Summary
- Delta is set to open premium lounges in New York, Los Angeles, and Boston in 2024, offering a personalized and dedicated level of service for international first-class and business-class passengers.
- The lounge at JFK, opening in June 2024, will be the largest in Delta’s network, spanning 38,000 square feet and featuring a chef-assisted market, open kitchens, full-service brassieres, and a year-round terrace.
- Access to the lounge is expected to be limited to international first-class and business-class passengers, with elite status holders directed to Delta’s existing Sky Clubs. Delta aims to reward its top passengers with an exclusive experience similar to other legacy carriers’ flagship lounges.
Following multiple upgrades and additions to Delta’s Sky Club network, the Atlanta-based carrier will usher in 2024 by opening the long-awaited premium lounge experience. This new lounge experience will be available to passengers at Delta’s hub at New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).
First look
2024 is off to an excellent start for Delta customers, as the carrier plans to open its long-awaited premium lounges in New York, Los Angeles, and Boston this year. Delta first made headways in 2022 after it confirmed it was planning a new premium facility at its hub at New York-JFK Terminal 4. Following that announcement, Delta revealed Los Angeles would host the second premium lounge, which would be connected to the existing Sky Club in Los Angeles. Then, in August 2023, it was announced that Boston would become the third host of a premium lounge, which will be located in the newly renovated Terminal E and connected to the newly opened Sky Club.
Photo: Delta Air Lines
Delta has announced that these unnamed business class-only facilities are slated to open in 2024. According to Delta, the first of these premium lounges will open at JFK in June 2024. It will be located in a 38,000-square-foot facility and include a chef-assisted market with dedicated wellness areas, open kitchens, full-service brassieres, and more. Moreover, the premium lounge will feature a year-round terrace. When completed, it will be the largest in Delta’s network.
Delta Air Lines Opens New Sky Club With Stunning Views Of Boston Harbor
The lounge underscores the carrier’s significant presence at the airport.
Delta plans to open the premium lounges at LAX and BOS by the end of 2024 and has set a tentative date for the fourth quarter of 2024. As with the lounge at JFK, the lounge at LAX will boast an outdoor terrace in addition to the over 10,000 square foot facility travelers can access from the Delta One check-in area. The premium lounge, spanning 6,300 square feet in Boston, is also slated to open in the fourth quarter of 2024 and can seat 120 customers.
Photo: Delta Air Lines
Nevertheless, most of the details about these new business-class-only lounges have been kept secret. Today, passengers traveling in Delta One and business class on SkyTeam member carriers can access Sky Clubs at their departure airport. Still, unlike fellow US legacy carriers, Delta passengers do not have any separate space or benefits compared to members. In comparison, United Airlines has significantly invested in its exclusive Polaris lounges across its network in the United States, and American Airlines has done the same with its Flagship lounges. Now, Delta will join as it looks to reward its top passengers with an exclusive experience.
Emphasis on premium travel
While the access guidelines for these premium lounges are still in the works, Delta’s Vice President of Sky Club and Lounge Experience, Claude Roussel, described the lounge stating:
“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.”
Regardless, access to the lounge will almost certainly be strictly limited to international first-class and business-class passengers on Delta or SkyTeam partners. American Airlines in its Flagship First Dining part of its lounge and United Airlines in its Polaris lounges do not allow elite status holders of any tier to access its facility. Delta will likely follow suit as elite status holders will be redirected to its Sky Clubs instead.
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