Guide to Delta Sky Club Access

With access requirements to Delta Air Lines’ Sky Club lounges changing at the end of the month, I wanted to break down the Sky Club access requirements and what you can expect inside.

Delta Sky Club Information

Delta operates Sky Clubs at nearly 40 airports around the globe with the number of individual lounges approaching 60 when factoring in hubs with multiple lounges. I find that Delta has the most premium domestic lounge experience of the Big 3 U.S. carriers. American Airlines Admirals Clubs are in the middle with United Clubs bringing up the rear.

The airline has been investing heavily in its Sky Club lounges in recent years, opening many new lounges and expanding existing ones. This has been especially true of its outstations as of late, having opened a new Sky Club at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) and expanding its Sky Club at Miami International Airport (MIA) in 2024.

Sky Clubs feature complimentary food, snacks, drinks and alcoholic beverages (premium alcohol is available for purchase). The lounges also have complimentary Wi-Fi, Delta customer service agents, and a variety of seating options. Many of the newer clubs also have outdoor spaces known as the Sky Terrace. Sky Club lounges are located at the following airports:

• Atlanta (ATL)
• Austin (AUS)
• Boston (BOS)
• Charlotte (CLT)
• Chicago (ORD)
• Cincinnati (CVG)
• Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW)
• Denver (DEN)
• Detroit (DTW)
• Ft. Lauderdale (FLL)
• Honolulu (HNL)
• Indianapolis (IND)
• Jacksonville (JAX)
• Kansas City (MCI)
• Las Vegas (LAS)
• Los Angeles (LAX)
• Memphis (MEM)
• Miami (MIA)
• Milwaukee (MKE)
• Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP)
• Nashville (BNA)
• New Orleans (MSY)
• New York-Kennedy (JFK)
• New York-LaGuardia (LGA)
• Newark (EWR)
• Orlando (MCO)
• Philadelphia (PHL)
• Phoenix (PHX)
• Portland (PDX)
• Raleigh/Durham (RDU)
• Salt Lake City (SLC)
• San Diego (SAN)
• San Francisco (SFO)
• Seattle-Tacoma (SEA)
• Tampa (TPA)
• Tokyo-Haneda (HND)
• Washington-Reagan (DCA)
• West Palm Beach (PBI)

Delta Sky Club Access

While Delta Sky Clubs are my favorite domestic lounges, they have some of the most complicated access policies around. This is due, in part, to the fact that the lounges have become severely overcrowded in recent years thanks to premium credit card holders’ ability to access the lounge, though the airline has made changes to curb crowding.

It’s worth noting that, for all of the various access types, passengers are only allowed to access Sky Club lounges three hours or less prior to their scheduled departure. Connecting passengers, Delta 360 Members, and customers with a Lifetime Delta Sky Club Membership are exempt from this policy.

Delta Sky Club Membership

The most straightforward, though not necessarily the best, way to gain access to Delta Sky Clubs is by purchasing an annual membership. Unlike other airlines, Delta only allows Sky Club Memberships to be purchased by Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members. Delta offers two tiers for Sky Club Membership, an Executive Membership and an Individual Membership which can be purchased using cash or SkyMiles.

• Executive Membership: Unlimited Club access for the member and up to two guests (or spouse/domestic partner and children under 21) per visit. The annual rate for an Executive Membership is $1,495 or 149,500 SkyMiles.
• Individual Membership: Unlimited Club access for the member. Up to two guests (or spouse/domestic partner and children under 21) can be admitted for an extra fee ($50 or 5,000 SkyMiles per person per visit). The annual rate for an Individual Membership is $695 or 69,500 SkyMiles.

Diamond Medallion members can select either an Executive or Individual Sky Club membership as part of their annual choice benefits.

All Delta Sky Club membership holders and their guests can only access Sky Clubs when traveling on same-day Delta marketed or operated flights, or flights operated by partner airlines. Passengers on Basic Economy tickets, or partner equivalents, are not permitted access even with a Sky Club membership.

The only exception to this rule is for Delta Sky Club Lifetime Members which can continue to access Delta Sky Clubs when traveling same day on any airline, regardless of class of service. Unfortunately, Delta no longer sells lifetime memberships.

Delta One and SkyTeam Premium Passengers

Delta customers ticketed on a same-day domestic or international Delta One flight, or connecting to/from an international Delta One flight, can access the Sky Club. Passengers travelling on international flights (with the exception of flights between the U.S. and the Caribbean) on partner airlines that are ticketed in First or Business Class for the duration of their journey can also access the Delta Sky Club.

Mrs. ATX and I have used this access multiple times when flying KLM Business Class between Austin and Amsterdam.

Delta Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Medallion Members Traveling Internationally

Accessing the Delta Sky Club as a Medallion elite member is where things really start to get complicated. First of all, Silver Elite members don’t receive any access to Delta Sky Clubs based on their loyalty status. Silver Elite, it appears, is the status tier Delta wishes didn’t exist.

Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Medallion members on the other hand, can access Delta Sky Clubs if they are traveling in specific classes of service and traveling to a qualifying international destination.

Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Medallion members traveling in Delta Premium Select internationally or Delta One (or a partner airline equivalent) can access the Sky Club and are allowed to bring one guest. However, the guest must also be traveling in Premium Select or Delta One (or the partner airline equivalent). Delta also excludes flights between the U.S. and the Caribbean when it comes to qualifying international flights.

Delta no longer allows Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Medallion members traveling in Comfort+ or Main Cabin access to Sky Clubs unless they have another method of accessing the lounge.

Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Medallion members traveling in First Class (or a partner airline equivalent) on flights to or from Mexico, Canada, and Central America can also access Sky Clubs and are allowed to bring one guest, provided they are also traveling in First Class.

SkyTeam Elite Plus Members

SkyTeam Elite Plus is the highest tier or membership for the SkyTeam alliance. Elite Plus members who did not earn status through the Delta SkyMiles program can access Sky Clubs, regardless of cabin of service, as long as long as they are flying on, or connecting to/from, a same day international flight.

The SkyTeam alliance is made of of twenty different airlines from around the globe. If you’re a SkyTeam frequent flyer, check with your respective rewards program to ensure you have SkyTeam Elite Plus status. Also, be prepared to show your membership credentials when accessing Sky Clubs.

Like the other modes of entry outlined above, qualifying international flights do not include travel between the U.S. and the Caribbean. SkyTeam Elite Plus benefits do not include access to third party lounges that are operated for Delta customers.

Delta SkyMiles American Express Reserve Cardholders

One of the most common ways to enter airline lounges is by holding one of the airline’s co-branded credit cards. Delta has partnered with American Express as its card issuer and has a couple of different cards available. However, only the Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business cards allow for Sky Club access.

Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business credit card holders receive complimentary access to Sky Clubs when traveling on a same day Delta marketed or operated flight. Guests must show their card and photo ID in addition to their boarding pass to enter. While that sounds simple enough, Delta has added some new limitations affecting Reserve cardholders.

As of 2024, Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business credit card holders can no longer access the Sky Club when traveling in Basic Economy. Beginning February 1, 2025, cardholders are limited to 15 Sky Club visits per year unless they spent $75,000 or more on the card during the previous calendar year.

This change was made to alleviate crowding but comes at the expense of Delta’s most frequent flyers. All of this seems extremely punitive for a card with a $650 annual fee, but that is the length the airline is willing to go to in an effort to alleviate crowding. If you’re accessing the Sky Club using your Reserve card and have run out of visits, you can buy a single entry pass for $50 per person.

The nickel and diming doesn’t stop here, if you’re flying on a partner flight that isn’t operated by Delta, you’ll need to pay the $50 fee for a single entry pass. Two guests, or immediate family, can also access the Sky Cub for a $50 fee if they are travelling on a same-day Delta operated or marketed flight.

American Express Centurion Cardholders

American Express Centurion (Black Card) cardholders can access Delta Sky Clubs when traveling on a same day Delta operated flight or a Delta marketed flight operated by WestJet. Two guests, or immediate family, can also access the Sky Cub for a $50 fee if they are travelling on a same-day Delta operated or Delta marketed flight operated by WestJet. Grab and go lounges can be accessed for $25 per person. Guests must show their card and photo ID in addition to their boarding pass to enter.

Centurion cardholders traveling in Basic Economy can not access Delta Sky Clubs. However, unlike the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card, there is no limit on annual visits for Centurion cardholders.

American Express Platinum Cardholders

The way that most travelers enter Delta Sky Clubs, at least if social media is to be believed, is via the Platinum Card from American Express, not to be confused with the Delta SkyMiles American Express Platinum card which doesn’t grant access to the Sky Club. This is what Mrs. ATX and I use to enter when we travel.

Similar to the American Express Centurion Card, cardholders can access Delta Sky Clubs when traveling on a same day Delta operated flight or a Delta marketed flight operated by WestJet. Two guests, or immediate family, can also access the Sky Cub for a $50 fee if they are travelling on a same-day Delta operated or Delta marketed flight operated by WestJet. Grab and go lounges can be accessed for $25 per person.

In addition to the stipulations outlined above, guests must show their card and photo ID in addition to their boarding pass to enter. Passengers traveling in Basic Economy can not access Delta Sky Clubs using their Platinum Card.

Similar to the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card, visits to the Sky Club are limited to 10 per year for AmEx Platinum cardholders unless they spent $75,000 or more on the card during the previous calendar year beginning February 1, 2025. If you’re accessing the Sky Club using your AmEx Platinum card and have run out of visits, you can buy a single entry pass for $50 per person.

LATAM Business Class Passengers

Delta has multiple joint ventures and partnerships outside of the SkyTeam alliance and one of those is with South American carrier LATAM. Delta allows LATAM Business Class passengers to access Sky Clubs with a same day boarding pass for international travel or when connecting to/from an international flight. No guest access is permitted or available for purchase.

LATAM Black Signature, Black, or Platinum LATAM Pass Members

LATAM Pass Signature Black Emerald, Black Emerald, or Platinum Sapphire members may access Delta Sky Clubs with a same day boarding pass in any class of service on or connecting to an international flight operated by Delta or LATAM. Members of LATAM Pass are allowed to bring one guest free of charge.

WestJet Business Class Passengers

Delta allows WestJet Business Class passengers to access Sky Clubs with a same day boarding pass for international travel or when connecting to/from an international flight on operated by Delta or WestJet. No guest access is permitted or available for purchase.

WestJet Rewards Platinum and Gold Members

WestJet Rewards Platinum and Gold members can enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a same day transborder flight between the United States and Canada operated by Delta or WestJet. One guest is permitted to accompany the WestJet rewards member.

Other Delta Co-Branded Credit Cards

Delta has partnered with Diners Club and VISA on three, lesser known, credit cards that offer Delta Sky Club access. All of these cards have visit restrictions like the Delta SkyMiles Reserve and American Express Platinum cards, though these are more punitive. To be honest, before doing the research for this guide, I had no idea the following cards even existed.

Delta SkyMiles Diners Club Card

Delta SkyMiles Diners Club cardholders receive three complimentary visits per year or for three individuals in a calendar year when traveling on Delta. Cardholders must show their card and photo ID in addition to their boarding pass to enter. Passengers traveling on Basic Economy tickets are not allowed entry to the Sky Club.

Delta SkyMiles TRUST CLUB Platinum VISA Card

Delta SkyMiles TRUST CLUB Platinum VISA cardholders receive six complimentary visits per year or for six individuals in a calendar year when traveling on Delta. Cardholders must show their card and photo ID in addition to their boarding pass to enter. Passengers traveling on Basic Economy tickets are not allowed entry to the Sky Club.

Delta SkyMiles TRUST CLUB Gold VISA Card

Delta SkyMiles TRUST CLUB Gold VISA cardholders receive three complimentary visits per year or for three individuals in a calendar year when traveling on Delta. Cardholders must show their card and photo ID in addition to their boarding pass to enter. Passengers traveling on Basic Economy tickets are not allowed entry to the Sky Club.

Summary

If you made it this far, consider me impressed. Delta has some of the most complicated lounge access requirements of any airline out there and you may have gotten to this point with more questions than answers.

Delta Sky Club entry requirements have gotten so complicated in part due to the severe crowding that have plagued the lounges in recent years. Hopefully, while punitive for cardholders, the spend requirements will limit the amount of folks in the Sky Clubs. I’m not optimistic on this front as many people hold AmEx Platinum and SkyMiles Reserve cards that don’t travel more than 10-15 times per year.

I’m sure Delta will continue to modify Sky Club access requirements in the future and, as these changes are announced, we’ll update this post to include that information.