Katie Genter is a digital nomad who has traveled full time since June 2017. She writes and edits stories about points and miles, and loyalty programs, often letting her personal experiences color these stories.
Sarah Hostetler Contributor Richard Kerr ContributorRichard Kerr is a veteran naval officer and founder of the Award Travel 101 Facebook community. He’s one of the foremost experts in points and miles strategy, featured in Forbes, US News, Money Magazine, Kiplinger Personal Finance and presented at #SXSW 2017. Richard has visited over 45 countries, lived in England and Japan, and spends his spare time dissecting loyalty program award charts to maximize the value of points and miles. Richard holds a BBA in International Business and has his wife and two small children in tow for his travels as often as possible.
Victoria M. Walker ContributorVictoria M. "Vikkie" Walker is a former TPG senior travel reporter, where she covered deep-dives and features with an emphasis on coronavirus and travel. Vikkie is a former college journalism professor who now lives in New York City with her pug, Migo.
Darren Murph Senior Strategist/WriterDarren holds the Guinness World Record as the planet's most prolific professional blogger, a feat he achieved in 2010. He's a seasoned storyteller, instructor and communicator, working across marketing, editorial and public relations for some of the world's most progressive brands. He's an explorer at heart, having traversed nearly 50 countries and all 50 US states. He's flown over one million miles on Delta alone, and takes pride in facilitating unforgettable excursions using points and miles.
Nick Ellis Contributor Sept. 15, 2023 9 min read
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However, the airline has taken multiple steps to significantly reduce how many flyers have Delta Sky Club access, with the most drastic changes set to take effect in 2025. So, here's what you need to know about the various ways you can get Delta Sky Club access.
One easy way to get Delta Sky Club access is to hold a credit card that grants access. Here's a look at when you can get access with some of the best cards for Sky Club access:
Note that all the above cards only provide access to the cardmember. You can add authorized users to each of these cards to get access for friends and family members, but each card charges a set fee for authorized user cards. You can also pay $50 per person, per visit ($25 per person, per visit at grab-and-go locations) to bring up to two guests or your immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21).
However, starting Feb. 1, 2025, Delta will limit how many times you can visit a Sky Club in each program year (Feb. 1 through Jan. 31 of the following year) as follows:
You'll be able to remove the cap on Sky Club visits through the end of the following Medallion year (Jan. 31) if you spend $75,000 or more during a calendar year on one of the eligible credit cards. But that's a lot of spending to put on one card.
Also, if you have the Delta Reserve card and travel on a Delta partner airline on flights not marketed or operated by Delta, you can enter a Sky Club for $50 per person, per visit or a grab-and-go location for $25 per person, per location.
Daily Newsletter Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s expertsIf you have elite status with Delta, you can purchase a Sky Club membership outright with cash or SkyMiles. There are two types of Sky Club memberships:
These memberships provide Sky Club access when flying Delta or select partners as long as you aren't flying in basic economy.
With an individual membership, only the member can enter the Sky Club. However, the member can pay $50 per guest, per visit ($25 per guest, per visit for grab-and-go locations) for up to two guests or immediate family members.
Meanwhile, an executive membership is handy for those who anticipate frequently bringing guests with them into the club. You can bring up to two guests or your immediate family for free and up to two more guests for $50 per guest, per visit ($25 per guest, per visit for grab-and-go locations).
We currently value SkyMiles at 1.15 cents each. This means an individual membership would cost you about $834 if paid using SkyMiles, while an executive membership would cost about $1,794 worth of SkyMiles.
There are several ways you might get Delta Sky Club access as a benefit of your elite status.
For example, Diamond and Platinum Medallion members get to select Choice Benefits each Medallion year. And some of the Delta Choice Benefits can provide Delta Sky Club access as follows:
Delta Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion members can also access Sky Club lounges when traveling in Premium Select or Delta One seats on a same-day, international itinerary. These members may also get Delta Sky Club access when traveling in first class to Mexico, Canada and Central America.
If you are a SkyTeam Elite Plus member from another airline, you can access Delta Sky Club lounges if you are traveling on a SkyTeam international flight (excluding between the U.S. and the Caribbean) or a SkyTeam domestic flight connecting to or from a SkyTeam international flight.
There are also a few airlines that give Delta Sky Club access as an elite status benefit, including:
Both domestic and international Delta One (which is different from domestic first class on Delta) passengers, as well as anyone flying on a same-day international first-class or business-class ticket on a SkyTeam-operated flight (you must be confirmed in business class or first class for every segment of your ticket), get Sky Club lounge access regardless of elite status or membership. You can enter the club even if you're on a domestic Delta flight connecting to or from a same-day international Delta One flight.
Delta defines international travel as Europe, Asia, South America, Central America, Africa, Canada and Mexico (but not the Caribbean) for lounge access purposes.
Additionally, Delta partners with several other airlines to provide Sky Club access to their premium cabin passengers:
If you regularly fly Delta or live in or travel to a hub city, having Sky Club access can make your travel experience much more enjoyable.
While Delta has tightened Sky Club access rules, there are still some ways to gain access — especially if you avoid booking basic economy fares. For example, top-tier Diamond Medallion members can redeem Choice Benefits for a Delta Sky Club membership, while anyone with Delta elite status can still pay cash or redeem miles for a Delta Sky Club membership.
In addition, some premium credit cards still provide complimentary lounge access, although visits will be capped starting Feb. 1, 2025, unless you meet specific spending thresholds in the 2024 calendar year.
Featured image by ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUYEditorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
