New Delta One Lounges To Open In JFK and LAX
The airline is launching a new luxury airport lounge next year, exclusive for business class passengers.
Photo: Courtesy of Delta Air Lines
Delta is launching a new lounge product for its premium passengers: the Delta One Club. Exclusive to business class passengers, the all-new lounge concept will kick off with an opening at New York-JFK airport next year.
With 36,000 square feet of amenities, the new lounge will be located at JFK’s Concourse B.
The Atlanta-based carrier plans to expand the Delta One Club with a new opening at LAX in 2024. As noted by the airline, the lounge will be much smaller than its New York counterpart, clocking in at 10,000 square feet, and attached to the current Delta SkyClub in Terminal 3.
The Delta One Club promises to provide passengers with an extra level of luxury set apart by its exclusivity. Only Delta One customers will be allowed in, with Medallion members and other SkyTeam frequent flyers diverted into the current SkyClub.
So far, little information has been revealed. However, as the Delta One Clubs are mirroring the airline’s premium business class offering, services like artisan cocktails, high-end restaurant quality food, and private working booths are likely.
While limiting clientele is at the heart of the Delta One offering, we could see some exceptions for business / first-class travelers of other SkyTeam Airlines. Again, much of this will come down to lounge capacity, which has recently been an issue for many airlines in the U.S., Delta included.
Lounge capacity issues
The last six months have plagued the airline industry with disruption—a situation traced back to the pandemic. When flights were grounded in 2020, many carriers had to make tough choices, often ending with ground and air staff being laid off.
Following restrictions being dropped at the start of this year, airlines hoped to re-hire quickly to match the explosion in demand. However, many struggled. The resulting staff shortages led to unprecedented delays and cancellations, meaning those with lounge access spent more time there.
Delta also faced awful crowding at its lounges throughout the U.S., primarily due to the airline’s current partnership with American Express. The credit card company, which partners with Delta to provide its customers with a myriad of American Express products, has led to the overcrowding of the airline’s SkyClubs—one of the perks that customers with certain credit cards are given.
Courtesy of Delta Air Lines
The new Delta One Club appears to answer this, ensuring that the airline’s premium customers are not faced with overcrowded lounges.
In addition to creating this exclusive lounge, Delta recently updated its SkyMiles frequent flyer program, enforcing an increase in the number of Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQD) that a passenger will need to spend to reach the airline’s top-tier status.
Therefore, in 2024, the carrier will not only award its top-spending customers with a harder-to-get top-tier status but also will reward them with a more exclusive lounge whenever they’re flying in its domestic First Class or international DeltaOne cabins.
