Few things make travel better than having access to an airport lounge. And if you're flying with Delta (or even one of Delta's partner airlines), the Delta Sky Club airport lounge is a great place to … well, lounge before or after your flight.
But first, you need to get in. And while there are plenty of methods and strategies to gain Delta Sky Club access, Delta keeps making it harder to get in to combat overcrowding, including a recent slate of changes that took effect at the beginning of February 2023…
About the Delta Sky Club
Delta Sky Clubs are a network of airport lounges owned and operated by Delta Air Lines in airports around the world. With over 200 locations & partner lounges worldwide, you don't have to try terribly hard to find one if you are with flying Delta.
Getting into the Delta Sky Club is another matter: You can't just walk into any Sky Club you find. Even a first class ticket with Delta may not get you into the Sky Club.
But these clubs aren't just the domain of business travelers and first class flyers. There are plenty of ways to get Sky Club lounge access … but those rules changed in summer 2022 as Delta made some big changes to its access policy, and then again effective in early February 2023.
As of June 1, 2022, Delta only allows flyers to enter the lounge within three hours of their departing flight. And as of Feb. 2, 2023, Delta instituted even more restrictions that raise the cost of bringing guests into the Sky Club or buying a day pass and even making it harder (or more expensive) for flyers with top Delta Medallion Status to get in.
Let's walk through everything you need to know about how you can access the Delta Sky Club before you make your next trip, what it's like inside, and everything you need to know about Sky Club lounge protocols.
Read more: Why Are Delta Sky Clubs So Crowded These Days?
- About the Delta Sky Club
- How to Access the Delta Sky Club: Credit Cards, Biz Class or Status
- Can You Buy a Day Pass to the Delta Sky Club?
- Can You Get Delta Sky Club Access Upon Arrival?
- Can You Get Into the Sky Club with a Delta Basic Economy Ticket?
- What Are Delta Sky Clubs Like?
- New & Improved Sky Club Locations On the Way
- Delta Sky Club Bottom Line
How to Access the Delta Sky Club: Credit Cards, Biz Class or Status
There are a lot of different ways to gain Delta Sky Club lounge access.
You can purchase a single visit pass if you hold the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card for $50 per visit. On Feb. 2, 2023, Delta raised that cost from $39 to $50 per visit as part of the latest sweeping changes to Delta's Sky Club access policy.
Flying first or business class on Delta (or their partners) can get you in for free. Or you can buy an annual lounge membership – or get it free through your Delta Medallion Elite status.
But increasingly, holding the right, top-dollar travel credit cards are the best way to unlock complimentary Sky Club access.
Follow this handy Sky Club tip so you can get into the Delta lounge even faster!
Let's walk through the different ways you can get into the Delta Sky Club.
Carry the Platinum Card from American Express
When it comes to lounge access, you won't find a better card option than The Platinum Card® from American Express.
Just for holding the card, you will receive complimentary access to the Sky Club when you are flying with Delta that day. You won't be able to bring in guests for free, but you can bring up to two guests into the lounge for $50 each.
Thrifty Tip: You can cover those guest fees using the up to $200 annual Amex airline credits – just be sure to select Delta as your preferred airline in your Amex Platinum benefits section!
In addition to Delta Sky Club access, the Platinum Card from American Express will get you into Amex Centurion Lounges, Escape Lounges, Plaza Premium lounges, and 1,200-plus Priority Pass lounges. You'll also earn 5x American Express Membership Rewards points for every dollar you spend on airfare directly with an airline or through Amex's travel portal, amextravel.com, and a host of other great travel benefits.
Read our full review of the Platinum Card from American Express.
Complimentary Sky Club access is one of the reasons we think the American Express Platinum card is the best card for Delta flyers. Yes, we think it's even better than many of Delta's own co-branded credit cards.
Learn more about The Platinum Card from American Express.
Carry the Delta Reserve American Express Card
Much like the Platinum Card from American Express, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card can get you free Delta Sky Club lounge access. But once again, you have to be flying with Delta that day.
In addition to your own free pass into the Sky Club, cardholders receive two free guest passes to the Delta Sky Club each year. That means two guests can come with you into the Sky Club for free – or one guest twice. After that, you'd simply pay $50 per guest with the ability to bring up to two guests into the Sky Club at a time. Like the Platinum Card from American Express, there is no limit to how many times you can bring guests in with you.
With an annual fee of $550 (see rates & fees), most will be better off going with the Platinum Card® from American Express, which has plenty of additional perks that offset its higher annual fee of $695 (see rates & fees) – unless if you're chasing Delta Medallion status.
Read our full comparison of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card vs the Platinum Card from American Express.
Learn more about the Delta Reserve Card from American Express.
Buy Your Way in with the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card
If you've got the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card in your wallet, you can buy one-time Sky Club access for $50 per entry. You can also bring in up to two guests for another $50 each.
Learn more about the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card.
Cardholders with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card also used to be able to purchase Sky Club access. Unfortunately, Delta eliminated this card benefit in early 2020.
Don't have a Delta Platinum Card? Unlike other airlines, there are no day passes to the lounge available for everyday flyers – Delta eliminated that option years ago.
Travel on an International First or Business Class Ticket
If you are flying first or business class internationally with Delta or a Sky Team partner airline like Air France or KLM, you can also receive complimentary Delta Sky Club access.
Certain transcontinental routes within the U.S. in a Delta One business class cabin also get free Delta Sky Club access. It must be branded as a Delta One flight in order to get free Delta Sky Club entry. You won't get any guesting privileges this way.
… But No Delta Sky Club Access Just for First Class
Just because you're flying up front with Delta doesn't mean you can get a free pass into the Sky Club.
Most domestic first class fares with Delta (or even to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and even some parts of South America) will not qualify for free Sky Club access. You need to fly in a Delta One cabin, domestically or internationally – or have a credit card or lounge membership that gets you access. But a standard domestic first class seat won't work.
Earn Delta Status
If you fly Delta a ton and make your way up to Delta's top-tier Diamond Medallion Status, you can select a complimentary Sky Club individual membership as one of their three annual choice benefits. But as of Feb. 1, 2023, Delta eliminated two choice benefits for Diamond Medallion members for the 2024 status year:
- Individual Sky Club memberships, meaning top elites can no longer select this as one of their choice benefits for their own Sky Club access.
- Delta Sky Club guest pass access, which allowed flyers with Sky Club access through credit cards to bring a free guest on every visit.
Diamond Medallion members can use all three of their choice benefits for an Executive Sky Club membership, which gets you and up to two guests into the Sky lounge at no additional charge. It's one of the most comprehensive ways to get into the Sky Club. You can pay for up to two more guests (for a total of four) for $50 each.
Flyers with lower levels of Delta status can get into the Sky Club, too – but only on certain flights. If you've got Delta's Gold or Platinum Medallion status, you can get into the Sky Club free when traveling internationally on Delta or a SkyTeam airline – even if you're flying economy. You can also bring one guest with you for free.
But as of Feb. 2, 2023, only travelers with status flying internationally in Delta Premium Select or Delta One can use the Sky Club before their flight. That means an economy or Delta Comfort Plus seat won't get you in with Delta Gold status or higher.
Purchase a Delta Sky Club Membership
Delta allows members to purchase an individual annual membership to the Delta Sky Club for $545 (or 54,500 Delta SkyMiles). As of Jan. 1, 2023, that price increased from $545 to $695 each year. An individual membership comes with no free guesting privileges.
You can also purchase an executive membership for a whopping $1,495 each year (or 149,500 SkyMiles). Again, an executive membership will allow you to bring in up to two guests per visit free. That's nearly double the previous cost after a Jan. 1 hike.
But this method makes little sense. For less money than you would pay for an individual Sky Club membership, you can get complimentary Sky Club access by holding either the American Express Platinum Card or the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card. Plus, both cards offer a host of other benefits that would make these worth far more than buying a Sky Club membership.
Can You Buy a Day Pass to the Delta Sky Club?
For years, any Delta traveler could buy a single-visit pass to get into the Delta Sky Club regardless of what seat they were in or what credit card was in their wallets. Those day passes were $59 each. Both United and American Airlines still do the same.
But they're no longer available at the Delta Sky Club. Delta stopped selling them in November 2018 to combat overcrowding in its lounges. If you don't hold the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, you can't buy your way into the Sky Club.
Can You Get Delta Sky Club Access Upon Arrival?
Of course, you can get into the Sky Club before your flight. But what about upon arrival?
In the summer of 2022, Delta had planned to ban access upon arrival. But after a major uproar from some of the airline's most valued customers, Delta backtracked on that policy. That means you can still access the Sky Club upon arrival, as always.
Other lounge networks like the American Express Centurion Lounges, and Capital One Lounges have implemented restrictions that do not allow you to enter the lounge upon arrival. However, no major U.S. airlines currently set a time limit on when flyers with lounge access can use their clubs, and they do not restrict access upon arrival.
Can You Get Into the Sky Club with a Delta Basic Economy Ticket?
Flyers who buy a Delta basic economy ticket can no longer use the Sky Club … with one huge exception: Access through a credit card like the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card as well as The Platinum Card® from American Express is still good to go.
That means this change really only affects flyers with a basic economy ticket who have purchased a Sky Club membership.
What Are Delta Sky Clubs Like?
It depends where you go. Every Sky Club is different. And the lounge experience has changed drastically throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
For starters, you'll no longer have to wear a face mask any time you're moving around the lounge – that policy ended with the abrupt end of the federal mask mandate in mid-April 2022. But Sky Club attendants are still regularly cycling through lounges, wiping down tables, and picking up trash.
Some Sky Clubs have standout amenities, and none are better than the outdoor Sky Decks that you'll find at lounges in Los Angeles (LAX), Salt Lake City (SLC), New York City (JFK), some Atlanta (ATL) clubs, and Austin (AUS). The massive Sky Deck in Delta's flagship New York City lounge is a great spot to relax with a drink for some planespotting.
Delta is doing more and more to set its newest lounges apart with special decor touches and features. One of its newer lounges in Austin (AUS), for example, has a signature, stylish bar in the center of the lounge where you can sample a flight of bourbon or get a specialty cocktail.
In 2020, Delta drastically scaled back its food and drink offerings, replacing hot buffets with simple prepackaged snacks. But as travel rebounded, Delta has reintroduced hot foods at all Sky Clubs – think simple entrees and soups or do-it-yourself noodle bowls.
The new Sky Club in Los Angeles (LAX) has taken the food offerings to another level: There's all the usual options like sandwiches, veggies, and snacks … plus a made-to-order taco bar with all the fixings.
At the massive new Sky Club in New York City-LaGuardia (LGA), there was even a build-your-own ramen bowl bar!
The bar in the Sky Club is open, so getting a free glass of beer, wine, or a cocktail is still possible. Delta has also resumed its full bar service, too, allowing you to buy upgraded cocktails or champagne for cash – or SkyMiles. Check out Delta's current drink menu!
Self-serve coffee and espresso machines are also open for easy use.
At the end of the day, exactly what you find will vary based what Sky Club you're visiting. Some of the newest Sky Clubs are outstanding, while older clubs are small and pretty lackluster.
Check out our reviews of the lounge in Chicago-O'Hare (ORD), Los Angeles (LAX), Seattle (SEA), Atlanta (ATL), Austin (AUS), San Francisco (SFO), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), and Washington, D.C.-Reagan (DCA) to get an idea of what the Delta Sky Club experience is like.
How Delta is Addressing Crowding in Sky Clubs
As travel soared back near pre-pandemic levels, Delta has encountered a frequent problem: Delta Sky Clubs are overcrowded, leading to long lines outside of the airline's busiest airport clubs.
At major airports like New York City-LaGuardia (LGA), New York City (JFK), Atlanta (ATL), Detroit (DTW), and Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP), seeing lines like these to access Delta Sky Clubs has become all too common.
The reason? The airline has opened too many avenues for easy, free Delta Sky lounge access – especially with credit cards. Other airlines like United and American don't offer complimentary lounge access via credit cards aside from their own co-branded offerings. But even Amex's own Platinum Card® from American Express and a small-business version can get you into the Sky Club free if you're flying Delta that day. That's on top of Delta's top-tier Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, which also gets you into the Delta Sky Club.
American Express has been handing out these cards like hot cakes. With big benefits and ever-increasing bonuses, Delta and American Express have said they're getting new signups for their top credit cards in record numbers for much of the last two years. More people with these cards in their wallet leads to one thing: More people lining up to get into the Sky Club.
Delta has taken a few stabs at solving the problem, adding new restrictions for who can get in – or how much it will cost. Delta's Sky Club access changes include:
- Banning travelers from entering the lounge more than three hours before a flight
- Barring Delta's own employees from using lounges when traveling for work or on a non-revenue travel pass
- Raising the cost of purchasing annual Sky Club memberships
- Requiring Delta Diamond Medallion members to use more of their annual Choice Benefits for an Executive Sky Club membership while also eliminating other Sky Club access membership options
- Increasing the cost of bringing guests into the Sky Club from $39 to $50 apiece
- Increasing day pass prices for Delta Platinum cardholders from $39 to $50
- Eliminating the ability for travelers with Delta Gold Medallion status or higher to access the Delta Sky Club before international flights unless they're flying Delta Premium Select, Delta One, or first class
But in the end, the only way for Delta to solve overcrowding is by simply building more, bigger lounges. They're on the case…
New & Improved Sky Club Locations On the Way
Delta has more than 50 Sky Clubs scattered across the country. But even more are on the way.
The Atlanta-based airline has laid out some big plans to open even more Sky Clubs – including several renovations, new locations, and one of its first international locations. Here's a look at what's currently on tap:
- Exclusive Delta One Sky Clubs for reserve for business class passengers are heading for New York City (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX), starting sometime in 2023
- Boston (BOS) and New York City (JFK) will get additional Sky Clubs in summer 2023
- Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) will get a third Sky Club in spring 2023
- The new Sky Club in Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) is open – and it might be one of the best in the country
- Seattle (SEA) is getting a second Sky Club, though it's not expected to open until at least 2024
- The long-awaited Sky Club in Tokyo-Haneda (HND) is now open
- Sky Clubs in Miami (MIA), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), and Atlanta (ATL) are set to be expanded in late 2023
Delta Sky Club Bottom Line
Delta has put more and more money into new Sky Clubs (and overhauling old ones). But just as with the travel experience as a whole, what you'll find inside Sky Clubs has changed and varies from location to location. Some are much better than others.
All the while, getting into Sky Clubs has gotten a bit harder and more confusing. Use this guide to navigate the lounge like a pro and make your pre- or post-flight experience more enjoyable.
Can you verify the access to the Delta Skyclub ? My husband and I hold both a personal AMEX Platinum card as well as the Delta AMEX Platinum card, both benefits sections say that there is a $29 per person fee to use the skyclub. Am I missing something?
The personal Amex Platinum card will provide complimentary access if you are flying Delta. You will not receive complimentary guests, but you can pay a $29 fee to bring guests in with you. With the Delta Amex Platinum card, there is no complimentary status. Lounge access costs $29 and will be increasing to $39 per visit starting on Jan. 30.
Hi Nick, I have both the Delta Skymiles Platinum and the Amex Platinum. If I buy my tickets using the Delta Card to get free checked bags, priority boarding, etc. can I still access Sky Club if I show them my Amex Platinum and boarding pass or will have to purchase tickets directly with the Amex Platinum?
Hey Sam. No issue at all. In fact, you don’t even need to pay for the airfare with your Delta card to get those benefits. You will get them just for holding the card. You can buy the flight with your Amex Platinum to get 5x points per dollar you spend. More info here:
https://thriftytraveler.com/guides/credit-card/free-checked-luggage-airline-card/
Similarly, you’ll get Sky Club access just for holding the card. It doesn’t matter how you paid for your ticket (as long as you are flying with Delta).
Awesome! Thank you.
ugh…that answer is incorrect…buying tickets with Delta card vs. Amex Platinum get’s him/her free checked bags and priority boarding where Amex does not. It only gives you the 5x points.
It doesn’t matter what card you pay with. You’ll get the free baggage benefit just for holding a Delta card. So as long as you have both, you could get 5x for paying with Platinum and the bag benefit as long as the Delta card is associated with your SkyMiles account number.
Nick is correct. You can pay with whatever card and get free checked bags just by holding a Delta Gold or above. You get free checked bags for the cardholder and whoever else is on the reservation without having to do anything else. If you have to have a separate reservation because you are using a companion pass and have more family members traveling with you, then the cardholder can show his/her Delta card and get free bags for the other family members.
What is the value in having a Delta American Express Platinum card then?
I have the Delta Amex Platinum card. I have platinum status for Delta. I understand that I no longer can access the Delta Sky lounge when I fly internationally if flying coach. Can I still access the KLM or Air France lounges? Thank you.
Could you also please clarify the section regarding Diamond status members bringing 2 guests for free into the Sky Club? I believe that you have to elect to use 2 choice benefits for an Executive Sky Club membership in order to bring 2 free guests into the club. You can receive an individual Sky Club membership using one choice benefit.
Hi Lisa, you are correct. I updated this to reflect you have to use two of the choice benefits for the Executive level Sky Club membership allowing two complimentary guests.
We are flying Virgin upper class to Seattle, staying overnight in Seattle and then flying to Anchorage with Delta in first class. Are we entitled to use the Delta lounge at Seattle? We do not have any of the credit cards you mention. Thanks
I don’t believe so, but I am not entirely sure how they handle Alaska in this regard.
I thought there was also a one time entry fee? Is it still $59?
They got rid of this at the end of 2018. More info in the linked post.
https://thriftytraveler.com/delta-sky-club-passes/
So if I have a domestic 1st class ticket there is no access?
That is correct. Unless you hold one of the credit cards listed above.
Can I access the sky club if my first class ticket was purchased by someone else using their amex points
It depends on where you are headed. A domestic first class ticket doesn’t make you eligible for sky club access
We’ve flown Delta One and Business class internationally and used the sky club. We just flew first class to Hawaii and back from the East Coast and were denied access. It’s difficult to understand why passengers who spend the (large) amount for first class tickets can’t use the sky club.
Hi Martha, Delta considers Hawaii a domestic route which unfortunately doesn’t grant Sky Club access for first class passengers.
I have Gold status on Delta. We have a long layover on an upcoming trip to FRA. I know I can have lounge access for myself and 1 guest but there are 4 of us traveling together. Can I buy day passes for the 2 additional guests?
The DeltaOne flights to HNL are eligible for Skyclub entry (e.g. ATL-HNL) but the first class flights are not (ATL-SLC-HNL). Btw, the ATL-SLC-HNL flight is on the 767ER or A330 – Same seats with Delta First Class in lieu of DeltaOne amenities and service, but at significantly lower cost.
Is it possible to access the Delta lounges if I am a Sky Miles member but don’t have an Amex card ? I am really thinking about getting the CSR as it works better for me at this time . We live close to MSP which is a delta hub and fly primarily delta
Just having a SkyMiles account doesn’t make you eligible to enter. You’ll need to meet one of the requirements listed above.
I am travelling by Delta Premium economy from LAX to Sydney on December 25 after having arrived from Honolulu. I simply want to have a shower Do any of the Delta lounges at LAX offer shower facilities at LAX on a casual one time basis
The Sky Club in Terminal 2 has showers. But currently, almost all shower facilities are closed due to COVID-19. That may change by the time of your flight.
Hi
We are flying first class from Anchorage to Seattle in July 2022. Will we have access to the Sky lounge?
Unfortunately you will not have access unless you hold one of the credit cards mentioned in the article.
Can you clarify if I can bring my wife and three kids into the Lounge with the Delta Amex Platinum card by paying $39 each?
You can only bring up to two guests in with you with your Delta Amex Platinum Card – and you must be flying Delta that day. If you have children under 2, they’re exempt from the guest count.
I don’t have the AmEx Platinum card yet but have been thinking about it for a while know. My question is, if I do get the card can I get a joint account with my wife and if so would the card let both of us in for free or just 1 of us?
Hi Terry,
You absolutely can do it as a joint account, but there are a few things to be aware of.
1) Authorized users on the Platinum Card cost $175 each year. But you can add up to 3 users for the same $175 cost.
2) Authorized users get their own benefits associated with their cards (including their own lounge access). The post below is worth a read:
https://thriftytraveler.com/guides/credit-card/amex-platinum-authorized-user/
Hi, could you clarify this for me? I will be flying first class from Atlanta to Costa Rica. Will I be able to use the lounge with this ticket purchase?
Hi Bailee. If your flying in a standard domestic first class recliner style seat, that will not qualify you to get free sky club access. You’d need to have one of the credit cards mentioned above
Can my daughter traveling alone use my sky lounge benefit if I am not traveling with her?
Hi Linda. Unfortunately this isn’t possible
Hi Nick, Me and my wife are flying first class to Mexico in May. We do not hold any of the delta credit cards or Am Ex cards. Will we be able to use the Sky Club? Thanks
Hi Mark. Unfortunately, you will not be allowed access to the Sky Club.
I will be on a first class International ticket South America to New York.
Would that allow me access to the Sky club?
Hey Jon. If your flight is sold as Delta One business class, then yes. If you’ll be sitting in the larger domestic first class style recliner seats, generally that will not grand you Sky Club access.
Flying first class from Atlanta to Quito. After going through customs and immigration and getting ones baggage, is it still possible to access the lounge in Quito. We have quite a few hours to wait for another flight.
Shouldn’t be an issue as long as you have another flight. Delta allows you to enter as long as you have a same day boarding pass. That means you can even get in after your last Delta flight
What about access to the Sky Club if you fly internationally Delta Premium Select?
You will not have access unless you have one of the credit cards mentioned in the post above.
I’m flying 1st Class from MEX (Benito Juarez Mexico City) to PBI – FL with a 2 1/2 hour layover in Atlanta. Will I have access to Sky Lounges, and Affiliate Lounges in Mexico City, during my day of flying?
Thanks!
A standard domestic first-class recliner-style seat in the U.S. (or to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean) will not qualify for free Sky Club access. You need to fly in Delta One or business class internationally or hold one of the cards mentioned in the post.
We are flying from San Diego to the Bahamas with a layover in Atlanta. Our flight has changed and the layover has been extended. Can we access the Delta lounge with our first class tickets?
Hi Julie, not unless it is marketed and sold as Delta One or you have one of the credit cards listed above.
It looks like Delta has replaced business class on many international flights with Premium Select. Is this a way to further limit access, or are Premium Select users allowed in the Sky Club?
Premium Select passengers will not be allowed access into the Delta Sky Club.
I am flying flat-bed from HLN-SLC in October, but I noticed that it is being referred to as “first” instead of Delta One, even though I’ve confirmed that it is a Delta One seat and cabin. Will I be granted lounge access in HNL? Thanks!
It is a Delta One seat and cabin but it’s only considered Delta One service on select transcontinental and international routes. And unfortunately, that means you won’t get automatic lounge access in HNL.
I have a Delta SkyMiles Blue card, I’m flying Delta. Will I be able to access the lounge?
Hi Dave, the SkyMiles Blue card does not grant any sort of Sky Club lounge access. Sorry
Can I access Sky Club with my Delta Amex Platinum but not flying Delta?
You need to be flying Delta with a same day boarding pass to access the lounge.
Would anyone know if I am still able to use the one day lounge pass I received while holding my Amex Reserve? After I downgraded to Platinum I discovered I received 10 passes. They have not expired and are in my Delta wallet.
Unfortunately I don’t believe these will work. I tried this recently and as soon as I closed my Delta Reserve card the passes were deactivated and wouldn’t scan.
I am flying Virgin Atlantic from Manchester (UK) to Atlanta and then getting a connection to Greensboro. Both flights in premium economy. I have Gold medallion status. Will I be able to use the lounges in Atlanta?
I have the Delta Skymiles Amex Platinum. If I go to a Delta Skyclub in my departure city then go again in Atlanta while connecting flights in the same day is that considered one $39 charge or would that be $39 charge per location? Someone mentioned at one time the ability to go between multiple lounge locations in Atlanta but didn’t know if that still applied or possible with multiple cities.
Hi Trent. This would be considered multiple visits and you would need to pay the $39 in each location, unfortunately.
When I was in Minnesota (or Detroit…) back in September 2021, I was able to “SkyClub hop” for no cost during my duration as I waited for my next flight with my wife. I had AMEX Platinum, Delta Reserve and was a Gold Medallion then while my wife only has the AMEX Platinum.
Those cards will allow you to do that as long as you have a same-day Delta boarding pass.
Good day I am a gold medallion member flying from Germany to the US would I be eligible to access the lounge +- guest ?I also use my gold card all the time over $10k.a year !
Hi Sandra. Not unless your flying on a Premium cabin ticket like Delta One. Your Delta SkyMiles Gold card doesn’t have any Sky Club access privileges.
This is incorrect. As a gold medallion member you can access the lounge on international flights as long as you are flying delta (or a skyteam partner) that day.
Thanks. You are correct. I misspoke
Nick, as a gold medallion member, can you access the lounge while making connection flights after international flight on the same day?
I have American Express Platinum card for entry to the Delta lounge, I tried to pay my wife’s $29 free with my Hilton Amex card I currently get an $250 Delta airline credit, they wouldn’t take has payment, the lady working there seem new and wasn’t quite sure about the rule, does Delta lounge take other American Express cc?
They wouldn’t take the amex card? Or they wouldn’t take the airline credit? IIRC the way the airline credit works is that it gets applied to your monthly statement after you use your card.
Hi Nick,
I hold the Delta Skymiles American Express Reserve Card and have several guest passes not used. Can I use them to bring in three family members into the JFK Delta Lounge? I will be travelling from New York to LAX on Main Cabin.
Thanks!
Hey Richard. Unfortunately, you can only bring up to two guests in with you on each visit to the Sky Club.
Four of us are flying from Atlanta to Quito next week. Two of us are first class and two are Delta comfort. One of us travelling in first class has the Platinum card. Will the two first class passengers get free access to the Sky Club, and can we bring the other two in for a charge as guests of the platinum card member?
The first-class passengers will not get free Sky Club access. The Delta Platinum cardholder can get in for a fee of $39 and bring up to two additional guests at $39 each.
What if two of the passengers are Delta Gold and Delta Platinum travelers?
I meant to say Gold Medallion and Platinum Medallion.
Doesn’t matter in terms of getting into the Sky Club
If we have a delta skymiles gold card and buy the delta sky club individual membership, can you get into the sky club? I read something about gold card members not being allowed into the sky club anymore. Do I have to use my delta skymiles gold club card to get additional people in to the sky club? We are traveling delta same day flight as well. Thanks!
Hey Michael, there would be little reason to buy a Sky Club membership as it costs $545. You could upgrade your Delta Gold Card or apply outright for the Delta Reserve card which includes a Sky Club membership. Once you have membership, you will still have to pay $39 to bring up to two guests in with you.
Hi Nick
I am going to Paris CDG in May. Do you know if I can use any of the Delta lounges in Paris CDG after my arrival? Do you know much about those Delta lounges in CDG? I think they’re probably operated by Air France. Thanks1
I am using Virgin points to buy a Delta One seat from ATL to DUB. Does that still qualify to get into the lounge given that the seat is purchased through Virgin points? Also, I was only able to get an ecomomy seat from FLL to ATL will I still be able to get access to the lounges in FLL and ATL given my connecting flight is in Delta One? Thank you 🙂
Hi Andrea. As long as you have a delta one flight that day, you should be able to get into the Sky Club in both locations. Cheers and have a great trip!
Hi Nick. I’m flying from Sarasota to Athens with a layover at ATL and JFK. I purchased a Delta one business class ticket. Will I be able to use the sky club in Atlanta? Thanks.
Hi Kari. Yes, a Delta One business class ticket will get you access. Even if it isn’t departing out of that airport. As long as you have a same-day boarding pass in Delta One you should be good.
Hi Nick,
I am traveling tomorrow and have a Amex Skymile Platinum, I have my wife and 2 kids, 1 of them under 2. Also my inlaws are coming. My wife is a authorized user for the Platinum, could she get her parents in as the guest and then I bring the 1 child as a guest?
Hi Nick,
I am traveling international on a Delta First Class ticket, I have Amex Gold and Delta Amex Gold, will I be able to go into the Club for a fee or did they eliminate that as well? Thank you
If you’ve got Delta’s Gold or Platinum Medallion status, you can get into the Sky Club when traveling internationally on Delta or a SkyTeam airline – even if you’re flying economy.
So i know that you can access the lounge when you have a delta one ticket… but I’m traveling from JFK to BOG on first class not delta one. can I still access even if its international… I did once Delta one to BOG from JFK and I got into the lounge and I know there is a difference btwn first and delta one.
Hi. We are flying later this year IAH/MIA/LIS. We purchased premium select comfort economy, will we be granted lounge access at MIA airport and LIS airport? We do not have any status with Delta nor any of the stated credit cards. Thanks.
Hi Nick, could you verify if I have a Delta AmEx Reserve card and my signficant other has a card that is linked to my account, do we both have access or do I need to use a guest pass for him? Thanks!
You would need to use a guest pass or pay $39.
I have the following question. We are flying Delta from Tampa to Atlanta in comfort class and then Delta One out of Atlanta in the evening to Amsterdam. Will be able to have enter the Sky Lounge in Tampa before the flight without paying due to the Delta One flight the same day?
I have been a Lifetime Member of Delta’s Crown Room Club for a long time. It appears they have changed the club name to Delta Sky Club. Will my existing Crown Room Club card allow access to all Delta Sky Clubs at the executive membership level?
Hi Nick, I am traveling from Texas to New Delhi on delta economy with 7 hour layover at Amsterdam, I am sky miles member , can I have access to lounge , if not , how can I buy it. Thanks!!
Hey Nick, I purchased a flight from MIA to LHR directly from Delta, but the flight is operated by Virgin Atlantic. Both my wife and I are Amex Platinum card holders and we’re wondering if we would be allowed to use the delta lounges. Thanks!
This shouldn’t be an issue.
Hi Nick,
I am traveling with my 11 year old son on Delta to London-Heathrow in August. We are flying from DC to Detroit and have a 3 hour and 45 minute layover before we leave for London. I have the Amex Delta SkyMiles Platinum card, so I should be able to get into the Delta lounge if I pay $39 for each of us correct? Thanks in advance for your help.
That is correct.
We will be travelling First Class from Orlando to NY with a long layover until our Business Class flight to Paris. Please tell me we will be able to use the lounges. Coming back we will be leaving Amsterdam Business Class to Atlanta and changing planes for first class to Orlando.
My husband and I have 2 first class tickets from JFK to FAI, with 2 layovers. Will just having 1st class tickets allow us to use the Delta Lounge? Thank you
It will not. You’ll need to have access from one of the other methods outlined in the story above.
My husband and I just flew Delta Premium Economy from Amsterdam to the East Coast and got into the Amsterdam lounge with no problem. We were in the system.
The guest rules for the Amex Delta Reserve card say that the Amex Delta Reserve card must be used to pay the $39 guest fee in order to use the guest privileges. I also have the Amex Platinum card. After I use my 2 guest passes that come with the Amex Delta Reserve card, will I be able to pay the $39 guest fee using the Amex Platinum card so that I can use the $200 airline credit (Delta is my selected airline) to cover the $39 guest fee? Recently, I noticed that the Delta app knows that I have the Amex Delta Reserve card and I can simply scan my boarding pass at the kiosk for access to the SkyClub without having to show the Amex Delta Reserve card. I can even use one of the guest passes that come with the Amex Delta Reserve card at the kiosk without having to show the Amex Delta Reserve card. All that is very convenient, but my concern is that the $39 guest fee (after my guest passes are used) will be charged to the Amex Delta Reserve Card (at kiosk check in) without giving me the option or ability to select the Amex Platinum card as the form of payment for the $39 guest fee (even though the Amex Platinum card also allows a guest in the the SkyClub for $39).
I am flying from Grand Rapids to Lima Peru with a connection in Atlanta, the segment from ATL to LIM is in Delta One and the segment to ATL from GRR in first class. Will I be able access the skylounge in all 3 airports? If not which ones?
I have got delta Gold madellion statue, flying international on economy, can I get access to use
My brother in-law gave me one of his guest passes. I won’t be traveling with him. Will I be able to access the lounge if I am flying Delta that day using the guest pass?
Unfortunately, you need to be traveling with the cardholder who the guest pass came from to use it.
We are traveling to Punta Cana from Detroit with a layover in Atlanta on a Delta flights. If I purchase the $39 passes with my Delta Sky Miles Platinum American Express are they good all day at both lounges? Or do you have to pay $39 for each lounge?
You would need to pay the $39 at each lounge.
Hi Nick, thank you for this forum. Late 70’s/early 80’s I purchased a Delta Crown Room Club Lifetime Membership, but I haven’t flown Delta for many years since joining Alaska Airlines’ Frequent Flyer Mileage Program – They honored the Delta membership for access to the AA Board Room up until the two airlines parted ways. Is my Delta Lifetime Member card just a worthless piece of plastic now or are they “grandfathered” in for access to Delta’s lounges if I’m flying Delta?
I’m super confused about this whole thing. I wish @Delta would just add a link to see if you qualify or not… I am a Platinum Medallion who bought a coach ticket with my Delta Plat AmEx, was immediately upgraded to first flying GEG-SEA-ATL-CUN. When I arrived at SEA I went in to check and – boom! They let me in? Same when I arrived at ATL the next morning? And again on my way home at SEA traveling CUN-SEA-GEG? To make it even more confusing I had messaged with Delta on my app and the person I was chatting with said that I did not qualify since I was in first class and not “Delta One”…
Next week I Have a flight seated in Delta Comfort+ GEG-SEA-CDG and am trying to figure out if I can use the clubs in CDG or SEA – outgoing or incoming. My flight doesn’t have “first” class cabin; rather it has a “Delta One” and a “Delta Premium Select”. It currently is not looking like I will receive any upgrades beyond comfort plus and I’ve heard that I cannot be upgraded higher. I do have some upgrade certificates, however they are “regional” and not global… They’re making it all too complicated!
In a few weeks I’ll be flying into JFK on Delta First Class, and then going to Heathrow on Virgin Atlantic Upper Class (shared Virgin/Delta flight). The Virgin Clubhouse is closed in the middle of the day – would I be able to access the Delta Sky Club? If so, how strict are they being on the 3 hour before the flight limit?
Thank you,
Likely yes, however, they are pretty strict on the 3-hour rule. The system is hardcoded not to allow it.
Thank you!
“But effective Feb. 2, 2023, only travelers with status flying internationally in Delta Premium Select or Delta One can use the Sky Club before their flight. That means an economy or Delta Comfort Plus seat won’t get you in with Delta Gold status or higher.”
Currently, flights to Mexico give GM+ Skyclub access. Since there is no D1/PS to Mexico, will a FC ticket count as a ‘premium fare’ and allow access in 2023?
That’s a great question. We are not seeing anything in the terms of the new rules that specifically answer it.
Virgin Atlantic economy ticket on a Delta operated US domestic flight. Does my Amex platinum get me sky club access?
My wife has an executive membership that won’t renew until May 2023, and I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth renewing early at the lower $845 rate before it increases on Jan. 1. My wife uses the Sky Club for business travel once every couple of months, but we see the best value in it when traveling as a family of three since she can bring in two guests for free. We’re spending the next year and a half looking at schools, so we expect to take at least five trips next year for that on top of other travel.
I just got a Delta Skymiles Reserve card that would give me access, but at $50 a visit to have the ability to bring in our teen-aged daughter would be at least $500 round-trip for the trips we have planned. My hope is that by renewing the executive membership early, doing that would tack on an extra year of unlimited free access for up to two guests all the way to May 2024. At that point, paying over $1,000 for a membership definitely won’t be worth the privilege, and my wife can piggyback on my club access from the Reserve card as an additional card member for an extra $150 on top of the $550 annual card fee.
Does this make sense? If our experience this summer with a ton of kids in the Sky Clubs changing the atmosphere, I understand if they’re trying to make the lounges less family friendly, but we’re trying to find a way to preserve our family’s travel perks without breaking the bank.
According to a 2021 article, Delta Airlines and WestJet have partnered to have reciprocal flight arrangements. As a Delta airline partner, it is also stated in a 2023 article, that for the Delta Sky Club, passengers flying premium on a partner airline will have access to the Delta Sky lounge. 1. What is required to enter the Delta Sky lounge – for example at the HNL Airport? Will the boarding passes, same day flight in Premium class be sufficient? Please respond.
Since I purchased an Executive Delta SkyClub membership back in November 2022, can I assume that I will continue to have free access along with my guest until my renewal date realizing I still need to honor the 3 hour rule?
Hi Bob, my assumption would be that this works until your renewal date.
Eliminating the option for those with diamond status to select guest access for the delta reserve card as a choice benefit only affects Delta’s top customers who are both Diamond and have their highest card. This is also the group that can immediately status match to any other airline. Seems a very poor choice to target that group.
Flying Delta One Fra to JFK, First Class JFK to ATL and First Class Atl to Ags
Can I access the lounges at JFK and Atl?
I am a Delta retiree, non rev passenger. DO I have access to the lounge if I have an AMEX Platinum card? Or are non rev travelers never allowed to use the lounge? Thank you.
I am on the flying blue program as plat. I dont expect to get lounge access when flying delta domestically. But if I pay for first class aka business class. And drop 3-4 times more than ecomony, i expect to be able to access the lounge for free. But it isnt. I really dont understand how this make any sense.
How is the Amex verified to be let in the door? I don’t have one by my mother does, could I theoretically use hers to get in? Or is there another protocol?
It would need to match the name on the boarding pass so you wouldn’t be able to use your mothers.