While Delta is by many metrics considered the most premium airline in the United States, one area where the airline has historically lagged the competition is when it comes to premium lounges dedicated to international passengers. American has Flagship Lounges and United has Polaris Lounges, while Delta hasn’t had dedicated international lounges… until recently.
Fortunately this is starting to change, with the introduction of Delta One Lounges. Delta has firm plans for at least four premium lounges, with the first two now being open. In this post I wanted to go over all the details of the lounge network, based on what we know as of now.
In this post:
Delta One Lounge locations (current & planned)
Delta has plans to open four premium lounges by 2025, which will be in New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), Boston (BOS), and Seattle (SEA). These are called Delta One Lounges, with Delta One being how Delta markets its premium business class product.
Here’s how Claude Roussel, Delta’s VP of Sky Club and Lounge Experience, describes the concept:
“We want each of our guests to receive a highly personalized and dedicated level of service. It’s not enough to have beautiful spaces and exceptional offerings. Premium lounge customers should feel welcomed and known when they walk in the door, just as they would at their favorite hotel or restaurant. We look forward to providing that warm welcome and making ‘premium’ feel personal for each guest.”
Let’s now go over the details of the four lounges that Delta is opening. No two of the premium lounges will be alike, as each location will include elements inspired by and unique to its host city.
Delta One Lounge New York (JFK)
The Delta One Lounge JFK is the first lounge to open. It’s located in Terminal 4 of New York Kennedy Airport, between Concourse A and Concourse B, right near the security checkpoint. The lounge is open daily from 4:30AM until 11PM.
This is Delta’s biggest airport lounge to date, as it’s 39,707 square feet, with seating for 515 guests. The lounge features some pretty awesome amenities, ranging from a full-service brasserie, to a casual chef-assisted market with open kitchen, to a bar. There’s also a dedicated wellness area, as well as a year-round terrace. Thanks to a new partnership between Delta and Missoni, the lounge features some items from Missoni’s home collection, which is pretty cool.
See this post for more details on the Delta One Lounge JFK.
Delta One Lounge Los Angeles (LAX)
The Delta One Lounge LAX is the second lounge to open. It’s located in Terminal 3 of Los Angeles International Airport, immediately adjacent to the Sky Club, and accessible directly to the Delta One check-in area. The lounge is open daily from 4:15AM until 11:30PM.
This lounge is much smaller than the JFK location, as it’s around 10,000 square feet, with seating for 191 guests. The lounge features a la carte dining throughout the lounge, a sushi counter, and signature bento boxes, rotating every two weeks, highlighting a Delta One destination from LAX. The lounge also has a dedicated wellness area with massage chairs and zero-gravity chairs, as well as a year-round terrace.
See this post for more details on the Delta One Lounge LAX.
Delta One Lounge Boston (BOS) opening late 2024
In Q4 2024, Delta will be opening a Delta One Lounge in Terminal E of Boston Logan Airport (BOS). The lounge will be 6,300 square feet, with seating for 120 passengers. This will be connected to the newly opened Delta Sky Club in Terminal E, so eligible guests will have access to both the premium lounge and the Sky Club.
Given how small the lounge is, I suspect the intent is that the premium lounge will have an elevated dining concept, and then you can hang out in the main Sky Club, if you’d like, as that’s 21,000 square feet.
Delta One Lounge Seattle (SEA) opening early 2025
In early 2025, Delta will be opening a Delta One Lounge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. As of now, details about this location remain limited, though we should learn more in the coming months.
Delta One Lounge access rules
Who can access Delta One Lounges? The access restrictions will be the same across the lounge network, and there are generally three pathways to accessing these lounges. Note that they don’t follow standard SkyTeam lounge access rules. Let’s break it down by entry method.
Delta One passengers get access
As you’d guess based on the name, the primary people who have access to the Delta One Lounge are Delta One passengers. This is the name of Delta’s premium business class experience. So if you have a same day Delta One ticket (whether arriving or departing), you get access to the Delta One Lounge.
It doesn’t matter if you paid cash for your ticket, redeemed miles, or upgraded, as access rules are the same regardless. Note that no guests are allowed to be brought in.
Select partner airline premium passengers get access
It’s not just business class passengers on Delta who get access to the Delta One Lounge. First and business class passengers departing or connecting on Air France, LATAM, KLM, Korean Air, and Virgin Atlantic, also get access to Delta One Lounge.
Keep in mind that in some cases it might not be practical to use a Delta One Lounge when flying these airlines, due to terminal setups. However, access is allowed. Note that no guests are allowed to be brought in.
Delta 360 passengers in first class get access
Delta 360 is Delta’s invitation-only elite status. These passengers can use the Delta One Lounge whenever traveling same day on a first class ticket. Delta 360 passengers are the only ones who can pay to bring guests into the lounge.
Delta 360 members eligible for access may bring their immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under the age of 21), or up to two companions, for an entry fee of $100 or 10,000 Delta SkyMiles per person.
Bottom line
Delta has confirmed plans to open four Delta One Lounges by early 2025, in New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), Boston (BOS), and Seattle (SEA). The first two lounges are now open, in New York and Los Angeles. These lounges are open to Delta One passengers, select SkyTeam business class passengers, and Delta 360 members traveling in first class.
Delta is long overdue for introducing dedicated lounges for its premium international business class passengers, so it’s nice to see the pace at which Delta is opening these facilities. The JFK location in particular sounds impressive, as it’s Delta’s biggest lounge ever. While the LAX lounge is smaller, it looks great as well. As you might expect, crowding can be an issue during peak hours.
What do you make of the Delta One Lounge concept?
Question: I'm flying SFO-JFK-DCA, with the SFO-JFK portion on Delta One.
Do I have access to the Delta One lounge at JFK before my connecting JFK-DCA flight?
@ TravelinWilly -- Yep, access is allowed on departure or arrival, so you'd be allowed in!
Ben, I'm wondering about "First and business class passengers departing or connecting on Air France, LATAM, KLM, Korean Air, and Virgin Atlantic, also get access to Delta One Lounge."
Based on some info at https://www.delta.com/us/en/airports/united-states/los-angeles-sky-club-airport-map, folks who are flying in transoceanic Business class on any SkyTeam airline have access, at least at LAX: "Delta One at LAX: Access to and use of Delta One at LAX is reserved for customers confirmed in one of the...
Ben, I'm wondering about "First and business class passengers departing or connecting on Air France, LATAM, KLM, Korean Air, and Virgin Atlantic, also get access to Delta One Lounge."
Based on some info at https://www.delta.com/us/en/airports/united-states/los-angeles-sky-club-airport-map, folks who are flying in transoceanic Business class on any SkyTeam airline have access, at least at LAX: "Delta One at LAX: Access to and use of Delta One at LAX is reserved for customers confirmed in one of the following cabins:
A nonstop Delta One® ticket to New York-JFK;
A nonstop Delta One ticket on a long-haul transoceanic flight that is 6.5 or more hours;
A domestic Delta ticket in any class connecting to a same-day Delta One ticket on a long-haul transoceanic Delta flight that is 6.5 or more hours;
A nonstop transoceanic ticket in First/Business Class on a SkyTeam ®-operated flight;
A domestic ticket in any class connecting to same-day First/Business Class ticket on an transoceanic SkyTeam-operated flight; or all Delta 360 members departing from LAX in any class of service, on any fare traveling to any destination
Customers in Delta's VIP Select® may also access Delta One at LAX, regardless of cabin."
Interestingly, another part of the website cites the same access rules that you list. At https://www.delta.com/us/en/delta-sky-club/delta-one-lounge, the access rules listed are:
The Delta One Lounge is available only to
Same-day departing or arriving Delta One ticketed passengers (i.e., seated in the Delta One class of service);
Delta 360o™ Members departing or arriving on a same-day ticket in Delta First Class;
Same-day departing or connecting flights operated by the following Delta partners in their respective first and business class cabins specified below:
Air France La Premiere and Business Class (Long-Haul);
LATAM Premium Business Class;
KLM Business Class;
Korean Air First Class and Prestige Class; and
Virgin Atlantic Upper Class.
Other credentials, such as Delta Sky Club membership or qualifying credit cards, cannot be used to access the Delta One Lounge.
The former is specific to LAX, while the latter is more general. Nonetheless, I assume the former is incorrect.
Any insight?
@ Johan -- I followed up with Delta, and they confirmed the original language was correct, and they're working on getting it updated. It needs to be one of the "select" SkyTeam carriers.
"It needs to be one of the "select" SkyTeam carriers."
Well, that sucks.
SEA’s can’t open soon enough. The Sky Club might give off decent first impressions with the big windows but in my experience it’s one of the loudest SkyClub locations. I would rather hang out in a quiet part of the terminal (which is admittedly hard to find at Sea-Tac). Amex Centurian is mostly great but gets hit with waves at certain times of the day.