for a long time. Better operations, better irregular operations, better staff, and, mostly, cleaner and fresher planes.
I've had status with AA, US, UA, and DL, but DL is the only one I miss.
This is a really beautiful club, but I can't help but feel Delta is just buttering up Seattle until they suffocate Alaska and then will return to the same crappy Delta service you get everywhere else.
Of course, flying Delta is still a miserable experience. Don't even get prosecco on their transcons from Seattle, let alone a real pillow. Combined with terrible IRROPS, junky old planes (no more 757s please) , and you don't even...
This is a really beautiful club, but I can't help but feel Delta is just buttering up Seattle until they suffocate Alaska and then will return to the same crappy Delta service you get everywhere else.
Of course, flying Delta is still a miserable experience. Don't even get prosecco on their transcons from Seattle, let alone a real pillow. Combined with terrible IRROPS, junky old planes (no more 757s please) , and you don't even get lounge access with a $2,500.00 transcon fare.
@lucky - I know it is your job but it pains me to see you reviewing this gem of a lounge. The entire SEA operation for Delta is really exceptional in my experience and I'd be quite happy to see it remain a relatively unknown secret. I left AA's Admirals Clubs, legacy USAirways metal, and obligatory DFW routing behind, went free agent with Delta, Air Canada, JetBlue and Alaska as "focus" providers and I've never...
@lucky - I know it is your job but it pains me to see you reviewing this gem of a lounge. The entire SEA operation for Delta is really exceptional in my experience and I'd be quite happy to see it remain a relatively unknown secret. I left AA's Admirals Clubs, legacy USAirways metal, and obligatory DFW routing behind, went free agent with Delta, Air Canada, JetBlue and Alaska as "focus" providers and I've never been happier or had more outstanding choices. There is literally not one aspect of AA that I miss, including AAdvantage.
@YYZFlyer - I was at the YYZ International MLL lounge twice this earlier this month and I am at the SEA SkyClub regularly. I would say that the food spread at the SEA SkyClub is similar but definitely better and more extensive. In terms of views, design of the space, service and friendliness the SEA SkyClub is much, much better.
In fact, I think the SEA SkyClub is most comparable to the LHR Maple...
@YYZFlyer - I was at the YYZ International MLL lounge twice this earlier this month and I am at the SEA SkyClub regularly. I would say that the food spread at the SEA SkyClub is similar but definitely better and more extensive. In terms of views, design of the space, service and friendliness the SEA SkyClub is much, much better.
In fact, I think the SEA SkyClub is most comparable to the LHR Maple Leaf Lounge, although the SkyClub is larger, and the coffee machine at the LHR MLL is better. The views and layout have some similarities.
@eric, 10x better than the Centurion lounge (post-expansion) in Seattle IMO. Much better spacing in the Delta lounge with options for privacy, the bathrooms are way bigger as well, and the food is solid in both fronts but I think there's a little more variety in the Delta lounge. The two lounge entrances are actually a quick 2 min walk away from each other (in fact, the lounges are actually right next to each other;...
@eric, 10x better than the Centurion lounge (post-expansion) in Seattle IMO. Much better spacing in the Delta lounge with options for privacy, the bathrooms are way bigger as well, and the food is solid in both fronts but I think there's a little more variety in the Delta lounge. The two lounge entrances are actually a quick 2 min walk away from each other (in fact, the lounges are actually right next to each other; the expansive nature of the Delta lounge means the entrance isn't immediately next to each other but close enough where if you have the option of entering both, you can easily do so before a flight out of Seattle).
I routinely fly through Seattle between Delta and Alaska; Seattle in general has a bevy of top notch lounge options (the new Alaska lounge in concourse C is solid as well if flying out from that concourse and you don't want to make the long trek over to either the Centurion or the new Delta skyclub in A/B). In my opinion, Seattle by far has the best selection of lounges in the US over any other airport.
Glad you enjoyed the lounge. Despite skypesos, Delta is far and away the best of the big 3 US carriers
There seems to be a "minimum" requirement for food served in the SkyClubs with local clubs able to add-on above that level. The club in MCO is a bit of a victorian time-warp (don't ask, I assume it has something to do with Disney); however, they have interesting salads that I haven't seen at any other club. They also have servers working the seating areas (for tips).
how does this compare with the Centurion lounge?
Love all the natural light and tarmac views!
This Sky club has the best food by far, Most full size Sky clubs have about half as much food and the quality is not as good. And then it depends on which club in the same airport. But Yes Seattle Sky club is great. The Smaller C concourse Minneapolis club has soup and salad, same with the Salt Lake City club.
Wow this lounge looks amazing, like so much better than UA or AA's lounges. I would even say it looks somewhat nicer than Air Canada's international MLL in YYZ and definitely better than their domestic and trans border lounges. If I wasn't loyal so much to AC and the Star Alliance, being stuck with flying UA domestically in the U.S. I would fly DL almost all the time in the U.S. domestically.
I think this review is the longest out of all lounge reviews. I;m glad I;m a delta diamond and have access to the new clubs. They are getting quite large and well supplied. I wish they had peanuts, cashews like the old days....
@Lucky Is the food selection at Delta Sky Clubs the same corporate standard throughout the USA like it is for AA and UA?
You forgot to mention that the view on nice days includes Mt. Rainier in the distance. From the second floor it's especially stunning. Not sure if it was obscured when you were there or you overlooked it, but it's worth mentioning as icing on the cake.
Oh, that Delta focused blogger will have your head for this nice review.
Time for you to do what you always wanted too and switch your loyalty to Delta. I am sure you have reasons why you did not yet, and would love to hear. Maybe an article like 6 reasons I have not switched to Delta yet.
Delta clubs are beautiful in ATL, JFK, SEA, SFO and many others.
Two cents per mile for cocktails is pretty good, especially since the price itself is reasonable.
I still think the delta sky club that *used to be at LAX was amazing, we shall see after thier reno what the new one looks like. We actually went to all 6 lounges in seatac we could access for free this past weekend and the hidden delta skyclub in the satellite terminal was my fav because there was no one in there, I don't think people know it's there at all. Peace and quiet...
I still think the delta sky club that *used to be at LAX was amazing, we shall see after thier reno what the new one looks like. We actually went to all 6 lounges in seatac we could access for free this past weekend and the hidden delta skyclub in the satellite terminal was my fav because there was no one in there, I don't think people know it's there at all. Peace and quiet in that crazy airport was super nice at that lounge. But I will be going back to use that spa you mentioned though when I have more time.
Welcome to the dark side!!!!
The rest of the actual flying experience is unparalleled in terms of the US3.
I'm tired of people complaining about Skypesos. Everyone already knows they're hard to use, but there's ways to find value. I think the cost-benefit is worth it!