Does first class get delta sky club

Elite Delta Air Lines fliers don't hang out at the gate before boarding. You can find them instead in the airline's branded Delta Sky Clubs in airports all over the world, including Santiago, Chile, and Tokyo, Japan. Before you travel, check to see if you can get access to one of these exclusive lounges. Believe us — it sure beats moseying around the airport terminal.

Related: The Best Airport Lounges in the World — and How to Get In

How to Access Delta Sky Clubs

Members of Delta's SkyMiles frequent flier program with Gold, Platinum, or Diamond Medallion status receive complimentary access to Delta Sky Clubs, as well as partner lounges, but only when traveling on a SkyTeam international flight. Lounge access for international travel extends to SkyTeam domestic flights that connect with international flights on the same day. SkyTeam Alliance members include Virgin Atlantic, Air France, and Aeroméxico.

Frequent flier or not, though, any Delta traveler can also purchase an annual membership to get access to more than 100 Delta Sky Club lounges around the world.

An Individual Membership costs $545 per year of unlimited access, and members may bring up to two guests for $39 each. The Executive Membership, on the other hand, includes complimentary access for the member and up to two guests per visit. The Executive pass costs $845 for the year.

Access to Delta Sky Clubs is also granted to certain travelers flying on a Delta or SkyTeam ticket. First and business class travelers on international flights, for example, enjoy this cushy perk.

Delta Platinum and Reserve credit card holders also have complimentary access to these lounges when flying on a Delta Air Lines-operated flight, as do American Express Platinum and Centurion card holders. Travelers with a Platinum or Reserve Delta SkyMiles credit card can hang out at the lounge with up to two guests.

While the airline used to offer single-visit passes for $59, the passes were discontinued in 2018. You can obtain a guest pass if you're a Delta credit card holder, you have Diamond Medallion status, or you're traveling with someone who has lounge access.

Delta Sky Club Amenities

All Delta Sky Clubs feature a number of standard amenities, including flight assistance from the welcome desk and complimentary Wi-Fi.

Delta Sky Clubs offer healthy food options and a large array of beverage options all day, as well as a fully stocked bar with wines, craft beers, and spirits. (Selections vary depending on your location — in Santiago, Chile, for example, the bar might feature local pisco sour mix.) Only some beverages are free; others can be purchased with a credit card or miles.

Work stations provide travelers with printers and, depending on the lounge, fax machines may also be available. There are televisions and a wide selection of magazines (think: The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, the Financial Times, and local and international publications) to pass the time with. Travelers can even shower in some lounges.

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UPDATE (May 13, 2022): Delta has back rescinded one of its new restrictions that would have blocked general Sky Club members from visiting a lounge upon arrival. The full update is here: Delta backtracks on new Sky Club access restriction after flyers push back. The original post, from May 4, is below:

Delta Air Lines is working to combat lounge overcrowding by tightening the Sky Club access policy, while it simultaneously reveals an exciting update for those flying in long-haul business class.

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Access policy changes

Starting with the negative news, you'll no longer be eligible to access a Sky Club more than three hours before the scheduled departure time of your flight. That means those who used to arrive at the airport early to relax in the lounge will no longer be admitted until three hours before the flight.

The three-hour policy does not apply to those accessing the Sky Club at a connecting airport. Those with connections longer than three hours will be admitted to the lounge at the connecting airport(s).

Connecting flights do not need to be booked on the same reservation to qualify for access to the lounge at the transit airport. Those with separate reservations will still be able to enter three or more hours before departure.

Additionally, if your flight is delayed, lounge access will still be available beginning three hours before the originally scheduled departure time.

Finally, Delta will no longer allow access to the Sky Club upon arrival. The only exception to this rule will be for those arriving in Delta One, the airline's long-haul business-class cabin.

Separately, invite-only Delta 360 members are exempt from these policy changes.

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The updated entry policy kicks in on June 1, just over three weeks away. Of course, it would've been great if Delta gave flyers even more notice, but something is better than nothing. Delta notes in a customer email explaining the changes that "we appreciate your understanding as we strive to balance the popularity of our clubs with the elevated experience you deserve."

If you are a Delta Sky Club member unhappy about these changes, you can discuss a prorated refund of your paid unexpired membership term by contacting the Delta Sky Club Service Center at .

Based on the message, it's apparent that these changes are designed to help combat lounge overcrowding, which was becoming a key issue affecting airline lounges in the years leading up to the pandemic. Now that domestic travel has rebounded to 2019 levels, overcrowding is once again a concern.

Delta's revised access policy will make it the strictest of the Big 3 U.S. carriers. Neither American nor United have a three-hour pre-departure limit on lounge access. (In fact, American recently opened up its Flagship Lounges to all eligible arriving customers.)

On the other hand, American Express has a three-hour time limit for accessing its Centurion Lounges, a policy that applies to both departing and connecting passengers. Amex is also rolling out a revamped guest policy that'll further curtail access to its popular lounges.

The move may come as unwelcome news for some travelers, especially if you're the type to frequently use the Sky Club well before departure. For example, some travelers like to get to the airport early if they don't receive a late checkout from their hotel. Others may enjoy getting to the airport early to catch up on work, which will no longer be possible under the new model.

On the flip side, assuming that Delta's changes do indeed cut down on overcrowding, then some travelers may appreciate the move, especially those who've been inside a Sky Club when it gets packed to the gills.

New Delta One lounges

As part of the news, Delta also officially revealed details for its upcoming business-class-only lounges, dubbed the "Delta One lounge."

These outposts are designed to better compete with the American Flagship and United Polaris lounges, which cater to those flying in the pointy end of the plane on long-haul flights.

While rumored for some time, Delta has been cagey about sharing details of its new lounge concept. Claude Roussel, Delta's managing director of Sky Clubs, recently confirmed to TPG that these lounges were officially being built, but he didn't have any additional details to share at the time.

Now, Delta is giving us a few more.

For one, the airline is currently planning two Delta One lounge outposts, one in New York-JFK and another in Los Angeles (LAX). The JFK Delta One Club will be located near Concourse B in Terminal 4 and measure approximately 36,000 square feet. The Delta One Club at LAX will measure approximately 10,000 square feet and connect to the recently opened Sky Club in Terminal 3.

The airline plans to open the JFK location in 2023, followed a year later with the opening in LAX.

Delta teases that "visitors can expect a dedicated level of service that elevates the lounge experience for Delta One customers," without providing any more specifics.

Hopefully, the airline will listen to some of TPG's list of things we'd love to see in Delta’s business-class-only Sky Clubs.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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