Does Delta First Class Ticket Include Sky Club?
IS Sky Club Membership Free for Delta First Class Tickets?
When a person is booking a flight and is a regular Delta airline passenger, often the first question they ask is, Does my first class ticket give me access to the Delta Sky Club? With features such as free food and non-alcoholic beverages, Wi-Fi, shower, etc., the Delta Sky Club is a sanctuary during a trip. Does getting this ticket mean you have to get into this airport lounge?
The answer to this question is no. As mentioned earlier, Delta first class tickets alone do not offer Delta Sky Club access. However, to use the Sky Club lounges, you will need to obtain a membership or one-day pass. In some circumstances, first-class passengers are granted access to Delta’s Sky Club. In the next few paragraphs, you will be learning about how you can obtain Sky Club access when you are on a Delta first-class flight.
Who is Delta Sky Club?
The Delta Sky Club is actually over 50 airport lounges that are owned and operated by Delta for travelers new to the concept. The lounges are comfortable areas to unwind before your flight and they include beverages, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, refreshments which are free, newspapers, business facilities such as a printer, and free fast wifi, among others. Some places also provide showering services.
Sky Club locations include tables, booths, high-top solutions, as well as workstations. The atmosphere is luxurious but not excessively posh to intimidate business travelers or families with children. It is far more convenient than waiting in the gate area where there is heavy congestion and people around. The access is only given to Delta Sky Club members, its customers with Delta One or Delta Business Class international tickets, and other Delta customers with appropriate tickets who decide to pay for the day pass.
Complimentary Sky Club access is granted to:
Complimentary Sky Club access varies depending on your frequent flyer status and the cabin class on your flight.
Diamond or Platinum Medallions: These high-status frequent flyers are entitled to access Sky Club in any class on a Delta-marketed or Delta connection. First Class on International Flights: Customers traveling in First Class on Delta One are entitled to Sky Club access on the day of international travel on flights marketed and operated by Delta. Also included are customers in partner airlines’ international first-class cabins marketed and operated by Delta on the day of travel. Examples include codeshares between Delta and Virgin Australia on LAX-Sydney routes, where the Delta flight number is shown but the aircraft is operated by Virgin Australia. Business Class on International Flights: Delta One travel class tickets come with one-day Sky Club access for travelers who are flying out of the United States. Delta Corporate Travelers: Some corporate or contract customers can have access to this Sky Club. Employees should consult with the management to find out if the company has made an arrangement. Now let me explain, First of all, Sky Club access is not included for those who have first-class tickets for domestic flights within the United States with Delta. Sadly, this means that United or American elites cannot gain access even with Medallion status while flying Delta. The only domestic first-class tickets that one can use to enter are on flights like LAX to Sydney in international First Class if marketed and operated by Delta. Every other First Class cabin that is offered on domestic routes within the United States does not allow access to Sky Club.
How Can I Access Sky Club with a Domestic First Class Ticket?
If you are flying domestic First Class within the United States on Delta and still want Sky Club access, you have a couple of options:
Purchase an Annual Membership Join the SkyMiles American Express Card Program Buy a Single-Day Pass
Delta Sky Club Annual Membership Costs Regular travelers on Delta can get a membership pass to the Sky Club on an annual basis. Membership prices are:
Individual: $545 per year Executive: $845 per year and includes guest access. Individual 1-Day Pass:
It costs $39 per person to stay in a civilian’s home and $45 per person for a family homestay.
The Individual membership grants you the privilege of accessing Sky Club locations for yourself exclusively when you are on a journey with a ticket purchased with Delta Airlines. The Executive tier is more expensive but you can have two guests for each visit. An Individual 1-day pass is also offered if the concept of membership appears irrelevant in some cases.
Delta SkyMiles American Express Credit Cards: Some of the Delta co-branded American Express cards offer the key feature of the membership of the Sky Club, among other benefits. Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express both include it in their perks. The Delta SkyMiles® Blue and Delta SkyMiles® Gold cards that are entry-level cards do not have this feature.
Day Pass Options A single-day pass to Sky Club is available to any Delta passenger who wishes to access the lounge and can be bought online or directly at the lounge. The rates begin from $39 for one place visit. Delta also provides one-day passes for the regions and the entire globe at an increased price, which permits the use of any Sky Club within the region. Prices are:
One Club 1-Day Pass: $39; Regional Day Pass: $59 (U. S. & Canada). Diamond Membership: $150 (Visits worldwide)
Is the guest free if you have a paid first class ticket?
Delta first-class tickets with domestic routes in the US do not allow any guest to access the Sky Club for free. If the first-class ticket does not involve an international Delta One flight that originates in the U. S., there is a fee for guest access. Executive Members are allowed to have up to two guests with them at no extra charge.
The only exception to this is the Medallion Member. Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Medallions can be invited to bring up to two guests or immediate family members per visit when the Medallion Member has Sky Club access.
Is Sky Club included in the Discount Upgrade to First Class?
When you upgrade your economy ticket at the time of check-in or the gate, in a way, you are buying a heavily discounted one-way first-class ticket. Thus, these upgrades do not include Sky Club access, as it is still considered a domestic First Class ticket. The small fee that one has to pay to upgrade to those available but unsold first-class seats is not enough to warrant entry into the lounge.
What about Air France or Virgin Australia Lounges?
Virgin Australia and Air France’s Delta partnership lounges cannot be accessed with a Delta domestic first class ticket. This means that while Delta has partner lounges, the day pass is only available at the Delta Sky Club locations. When flying through Los Angeles and other gateway cities to Sydney, Melbourne, or Paris, passengers are allowed to access Virgin Australia and Air France lounges if they are flying in their partner's first-class cabins. However, a domestic first class ticket on Delta does not allow one to access partner lounges for some reason.
Maximizing Sky Club Benefits
It is important to note that first-class passengers do not get access to Delta Sky Club on domestic U. S. flights for free but they can try tricks to make the most out of paid access. If buying a paid ticket, search for Global or Regional options that will cover your entire travel as opposed to just a club. Also, it is advisable to apply for a Delta Amex card that offers free access as one of the benefits of being a cardholder to help in cutting on expenses.
And do not forget that access is possible with a fee even if not flying in the eligible First Business Class international cabins. Any ticketed customer is allowed by Delta to purchase a pass and wait comfortably before his flight.
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