Delta confirms business-class lounge coming to Atlanta and much more
Fresh off the heels of opening its eighth Sky Club in Atlanta, Delta Air Lines has even more news coming for its hometown airport.
The airline will open a signature Delta One Lounge at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in the coming years.
"We are working on the Delta One Lounge in Atlanta," Claude Roussel, Delta's vice president of Delta Sky Clubs and lounge experience, said in an exclusive interview with TPG.
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Roussel didn't share much, but he did confirm that the new lounge will open in either Concourse E or F, where most of Delta's long-haul flights depart.
"There are a couple of areas that we have under review now. I'm not going to tell you now because it might change, but it will be a stand-alone Delta One Lounge," Roussel said.
The lounge chief wouldn't give more details about what to expect in the Atlanta Delta One Lounge (after all, I saw the airline's media relations team give him a stern look during our conversation), but recent openings at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) should give flyers a general sense of what's to come.
Delta One lounges feature elevated spaces and amenities compared to traditional membership-based Sky Clubs. They're reserved for the airline's long-haul business-class flyers, and they offer a space worthy of spending some time before your $5,000 (or more!) flight.
The outpost at JFK is the largest (and nicest) so far. It features a full-service restaurant, a year-round terrace, a spa, luxurious shower suites and shoeshines, among other amenities.
But given ATL's status as the world's busiest airport and Delta's biggest hub, it would be reasonable to assume that the airline will pull out all the stops to make this space one of the nicest yet.
Of course, we'll need to wait for more details, but it's an exciting development for this fledging network that just opened last summer in New York.
Delta has since opened outposts in LAX and BOS, and it plans to officially take the wraps off another new outpost at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) in June, Roussel confirmed. (The Delta One Lounge in Seattle will open in tandem with another new Sky Club in the airport.)
Once Delta opens business-class-only lounges at ATL and SEA, it'll be left with just four hubs that don't (yet) have similar outposts: Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), New York City's LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC).
Delta CEO Ed Bastian recently confirmed that the airline will build a Delta One Lounge at SLC, and Roussel confirmed the prevalent thinking that there's no reason to open one in LGA since the airline doesn't operate long-haul flights from there.
That said, Roussel did hint that Delta One lounges might be coming to DTW and MSP in the future.
"We still have a ways to go to cover our other hubs," he told TPG about opening more business-class-only outposts.
While the conversation focused on Delta One lounges, Roussel also shared that several of ATL's existing Sky Clubs will receive light refreshes in the coming months. This includes "beautifying" both of the airline's Sky Clubs in Concourse A, building out new staircase access to the Sky Club in Concourse T and adding more seating and a relocated reception area to the club in Concourse C.
Elsewhere, Delta is working on other Sky Club expansions and enhancements, including a massive renovation project at Denver International Airport (DEN) that will bring the club to over 20,000 square feet. The first phase of the DEN expansion is expected to open in the first half of 2026.
Other upcoming refreshes include an expansion at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and a second Sky Club opening in SLC's Concourse B.
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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.