In early 2025, Delta Air Lines formally revealed that it would be bringing its international premium lounge concept to its biggest hub, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. However, we had virtually no details at the time. There’s now a major update, as an agreement has been reached with the city to build this lounge — it’ll be around 39,000 square feet, and we can expect for it to open in 2029, maybe (thanks to Jeremy for flagging this).
In this post:
Delta One Lounge ATL size, location, opening date
Delta is investing in its network of Delta One Lounges, which are primarily for those traveling with the airline in business class (Delta One) on long haul flights. So far, we’ve seen these lounges open in New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), Boston (BOS), and Seattle (SEA).
We’ve known that a Delta One Lounge is coming to Atlanta (ATL), though details beyond that have been a mystery. Thanks to a new filing with the Atlanta city council’s transportation committee, we now have a sense of what we can expect:
- The Delta One Lounge Atlanta will be located in Concourse E, which is one of the airport’s two primary international terminals, along with Concourse F
- Specifically, the Delta One Lounge Atlanta will be located in the northeast corner of the concourse center point, between gates E14 and E27; this means the lounge won’t replace an existing Sky Club, but instead, it’s a newly built facility
- The Delta One Lounge Atlanta will be roughly 39,000 square feet, so it’ll be large, just a smidge smaller than the New York location
- The Delta One Lounge Atlanta construction is supposed to take around 30 months from when it starts, so best case scenario, expect the lounge to open in 2029
- The city is reimbursing Delta up to $63 million for construction of the lounge, given that the airline is building out the space from a “shell”
What about Delta One Lounges at the carrier’s other major hubs, like Detroit (DTW), Minneapolis (MSP), and Salt Lake City (SLC)? Well, it’s something the airline is currently working on, though we don’t have any sense of a timeline beyond that, at least officially.
Airlines generally undertake these projects as they can, but it goes without saying that real estate at airports can be hard to come by. Opening a new lounge either requires the renovation or repurposing of an existing space, or an expansion of a terminal that opens up more space.
I’m happy to see this happening, but that timeline is rough
It’s great to see Delta investing in its lounge portfolio, and the actual quality of the Delta One Lounges that are open is phenomenal. The issue is, quality lounges are only worth anything if they’re actually, you know, open, so Delta’s current lounge footprint leaves a lot to be desired.
Delta did a great job opening Delta One Lounges at four hubs pretty quickly, but now we’re seeing a huge gap. The fact that we’re probably three or so years from seeing the Delta One Lounge open at the carrier’s fortress hub definitely leaves a lot to be desired in terms of the ground experience.
But of course it’s important to remember that Atlanta is a fortress hub, and airlines don’t have to try nearly as hard with passenger experience when they dominate an airport. It’s no coincidence that the first four Delta One Lounges were all at highly competitive airports.
Bottom line
Delta is working on opening a Delta One Lounge in Atlanta, located in Concourse E. Unfortunately we’ll have to be patient, as construction hasn’t even started, and once it does, it’s expected to take around 30 months, so that puts us into 2029, assuming no additional delays.
The lounge will be just under 40,000 square feet, so this will be second largest Delta One Lounge location in the network, just barely smaller than the one in New York.
What do you make of plans for a Delta One Lounge in Atlanta?
Business Class Club Locations
UAL: (6) EWR, IAD, ORD, IAH, SFO, LAX
AAL: (6) JFK, PHL, MIA, ORD, DFW, LAX
DAL: (4) BOS, JFK, SEA, LAX
thank you for highlighting that DL will take the lead in just a few years
the real shootout will be on the west coast and to Asia over the next 3 years.
It is a given that ATL-ICN will be one of the earliest 35K routes. The question is when DL starts JFK-Asia and how many routes besides JFK-ICN DL starts.
it is actually UA that has been resting on its laurels and level of...
thank you for highlighting that DL will take the lead in just a few years
the real shootout will be on the west coast and to Asia over the next 3 years.
It is a given that ATL-ICN will be one of the earliest 35K routes. The question is when DL starts JFK-Asia and how many routes besides JFK-ICN DL starts.
it is actually UA that has been resting on its laurels and level of international service while trying desperately to get out of 4th place in the domestic market.
DL is taking aim at UA in international markets that strategically matter. It is most noteworthy that UA did absolutely nothing since DL announced and has now started LAX-ORD and LAX-HKG
“ thank you for highlighting that DL will take the lead in just a few years”
What year is that? We seem to have read different articles
feel free to tell us what AA and UA plan to do by 2029ish to their premium international lounge networks.
and, again, DL has managed to be the most profitable US airline not just domestically but also internationally so the real question is what the DL One lounges do for DL's international growth esp. in markets like LAX and NYC where UA has had a clear lead.
DL returning to JFK-Asia will be a massive...
feel free to tell us what AA and UA plan to do by 2029ish to their premium international lounge networks.
and, again, DL has managed to be the most profitable US airline not just domestically but also internationally so the real question is what the DL One lounges do for DL's international growth esp. in markets like LAX and NYC where UA has had a clear lead.
DL returning to JFK-Asia will be a massive competitive reset while they have never made a big international push from LAX
DL will have 3 hubs in east coast states with a large international network from each plus a large international operation on the west coast - but which will still be smaller than UA. DL will be larger internationally - as it already is - than UA is from interior US hubs. AA's DFW hub carries all of the weight for AA in the interior US.
There will be a rearrangement of international market share and revenue in the US travel market over the next 3-5 years.
Adding D1 lounges at ATL, DTW, MSP and SLC will drive DL's growth in revenue from its largest hubs.
2029? Probably two or three renovations/additions by then. It’s embarrassing how long DL takes for such things.
this is in line w/ previous statements. Finding space in ATL has always been the problem and the challenge to overcome.
DL would have to start from scratch in ATL; they managed to find enough space to be able to build what will be one of their largest lounges.
Although ATL is DL's largest international station (not all flights have Delta One), many passengers don't have time for connections.
With confirmation of a timeline for...
this is in line w/ previous statements. Finding space in ATL has always been the problem and the challenge to overcome.
DL would have to start from scratch in ATL; they managed to find enough space to be able to build what will be one of their largest lounges.
Although ATL is DL's largest international station (not all flights have Delta One), many passengers don't have time for connections.
With confirmation of a timeline for opening and ATL D1 lounge, DL will commit to D1 lounges for DTW, MSP, and SLC, all of which will be easier
The real takeaway is that DL will add on to what is already the largest airline lounge network in the world with 4 more that, along w/ what DL already has will touch every longhaul route DL flies.
It is remarkable is how well DL is doing without D1 lounges; it is certain to build onto that lead w/ Delta One lounges in at least 8 hubs and international gateways.
Delta reports earnings in a couple weeks. Q2 and beyond is turning into a very nice platform for the arrival of the A350-1000s in just over 6 months and a flurry of new international routes.
Tell us more about political connections with cities and airports ? Taxpayers provide money ?
ATL is one of the lowest cost airports. Taxpayers pay nothing for terminal upgrades such as this.
DL is nearing completion of the complete rebuilding of Concourse D which will make nearly all gates capable of large narrowbodies such as the 321 and 737-10 which significantly shifts the center of DL's operations away from just concourses A and B.
the rebuilt mid-field terminal complex opened almost 50 years ago and ATL is by far...
ATL is one of the lowest cost airports. Taxpayers pay nothing for terminal upgrades such as this.
DL is nearing completion of the complete rebuilding of Concourse D which will make nearly all gates capable of large narrowbodies such as the 321 and 737-10 which significantly shifts the center of DL's operations away from just concourses A and B.
the rebuilt mid-field terminal complex opened almost 50 years ago and ATL is by far the most efficient and high capacity airport in the US.
the fact that DL has managed to outlive its competitors and have the largest airline share in a top US metro is nothing short of incredible.
It’s like D1 suites. They’re nice, but relatively rare compared to the competition.
2029ish? Wow!
I’m a little confused by this statement:
The city is reimbursing Delta up to $63 million for construction of the lounge, given that the airline is building out the space from a “shell”
Is DL building the shell and therefore getting reimbursed since they are expanding the footprint of the airport? I understand “Building out from a shell” to mean the opposite- the core of the building exists and DL is simply finishing it, in...
I’m a little confused by this statement:
The city is reimbursing Delta up to $63 million for construction of the lounge, given that the airline is building out the space from a “shell”
Is DL building the shell and therefore getting reimbursed since they are expanding the footprint of the airport? I understand “Building out from a shell” to mean the opposite- the core of the building exists and DL is simply finishing it, in which case I don’t understand the reimbursement.
City taxpayers provide the money to the city , and the money goes to ... whomever has connections . Politics .
Wrong. No City funds are used. 100% funded by the airlines under the AULA.
Correct. DL's CMAR will build the core & shell (funded by the airport via GARBs / PFCs), then complete the tenant improvements (funded by DL via CapEx).