Delta's Newest Sky Club Opens Tuesday in Enemy Territory
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Look out, American Airlines — there's a new lounge experience opening in one of your hubs, and it's by a rival carrier. Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, Delta Air Lines will welcome the first guests in its Delta Sky Club at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). Of note, it appears that American Express may also open a Centurion lounge at PHX in the near future.
We knew that this club, along with a club at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) was coming in 2019. What we didn't know, however, was how quickly either would open. The Phoenix Sky Club is positioned near Delta's cluster of gates on the new South Concourse – Terminal 3, offering patrons 7,500 square feet to stretch out and decompress before or after a flight.
As we saw with Delta's Raleigh–Durham (RDU) Sky Club, the airline is putting localized touches on its PHX location as well. Earthy tones and rich colors contribute to its overall motif, with "fresh, locally inspired cuisine and healthy food options." There's local art and high-speed Wi-Fi, as well as a full-service bar with seasonal cocktails.
The bad news is that accessing this Sky Club, along with the rest in Delta's network, is a bit tougher than in past years. Pricing for Sky Club membership rose from 2018, and members must have same-day travel booked with Delta or one of its partners in order to access a lounge.
Not much should change for cardholders of the Platinum Card® from American Express and the Centurion Card. One of the benefits of those cards is complimentary Sky Club access when traveling on Delta-operated flights. That benefit and how cardholders access Sky Clubs will not change. In addition, guest access will remain $29 per person for Delta-operated flights.
Cardholders of the Delta Reserve® Credit Card from American Express will continue to get complimentary Sky Club access as long as you're traveling on a Delta-coded or Delta-operated flight. If you're traveling with a partner airline, you can pay $29 to access, whereas you used to be able to pay to access no matter which airline you were flying.
All images courtesy of Delta Air Lines.
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