Delta Air Lines has a problem with long lines at its Sky Clubs, more than United and American. They have better food, but mostly more people have access to Delta lounges because of their American Express relationship. Anyone flying Delta that has a Platinum card can get in. The problem is greatest where there are the most Platinum cardmembers: New York.

The airline did everything except address the root cause of lounge crowding. They restricted memberships (access via means other than credit card) to elite members. They raised the price of membership and stopped allowing members to enter when traveling on basic economy fares. They stopped letting elites into lounges when flying economy internationally. And after asking employees to volunteer to clean lounges, and pitching getting their credit card as a way to use the lounge when traveling as a nonrev, they began blocking employees from using the lounges when on staff travel.

Now Delta has a new option to entice people not to take up space in their New York JFK lounge: a grab and go where you can get food and drink, but this requires a ticket that you get by agreeing to forego use of the lounge as explained by Clint Henderson:

One of the ways they are dealing with overcrowding at the Delta Lounge at JFK is a new “grab and go” option. Still a 20 minute wait but getting to meet Dennilyn who I found out is a Delta brand ambassador made it worth the wait! @Delta Dennilyn is amazing! pic.twitter.com/bwfDCurEPm

— Clint Henderson (@ClintPHenderson) May 10, 2023

20 minute wait for club. They give you a ticket for grab and go if you are willing to skip the club. Grab and go just inside entrance before you go upstairs to the actual club. No one was accepting the offer while I was there.

— Clint Henderson (@ClintPHenderson) May 10, 2023

For years American Airlines set up grab and go stations when closing Admirals Clubs. United was first out of the chute with a grab and go lounge concept that’s been growing more broadly. And Capital One has a fantastic grab and go section for lounge guests in their DFW airport space. But what’s unique here is that grab and go isn’t just about guest convenience, to provide them a useful amenity, and it isn’t about space constraints either. It’s a way to reduce crowding in the lounge itself, effectively bribing customers who have lounge access not to occupy space in the Sky Club.

This is a version of something I suggested two months ago, offering Starbucks gift cards to spend in the airport in lieu of using the lounge. Delta and Starbucks are close partners.