New York LaGuardia has undergone a multibillion-dollar top to bottom renovation of the airport and terminals. Delta Air Lines has invested over 3.9 Billion in transforming the existing terminals C and D into a reimagined consolidated arrivals and departures hall in terminal C. A part of the renovations of the terminal areas include a new and expanded Delta Sky Club. Delta Sky Clubs have come under scrutiny by many passengers for their new restrictions on lounge access and issues with overcrowding. As air travel has rebounded to pre pandemic levels, will the new Delta Sky Club at New York’s LaGuardia be able to handle the return to full capacity?
In this review:
🛋️Who can access the lounge?
🛋️Entering the lounge
🛋️First impressions
🛋️Buffet options
🛋️Business area
🛋️Final boarding call
Who can access the lounge?
Delta Air Lines had made modifications to their policy regarding who can access Delta Sky Clubs. Day passes are no longer available for purchase. Purchasing a yearly Delta Sky Club pass is now only available for SkyMiles medallion members. Access into the Sky Club is available through many different ways including:
- A lounge membership (available to Delta SkyMiles Medallion members only).
- A Delta One or Premium Cabin ticket.
- SkyTeam Elite Plus members.
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card holders.
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card holders ($50 per person to access lounge).
- Centurion and Platinum American Express Card holders.
- LATAM Black Signature, Black or Platinum LATAM Pass members.
- A Virgin Atlantic Business Class ticket.
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Gold members.
- A WestJet Business Class ticket
- WestJet Rewards Gold and Platinum members.
More information on accessing Delta Sky Clubs can be found by visiting Delta Air Lines website.
Entering the lounge
Traveling through the New LaGuardia Terminal C there are digital maps and overhead signage providing directions to the Sky Club. There are two Sky Clubs in terminal C with the new lounge located in the Sky Way and the second lounge located near gate 81. Approaching the Sky Club Sky Way lounge, there was a long line divided into two sections. Depending on lounge eligibility, passengers were directed where to que by Delta Air Lines staff. Gold American Express members were advised that due to the volume in the lounge they will not be able to access the lounge at the moment. Some customers in one of the lines was advised that there will be a wait time to enter the lounge and that any flights departing in excess three hours from now were advised to return to the lounge later. After a short wait in the que, we entered the lounge lobby and further check in at the desk located adjacent to the doors leading into the lounge. After checking in, escalators and elevators lead to the main lounge area.
First impressions
Upon reaching the main lounge area it immediately became apparent how crowded the Sky Club was. There is a small entrance area serving as a mini lobby for the lounge. There are options to turn right or straight which leads to the main seating areas of the lounge. To the right of the mini lobby are restrooms and areas for staff members. The lounge is shaped like a large horseshoe with seating on either side and a buffet, restrooms and support areas in the center. Seating options vary but include tables, lounge chairs and booths. Many seating areas were completely occupied during this visit. It seemed that there were many parts of the lounge where there were large crowds of people circulating throughout including many of the common areas. The overall décor had a bright and airy color pallet with the majority of walls and flooring sporting a white and grey color scheme with wooden accents throughout. Many of the artwork in the Sky Club featured photographs and paintings inspired by local New York City landmarks.
Buffet options
Heading to the buffet area in the center of the lounge was a line spanning the entire space. Staff handed passengers waiting in line plates, speeding up the que in the buffet area. Complimentary food options included sandwiches, tofu, barbeque chicken thighs, rice, soup and salads. Seating in the lounge during this particular visit was very limited. There are various seating options including booths, tables with plugs and individual seating. There were open seats toward the rear of the lounge. These seats were low to the ground and faced each other in a dark green and brown color pallet. Walking to the other side of the lounge was a much less crowded buffet area and bar. Located on either side is a departure board showing the latest departures and up to date gate information for Delta Air Lines and WestJet.
Business area
Tucked away near the rear of the lounge is a small business area with individual seating and fully enclosed phone booths. Next to the booths are tables set up as a standing space with power outlets. This area was a lot less busy and noisy when compared to the rest of the lounge. A single printer is located adjacent to the phone booths. The individual seating in this area may be preferrable to travelers looking to get work completed or to just relax in a quieter space. This area also had a significant amount of available seating during this visit. The business area was the only part of the lounge that did not have a departure board so it is advised to watch the time or consult the closest departure board located by the lounge entrance.
Final boarding call
Delta Air Line’s Sky Club Sky Way at New York LaGuardia is a step in the right direction in terms of lounge design and atmosphere but does little to alleviate the overcrowding issues occurring in many of the Delta Sky Clubs. Overall, there was a very busy and chaotic atmosphere throughout the lounge beginning with the long line outside of the entrance. Many of the food from the buffet area lacked flavor, especially when compared to other airline lounges. The staff working the desk and line area moved people through the best they could but did not present a welcoming demeanor. Compared to other airline lounges, the staff seemed to just be going through the motion. While the design of the lounge has personality inspired by New York artwork and a modern theme, the layout of the lounge did seemed inefficient. There were some parts of the lounge that were spread out while other parts had seating set up very close to one another. The overall flow of the lounge created bottlenecks around the entrance and main buffet area. Personally, airline lounges generally present a calming area away from the chaos of the gate area, however the Delta Sky Club at New York LaGuardia’s Terminal C Sky Way did just opposite of that.