Delta confirms a 3rd exclusive business-class lounge, will tighten Sky Club access
For years, Delta Air Lines has been the only "Big Three" U.S. carrier to not offer a business-class-only lounge.
American Airlines has its Flagship Lounges. United Airlines has Polaris Lounges. Delta, however, only offers a network of (otherwise stunning) membership-based Sky Clubs.
But that's changing next year when the airline finally takes the wraps off its long-awaited premium lounge in New York, followed shortly thereafter by a similar space in Los Angeles.
While the airline has so far only shared plans about these two lounges, there's some great news: A third is in the works for Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).
"We have a new location in Boston in the plans. We're working through all the logistics right now," Claude Roussel, Delta's managing director for Sky Clubs, told TPG in an interview.
Delta's third premium lounge will open in Boston's recently expanded Terminal E, which is home to most of the airport's international operations.
This new premium space will be complemented by the beautiful new Sky Club that just opened last week in Terminal E.
As for what we can expect, Roussel didn't share much. He hinted at a possible Sky Deck, but otherwise, we'll have to wait for more details to trickle in over the coming months.
There's no timeline yet for when the new premium lounge in Boston might open, but Roussel confirmed that it'll be after both the New York and Los Angeles locations.
Delta hasn't even aligned on what it'll call these new premium lounges. Many insiders keep referring to them as "Delta One Lounges," but Delta doesn't necessarily want to brand them this way, said Roussel.
"The scope could be a lot bigger, and we decided not to call it a Delta One lounge," Roussel told TPG. (By "scope," Roussel was referring to who can access these premium lounges — policies that haven't been finalized yet.)
Even as Delta gets ready to debut business-class-only lounges, many of its existing Sky Clubs continue to suffer from overcrowding.
To shorten the line, Delta announced a slew of access policy changes that kicked in earlier this year. This includes keeping membership sales limited to Medallion elite members and cutting access on basic economy fares.
However, these tightened policies might not be enough to thin the crowds.
In fact, it seems that Delta is gearing up to announce another round of tightened access policies.
"We continue to work with our partners and continue looking at this issue. It's not a done issue. We have to continue making progress. Our guests are telling us that. They're telling us, listen, we love the clubs. You need to fix the crowding," Roussel said.
In perhaps the clearest confirmation that changes are coming, Roussel added that "there'll be more to come as soon as we are ready."
While it's anyone's guess what exactly the airline (and its cobranded credit card partner American Express) will announce, rumors have begun circulating online in recent weeks.
One supposed Amex employee shared that the airline will impose limits on the number of complimentary annual visits afforded to travelers with premium credit cards.
Of course, we'll need to wait for the official details from Delta and Amex, but I wouldn't be surprised to see some pretty drastic changes.
After all, Delta keeps building lounges that people actually want to visit. Keeping the crowds at bay and maintaining a premium experience is clearly a priority for the airline, and tightening access policies is a great way to do that.
"We don't want to see lines in our clubs. That's not the experience we want to create," Roussel added.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.