1st look at Delta's new Sky Club in Newark's stunning Terminal A
Delta Air Lines is on a roll.
The carrier has spent the last few years expanding and beautifying its network of Sky Club airport lounges, and there are no signs of this growth spurt ending anytime soon.
On Wednesday, Delta will open a brand-new lounge in Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) as part of the carrier's move into the airport's stunning Terminal A (where it will use a total of five gates).
In advance of the grand opening, I had a chance to visit the airline's newest Sky Club outpost. It may not be a show-stopping space like the recently opened clubs in Boston and New York, but it continues to show that Delta is investing in a bigger, better and more luxurious Sky Club network.
Newark is the fifth new Sky Club to open this year, and it joins the soon-to-be expanded spots in Fort Lauderdale and Miami to close out a banner year for Delta.
There's simply no other U.S. airline investing as many resources into the airline lounge network, and it shows — even this midsize Newark Sky Club impresses on many levels.
Here's why.
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Gorgeous design
It all begins from the moment you step inside the Sky Club, which is located on the mezzanine level just past security in Terminal A. (The new Sky Club will be open from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. on all days except Saturday, when it closes at 6:30 p.m.)
After either taking the stairs or the elevator to the upper level, you'll quickly find the signature wood-lined entryway to the lounge. (Turning around in the other direction will take you to the soon-to-open American Airlines Admirals Club.)
The reception area, staffed by two agents and two self-serve kiosks, gives way to the main lounge area.
Here, you'll find a plethora of seating options, ranging from couches to individual recliners to bench-style seating around the perimeter of each space.
Of course, Delta tapped its in-house artwork curator to source some locally inspired pieces for this lounge, including my personal favorite, the "Greetings from New Jersey" right by the entrance.
While the lounge is essentially one big room, Delta did a great job of partitioning off individual spaces by using varying colors and different carpeting to make the club feel more welcoming and inviting.
If you continue going straight toward the perimeter of the lounge, you'll find the signature bar, which is decked out with marble countertops and an eye-catching ceiling treatment.
Lining the perimeter of the space are additional seating areas, separated from one another with tall (and beautifully designed) partitions.
Back toward the kitchen and buffet is the dining room, which consists of a handful of two-top tables, along with a U-shaped counter for bar-style seating.
Just beyond the buffet is another U-shaped counter with more seats that face toward the terminal.
In many ways, this new club is exactly what you'd expect from a Sky Club that opened in 2023. After all, it's got plenty of seating with a luxurious design.
But one thing that makes it unique is the open-air concept — something that Delta doesn't usually do in its lounges.
That means it might get a little too loud and a bit too hot in the Sky Club. You'll hear public address announcements in this club, and the temperature is at the discretion of the airport authorities, not Delta.
The other downside is that you won't enjoy any great airside views from this lounge, nor will you find an outdoor Sky Deck here.
In total, the lounge measures around 7,000 square feet and seats about 240 flyers. Delta uses just five gates at Newark, so this should be plenty large to accommodate all of the airline's lounge-eligible travelers.
Delectable food and premium drinks
Delta's Sky Club catering efforts continue to impress, and the Newark outpost is no exception.
The buffet will rotate between breakfast and all-day offerings, and you can expect an extensive selection of tasty staples and sweet treats no matter when you visit.
During my tour, Delta was displaying the breakfast selection, which included a beautifully presented plate of smoked salmon, egg frittata tarts, fresh salads and much more. Even the baked goods — croissants, muffins and danishes — are baked fresh in the lounge kitchen each morning.
Next to the buffet is the large drink station. Here you'll find an Eversys coffee machine, some Starbucks drip coffee and a Coca-Cola fountain machine.
Meanwhile, the lounge's signature bar, which is at the other end of the space, can whip up your favorite cocktail. As with other Sky Clubs, premium drinks are available for an additional charge (in dollars or SkyMiles).
While I didn't sample any of the drinks (I needed to write this story, after all), the bar seemingly had a respectable selection of top-shelf liquor, including Grey Goose vodka and Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky.
Delta no longer sells Dom Perignon Champagne in its lounge. Instead, half-bottles of Laurent-Perrier La Cuvee are available for $36 or 2,400 miles.
Thoughtful amenities
Newark is neither a hub nor a focus city for Delta, so you won't find any unique amenities in this space — no showers, no Sky Deck, no Framery phone booths. I didn't even find any dedicated help desks for day-of-travel needs.
Just five individual bathroom stalls, three of which are handicapped accessible.
The restrooms are all toward the back of the lounge in a small hallway that reminds me of the United Polaris Lounge in Terminal C.
Red- and green-colored occupancy indicators hang from above each stall. And once inside, you'll probably find the nicest bathrooms in all of Terminal A.
Expect marble countertops, Grown Alchemist hand wash and hand lotion, and spa music.
"We've put all our touches and what we really focus on is the attention to detail, the service that you're going to get, the food that you saw on the buffet ... those are our winning moments," said Claude Roussel, Delta's managing director of Sky Clubs, in an interview with TPG.
Otherwise, this lounge has all the basic amenities covered. Fast and free Wi-Fi is available throughout the space, and there are power outlets and USB-A ports within an arm's reach at nearly every seat.
That said, I was impressed to see a bunch of Qi wireless charging pads built into many tables and counters in the lounge. I'd still prefer the speeds and reliability of wired chargers, but more power options are certainly better than fewer.
Bottom line
It's the dawn of a new era for Delta in Newark.
As of Wednesday, Delta will have a brand-new home in Newark. The airline is moving into the airport's Terminal A, which is also the newest and nicest terminal in the entire airport.
As part of the move, Delta is also opening a gorgeous new Sky Club, which is a beautiful space that'll quickly become one of the nicest membership lounges at Newark.
Given that Delta only uses five gates at Newark, overcrowding hopefully shouldn't be much of an issue.
And once you get inside, you'll quickly forget about all the times you spend in Delta's former dilapidated stomping grounds in Newark.
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