A new Delta Air Lines lounge concept, meant to help travelers with tight connections get some quick grub for the road (or, rather, for the sky), officially launched this week. The Atlanta-based carrier unveiled grab-and-go areas within two of its most highly trafficked U.S. airport lounges for customers who don’t have time to enjoy the full Delta Sky Club experience.
“This option was designed with those guests in mind. Customers who are short on time can choose from high-quality, on-the-go options and continue their airport journey,” Claude Roussel, managing director of Delta Sky Clubs, told AFAR. “This new offering is designed to provide customers with choice and convenience, depending on what their travel-day needs are.”
Where are Delta’s new grab-and-go areas (and what do they look like)?
The two grab-and-go areas are within the lobby of these airport lounges:
- Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Concourse B
- John F. Kennedy International Airport, Terminal 4, Concourse B
The grab-and-go areas include coolers stocked with beverages (such as sodas, teas, and juices), prepackaged sandwiches and salads, fruit cups and veggie plates, and yogurts. There’s also a counter where guests can pour themselves a drip coffee and baskets of shelf-stable treats, like chips and granola bars.
The grab-and-go areas are accessible for anyone who would typically have Delta Sky Club privileges, such as Sky Club members, Delta One or SkyTeam Premium Cabin passengers, Delta Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Medallion members, and American Express Centurion Card and Platinum Card holders (if they’re flying with Delta that day).
What foods and drinks will Delta’s grab-and-go experience offer?
Unlike within the main lounge (and similar concepts that United and Capital One offer), where access to food and drinks is a free-for-all, Delta’s grab-and-go areas are a bit more regulated. Guests are allowed to choose one item from each of the following categories:
- Either a warm breakfast wrap (available in the morning), a snack box, sandwich, or entrée salad
- Choice of a snack (chips, fruit, veggies, or nuts)
- Choice of a sweet (yogurt, muffin, dessert, or granola bar)
- Choice of a beverage (soda, bottled water, tea, juice, or coffee)
Upcoming lounge changes
Because the Atlanta and JFK Sky Club lounges are the two that see the most business across the brand, Roussel said piloting the grab-and-go concept in those locations to cater to customers looking for a quicker alternative to the standard Club experience made sense.
“Our plan is to start with the in-lobby models, apply learnings from the pilot phase, and then expand to a freestanding concourse model later this summer,” Roussel said.
Delta also confirmed that it will be opening new Delta Sky Club lounges at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport in 2023. Expansions of existing lounges are planned for Miami International Airport and Fort Lauderdale International Airport. In April, Delta also opened a new 21,000-square-foot lounge in Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport with a year-round Sky Deck that seats up to 110 guests.
