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Tag Archives for skyclub.

Delta Clamped Down On Airline Lounge Access, But It Doesn’t Stop Long Lines

Apr 25 2023

Delta’s biggest customer is American Express, generating over $5 billion a year from the financial services giant. Their contract with American Express runs through 2029. And lounge access sells credit cards.

As a result, the airline isn’t in a position to do anything about the true cause of crowding. And crowding tends to be worst in major markets with the greatest concentration of premium American Express cardholders… like New York.

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How Delta Could Have Reduced Crowding, Instead Of Kicking Employees And Customers Out Of Sky Clubs

airport lounge
Mar 11 2023

Delta has a close collaboration with Starbucks already. American Express has given out Starbucks gift cards occasionally in the past when denying cardmembers access due to lounge crowding. Surely they could team to buy these cards at a big discount, driving business to Starbucks and freeing up lounge space.

A Delta Sky Club Executive membership went up by $650 this year. The airline could allow members paying $1495 back into the lounge when traveling on a basic economy fare. That extra membership cost covers a lot of $8 gift cards purchased for some percentage off of that.

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7000 Delta Employees Are Protesting Being Locked Out Of Sky Clubs

airport lounge
Feb 07 2023

Since Friday, February 3 Delta Air Lines employees are no longer permitted to use Sky Clubs when traveling as nonrevs – even if they purchased a club membership or have the American Express co-brand Reserve card that comes with access.

Now there’s a petition with over 7,000 signatures asking Delta to restore access. It’s an open letter to airline CEO Ed Bastian, ‘let my co-workers in!’

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Passengers On These Delta Flights Are Only Permitted to Spend 35 Minutes In The Lounge – Or Less

Jan 20 2023

The new Delta Sky Club at New York LaGuardia is now only open until 7:30 p.m. But did you know that 7 Delta flights from New York now only allow lounge access for 35 minutes – or less?

To limit lounge crowding Delta won’t allow passengers into a lounge until 3 hours prior to departure of the first flight on their itinerary. In addition, several additional limits on club access go into effect next month as well.

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Delta Announces Two New New York JFK Clubs, Including First Dedicated Business Lounge

Jan 17 2023

With the closure of New York JFK terminal 2 last week, Delta has consolidated its operations in terminal 4. Since that terminal was already crowded – it features the longest lines to get into any Sky Club – that didn’t seem like a positive for customers.

Fortunately relief is on the way for those accessing the Delta club at New York JFK, and not just because the airline is banning employees from using their lounges and charging more for memberships, banning non-elite customers from buying them, taking away access from elites flying coach on international trips and from club members who are flying on basic economy tickets.

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Delta Bans Employees From Its Airport Lounges Until Further Notice

airport lounge
Jan 11 2023

Starting February 3, Delta Air Lines is banning employees on nonrev travel and who are traveling on company business from accessing their lounges. Delta acknowledges the “lines out the door” of their clubs and that this includes “360 and Diamond Medallion Members – waiting for seats once inside” and says they’re eliminating access for employees who pay for membership in order to “ensur[e] our most loyal and valued customers have adequate access.”

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Delta Drops The Hammer On Sky Club Access In Four Ways

airport lounge
Nov 30 2022

Delta’s Sky Clubs are nicer than competitor products, with more and better food. But they’re also busy. There are frequently (long) lines to get in, and once inside they’re crowded – hardly a respite from the terminal. Delta has a problem, driven in part by more people with access through credit cards because of their Amex agreement, and in part because a nicer lounge means passengers are more likely to go when eligible.

This week I wrote that Delta Air Lines would cut Sky Club lounge access for elites flying coach on international itineraries. They’re doing that. But they’re going further.

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