Delta's 'Sky Way' at LAX, featuring new largest Sky Club, could open 18 months early
There are few silver linings to the coronavirus pandemic that has decimated air travel around the world. But one benefit travelers can look forward to are some spiffy new airport terminals opening sooner rather than later.
Delta Air Lines is making good on plans to accelerate airport projects around the U.S. Among those will be Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), where Delta will shave up to a year-and-a-half off the timeline for its new terminal complex there, the Atlanta-based carrier said Thursday.
The revamp of Terminals 2 and 3 — dubbed the "Delta Sky Way" — will open in mid-2023 following an updated agreement with the operator of LAX. The drop in air travel during the coronavirus pandemic will allow the airline to fully close Terminal 3 for reconstruction instead of a previous phased construction plan.
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Once complete, the Sky Way will feature new and revamped facilities for Delta flyers. One premium amenity travelers can look forward to is what the carrier is billing as the "largest Delta Sky Club found anywhere” that will include a year-round outdoor sky deck. Other features include a new Delta One check-in experience, consolidated security checkpoint and a connector inside security between Terminals 2, 3 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal.
“If there’s a silver lining to fewer people flying right now, it’s that we have an opportunity and a team with the know-how to pull the future forward on infrastructure projects,” Mark Pearson, vice president of corporate real estate at Delta, said in a statement.
Plans to accelerate work at LAX have been in the works since the early days of the crisis. In May, Delta chief financial officer Paul Jacobson told investors that the airline planned to cut capital expenses by speeding up projects at the Los Angeles and Salt Lake City (SLC) airports, as well as maybe at New York LaGuardia (LGA), during the slowdown.
For example at LAX, Delta plans to fly a little less than 70% of what it flew a year ago in November, according to Cirium schedules. The airline aims to fly nearly 73% of its 2019 schedule in December.
Related: Delta speeds up LAX, Salt Lake City renovation projects during pandemic
Other possibilities: Is Delta working on a premium lounge product to compete with American and United?
The first phase of Salt Lake City's terminal reconstruction, including a new terminal and two new concourses, opened in September. The airport hopes to shave as much as two years off work on the second phase, which includes demolishing the old facilities and extending the two concourses.
Delta executives are mum on how much the carrier could save from accelerating airport works. The initial price tag for the Sky Way at LAX was $1.86 billion.
Under the revised LAX timeline, Delta plans to complete the new terminal building — where travelers will check in, drop bags and proceed through security — in early 2022. The new Terminal 3 concourse is now expected to be ready in mid-2022, a revamped western terminal building by end-2022 and the renovated Terminal 2 concourse and connector by mid-2023.
Related: Salt Lake City airport, Delta to open new canyon-inspired terminal on Tuesday
The new Sky Way will have 27 gates for Delta's flights from Los Angeles. International partners including Aeromexico, Virgin Atlantic Airways and WestJet are also expected to operate from Terminal 2.
Delta moved to the facilities in 2017 after 30 years in Terminal 5 on the southern side of LAX's terminal complex. Terminal 2 was the airport's original international terminal and Terminal 3 the home of defunct Trans World Airlines (TWA) when the facilities opened in the early 1960s.
Related: Delta adds 5 new routes from LAX, Atlanta as rivals expand in the West
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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.
- 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.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 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. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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Intro Offer
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
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
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.