In late 2023, Delta Air Lines opened an unusual store at New York Kennedy Airport (JFK). The airline is now extending this concept, with a second location opening in the coming weeks.
In this post:
Delta Window Seat Shop SEA opening soon
On November 23, 2024, Delta will be opening the Window Seat Shop at Seattle Tacoma Airport (SEA), which will be the carrier’s second airport retail store open to the general public.
The retail store will be located in Terminal A, near the Delta Sky Club.
Delta describes the Window Seat Shop concept as “a new way to grow your world,” as the shop offers souvenirs from around the globe.
Just to give you a sense of the types of things being sold, below are some of the items that have been on sale at the New York location. It’s not clear to what extent the Seattle selection will differ.
I’m kind of amazed that Delta is expanding this concept, since it kind of just seems like they’re largely selling random, kitschy junk, at highly inflated prices. I’m curious if these shops are independently profitable, if Delta somehow views it as a brand extension, or what?
Earn MQDs for shopping at the Delta Window Seat Shop
Between November 23 and December 8, 2024, Delta is awarding Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) for all purchases at the Window Seat Shop, whether online or in-person. You’ll be rewarded at the rate of one MQD per dollar spent, so that’s the same rate at which you earn MQDs for flying.
In order to qualify, you need to be the basic card member of a Delta SkyMiles Amex card, and need to provide your SkyMiles number at the time of purchase.
Bottom line
Delta will be opening the Window Seat Shop in Seattle, following the opening of a similar concept in New York last year. This store will sell souvenirs from around the world, and for a limited time, it’ll be possible to earn MQDs for purchases there. I’m somewhat confused by what’s motivating people to shop here, as it’s one of the stranger airport retail concepts, but… it must be working, or something?
What do you make of Delta expanding the Window Seat Shop to Seattle? Has anyone actually shopped at the New York location?
$570 for a soapstone *anything* is a ripoff.
Lollll at these prices. I guess there are enough people that will pay. Hey, at least no tips right?
When Ben wrote this: ‘I’m kind of amazed that Delta is expanding this concept, since it kind of just seems like they’re largely selling random, kitschy junk, at highly inflated prices. I’m curious if these shops are independently profitable, if Delta somehow views it as a brand extension, or what?’
I knew it would trigger Tim D. Ben should know by now that anything Delta is always premium. Tim knows this so it must be...
When Ben wrote this: ‘I’m kind of amazed that Delta is expanding this concept, since it kind of just seems like they’re largely selling random, kitschy junk, at highly inflated prices. I’m curious if these shops are independently profitable, if Delta somehow views it as a brand extension, or what?’
I knew it would trigger Tim D. Ben should know by now that anything Delta is always premium. Tim knows this so it must be true. And Tim would tell Ben that this is definitely profitable because DL is the most profitable airline so anything that they do is considered premium profit and not just profit.
nowhere did I say anything about their profitability.
I have repeatedly said that Ben is desperate to create page clicks and clearly has the (journalistic) morals of an alley cat but facts can't be ignored.
I did accurately say that United has a long track record of copying DL's strategies, openly acknowledging that they are copying DL, and yet Ben somehow seems to manage to praise UA.
Maybe Ben takes 3 years to figure...
nowhere did I say anything about their profitability.
I have repeatedly said that Ben is desperate to create page clicks and clearly has the (journalistic) morals of an alley cat but facts can't be ignored.
I did accurately say that United has a long track record of copying DL's strategies, openly acknowledging that they are copying DL, and yet Ben somehow seems to manage to praise UA.
Maybe Ben takes 3 years to figure everything out and doesn't get anything for that long.
I can call a spade what it is.
UA will undoubtedly do something similar and Ben will think it is great.
and the strategies that UA really came up w/ on its own - DL strategies on steroids like massive fleet growth and Nextifying its old narrowbody aircraft - won't get done until years after DL has finished two strategies before UA's latest.
Who is "Timmy?.
Delta fangirl/influencer who has made a career out of the comments section here.
are you talking about the person that has all of you wrapped around "his" (he/his) finger and gets a kick out of watching you et al?
Many of the items people claimed to be junk seems to be sold out in JFK last year.
This stuff looks like garbage! The pictures don't even look good, why would anyone ever buy this.
Because they’re $50 shy of Platinum and want access to Sky Team lounges?
If they're that focused on optimizing they can purchase something w/ their Delta Amex that they actually need to get the remaining MQDs.
Consumerism has gotten us to the point where we buy junk for the sake of it.
An overpriced gift crap shop for shoppers to lazy to care. Sad.
Who cares if it’s selling junk? If you’re within a couple hundred dollars of Platinum/Diamond this is an easy way to level up.
Plus… With the switch to MQD being the only metric for status, we can’t know for sure that Delta will round up anymore.
So yes the products are silly but when literally the ONLY other ways to earn MQD without a Platinum or Reserve CC are flights and Delta vacations, I’ll take it.
I’m $230 from Platinum with a 3 month old and no time or energy to travel before December 31; I’ll be purchasing three bread lamps.
A 'leg lamp' would be more premium than a bread lamp.
United will be doing the same thing in 3 years and Ben will think it is the greatest thing since sliced bread
Looks like a flea market that is trying to sell their products at a 300x markup
I thought it might be some kind of cool shop when I got an email advertising it.
I was wrong.
I wouldn't even bother walking in there if I were across the walkway at the lounge.
Will they sell framed portraits of Timmy?
Makes no sense. I'd much rather shop for Delta/Skyteam branded items.
Yep, a junk shop. And not a very interesting one at that.
exactly, none of this is anything i would ever pick up in real life, the only reason i'd buy a souvenir of some kind is because i went somewhere. this, meanwhile, is extremely expensive junk. who on earth wants an $88 bread lamp?? this has nothing to do with travel, delta, or even Japan.
as an unrelated note, remarkable...
exactly, none of this is anything i would ever pick up in real life, the only reason i'd buy a souvenir of some kind is because i went somewhere. this, meanwhile, is extremely expensive junk. who on earth wants an $88 bread lamp?? this has nothing to do with travel, delta, or even Japan.
as an unrelated note, remarkable how many of these are destinations Delta doesn't even fly to. DL hasn't flown to the UAE since 2016 -- yet there are 2 UAE products -- and they also don't fly to Egypt.
My primary airport is SEA, and I see absolutely nothing that interests me here. I'll walk by for sheer curiosity but I can't imagine buying anything.
(Full disclosure: I'm loyal to AS, given that I love in NW WA. I truly don't think this would interest me regardless, even if I often flew DL, which I would if based elsewhere.)
*I live