It could be an oasis in the desert that is an airport concourse heaving with passengers, but in recent years, the Delta Sky Club has been a victim of its own success.
Long lines to get in and overcrowded clubs have become a major problem for Delta, and in an effort to restore some sense of exclusivity there are big changes coming to how you can access the Delta Sky Club in 2024.
In this article, we take a look at the main ways you can now access Delta’s network of more than 50 Sky Club’s including new and refurbished lounges in Newark, Boston and New York JFK.
There are five main ways to access a Sky Club:
- Buying an annual membership
- Through a co-branded American Express credit card
- With an American Express Platinum or Centurion Card
- By attaining Delta SkyMiles elite status
- Flying in the Delta One Business Class cabin.
- Buy an annual membership to access a Sky Club
- Use a Delta and American Express co-branded credit card to access the Sky Club
- Get Sky Club access as a perk of owning an American Express Platinum Card
- Become a Diamond Medallion elite member of Delta SkyMiles to gain access to the Sky Club
- Get Sky Club access by flying in the Delta One cabin
Buy an annual membership to access a Sky Club
Buying a Delta Sky Club membership used to be one of the easiest ways to get inside a Delta lounge, but in a bid to reduce overcrowding, Delta has now limited membership purchases to Medallion Status members.
Starting in 2024, you’ll need to earn a minimum of $5,000 Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQD) to achieve Silver Medallion Status, which will unlock the ability to purchase Sky Club membership.
There are two types of membership package available: Executive Membership and Individual Membership.
Executive Membership
Executive Membership gives you and two guests unlimited access to the Sky Club. The annual cost is $1,495 or 149,000 Miles.
Individual Membership
As the name suggests, Individual Membership only gives the holder access to the Sky Club, although you can bring up to two guests with you for an additional fee per visit. The annual cost is $695 or 69,500 Miles.
⚠️ Delta has discontinued Single Visit Passes
Use a Delta and American Express co-branded credit card to access the Sky Club
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card is now the only co-branded Delta credit card which gives cardholders access to the Sky Club.
For an annual fee of $550, cardholders also enjoy:
- Medallion Status Boost to reach Medallion Status faster
- First checked bag free
- Companion certificate
- Main cabin priority boarding
For a limited time, you can also earn 60,000 Bonus Miles when you sign up and spend $5,000 in purchases within the first six months.
Changes from February 1, 2025
From February 1, 2025, cardholders will no longer automatically receive unlimited Sky Club access. Instead, cardholders will initially receive 15 visits per year, and to unlock unlimited access, they must spend at least $75,000 on their card between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024.
⚠️ From January 1, 2024, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Platinum Business American Express will no longer come with Sky Club access as a benefit.
Get Sky Club access as a perk of owning an American Express Platinum Card
Gaining access to the Delta Sky Club with an American Express Platinum or Centurion card has been one of the most popular access methods in the last few years and, unfortunately, has also been attributed to Delta’s overcrowding issues.
As a result, Delta has announced some pretty major access changes which will come into force from February 1, 2025.
Up until February 1, 2025, Platinum or Centurion Card Members have unlimited access to Delta Sky Club’s when traveling on a same-day ticket on a Delta or Delta Connection-operated flight.
Card members can also bring two guests with them at a cost of $50 each or $25 each for a ‘grab and go’ option. Alternatively, you can guest your immediate family into the lounge which includes a spouse or partner and any children aged under 21.
From February 1, 2025, the access requirements for Amex Platinum Card Holders is going to become more complicated (and more expensive):
- Platinum Card Members will automatically receive ten complimentary visits to the Sky Club
- To earn unlimited access to the Sky Club, Card Members must spend at least $75,000 on their card in a qualifying year
- Card Members can also buy additional visits to the Sky Club at $50 per visit or $25 for ‘Grab and go’.
⚠️ American Express cardholders who are traveling on a Basic Economy Ticket DO NOT receive Sky Club access.
Become a Diamond Medallion elite member of Delta SkyMiles to gain access to the Sky Club
Gaining access to a Delta Sky Club through frequent flyer status is possibly one of the hardest ways to get into a Delta lounge, and upcoming changes are going to make it even harder for Delta’s most loyal customers to access the Sky Club.
The Delta SkyMiles frequent flyer program has four tiers of elite status, known as Medallion Status, starting off at Silver and progressing through to Gold, Platinum and then the highest tier, Diamond Medallion Status.
To become a Diamond Medallion member, you used to have to earn a combination of Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQM) and Medallion Qualifying Sectors (MQS), but going into 2024, Delta has simplified the process with a single Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) requirement.
As the name suggests, achieving status is based on how much you spend and for Diamond Medallion status, that will require a spend of at least $28,000 MQD’s.
However, just attaining Diamond Medallion Status doesn’t automatically give you access to a Sky Club. When you become a Diamond Medallion status, Delta gifts you ‘Choice Benefits’ to use on various awards like a $500 Amex statement credit or Delta travel voucher.
You can also use these Choice Benefits for a Sky Club Executive Membership. Each year, Diamond Medallion members are given three Choice Benefits to spend, and Sky Club Executive Membership will cost you all three Choice Benefits (this has increased from two Choice Benefits in 2023).
⚠️ Medallion Platinum and Medallion Gold members also get access to the Sky Club when flying in Delta Premium Select internationally.
Get Sky Club access by flying in the Delta One cabin
Sky Club access comes as a complimentary perk of flying in the Delta One cabin, which is Delta’s international Business Class cabin which you’ll find on premium routes to Europe, Asia and Australia.
In short, if you’re traveling in the Delta One cabin on an international flight, then you’ll have complimentary Sky Club access included in your ticket.
Delta One features across the airline’s widebody aircraft fleet, including the Airbus A350 and A330, as well as the Boeing 767.
Delta doesn’t ordinarily offer Sky Club access to passengers flying solely domestic itineraries, even in First Class, but the benefits of flying in Delta One are extended when widebody aircraft are sometimes used in domestic markets.
That means that when a Delta One-equipped aircraft operates a domestic flight, you’ll still get access to the Sky Club. The routes can change regularly but you’ll often find Delta One being sold on flights to and from Atlanta and New York JFK, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Some flights to Hawaii may also be sold with a Delta One cabin.
Remember, if you book First Class on the same route, you won’t gain access to the Sky Club.
