How to access Delta Sky Club airport lounges

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Delta Sky Club® airport lounges are a great place to relax before your flight and take advantage of complimentary Wi-Fi, snacks, and drinks, with curated menus featuring regional specialties, seasonal cocktails, and in some locations, shower facilities to keep you feeling fresh.

There are several ways to access Delta lounges, including with a paid Delta Sky Club® membership or if you're flying in a premium cabin with Delta or an eligible partner airline (in certain situations). An easier way to access Delta lounges has long been by taking advantage of the benefits provided by certain American Express cards. However, as part of a continued effort to combat overcrowding, Delta has further limited Sky Club access, particularly affecting access through credit cards.

Below, CNBC Select details all the ways to access Delta lounges and which cards to consider signing up for to make the entry process easier.

Within the U.S., there are more than 50 Delta Sky Club locations across dozens of airports. While most airports only have a single Delta Sky Club location, the following hub cities have several:

• Atlanta (ATL): Nine lounges
• Boston (BOS): Three lounges
• Detroit (DTW): Five lounges
• Los Angeles (LAX): Two lounges
• Minneapolis (MSP): Two lounges
• New York (JFK): Two lounges

Delta is also in the process of adding new locations and renovating existing lounges at the following airports:

• Boston (BOS) - Premium lounge
• Charlotte (CLT) - New lounge
• Los Angeles (LAX) - Premium lounge
• Miami International Airport (MIA) - Expanded lounge
• New York (JFK) - Premium lounge
• New York (LGA) - Expanded lounge
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) - New lounge

You can enter Delta Sky Club lounges up to three hours before departure, or anytime during layovers. To gain access, you need to fly that day, either with Delta or a partner airline. And when lounges are near capacity, Delta will prioritize entry to eligible premium cabin passengers and top-tier elite members.

Outside of those restrictions, you can get in with a Delta Sky Club membership, or by having certain credit cards, types of elite status (in certain scenarios) or whenever you're flying in business class or first class with Delta or one of its partners on an eligible route.

Note that Delta Sky Club members and eligible American Express cardholders don't receive access when traveling in basic economy.

Cards that offer Delta lounge access

One of the easiest ways to get Delta lounge access is with a card that comes with Delta Sky Club® access but depending on what card you have, your access is changing.

Eligible cardholders currently receive unlimited access when traveling on a same-day flight operated or marketed by Delta with the following cards. However, starting Feb. 1, 2025, The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express will be limited to ten Sky Club visits per year. These cardholders must always pay a fee to bring guests and cannot access Sky Club lounges when traveling in basic economy.

Cardholders of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business Card currently receive complimentary Delta Sky Club access when traveling with Delta. They may also bring up to two guests or immediate family (spouse/partner and children under 21 years old) for an additional fee. Effective Feb. 1, 2025, Delta Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club.

Delta Reserve and Amex Platinum cardholders can qualify for unlimited visits by spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on their eligible card in a calendar year. Access will be available for the remainder of the current program year (which ends on January 31), for the next program year.

Delta Reserve cardholders can also access the exclusive Amex Centurion lounges when traveling on an eligible same-day Delta flight purchased with a U.S.-issued American Express card and may bring up to two guests for $50 per person.

Free access

Depending on which cabin you're traveling in, you may automatically receive complimentary lounge access. Anyone flying on a domestic or international Delta One-branded business-class flight (typically premium transcontinental and long-haul international routes) can get in. The same benefit also applies to international business-class and first-class flights on a SkyTeam partner-operated flight.

Delta Medallion elite members with Gold, Platinum or Diamond status receive lounge access when they're traveling in premium economy class or higher on an international flight that's operated by Delta or an eligible partner airline. The passenger can still access Delta lounges with an economy ticket if they have another way to enter, such as a Delta Sky Club membership or an eligible American Express card. All other SkyTeam Elite Plus members still have access when traveling internationally, regardless of their cabin.

Paid access

You can only purchase or renew a Delta Sky Club membership if you have Delta Silver Medallion elite status or higher. There are two paid membership tiers: Individual and Executive. You can purchase a membership for the following prices:  

• Individual: $695 or 69,500 miles.
• Executive: $1,495 or 149,500 miles.

With an Individual membership, you may bring up to two guests (or your spouse or partner and children under 21) for an additional fee per person. An Executive membership comes with unlimited lounge access for you and up to two guests (or your spouse or partner and children under 21).

Delta elite members who reach the Diamond Medallion level may use their Choice Benefit selections for an Individual Membership or Executive Membership. An Executive membership costs three Choice Benefit selections and an Individual Membership costs two. Note that the Individual Membership will only be available as a Choice Benefit starting in 2025.

Unlike some other airlines, Delta does not offer pay-per-visit access to Delta Sky Club® lounges unless you have certain co-branded cards.

Delta has taken steps to combat the overcrowding of its popular Delta Sky Club® lounges with a series of new restrictions and by increasing the cost of paid access.

The lounge benefits available to cardholders of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express are still generous compared to other options. For example, the cost of a Delta Sky Club membership starts at $695, but you can get lounge access with the Delta Reserve American Express card which has a $650 annual fee (see rates and fees). However, there will be some significant changes on this front come February 2025.

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For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, click here.

For rates and fees of Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card, click here.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, click here.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, click here. 

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.

For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.