After opening stunning new lounges in Los Angeles (LAX) and New York City-LaGuardia (LGA), Delta has some big plans for expanding its Sky Club network in the months and years ahead. Now, Delta just planted a flag over in Tokyo.
More than two years after first announcing its plans, Delta on Friday finally opened its Sky Club in Tokyo-Haneda (HND). It's Delta's only international lounge location, replacing the old Tokyo-Narita (NRT) Sky Club after the airline abandoned that airport in favor of the more-centrally located Haneda. Delta is the only U.S. airline with its own lounge inside Haneda, too.
And it looks like an absolute stunner. Clocking in at just over 9,000 square feet, it's not massive by any means – though it should be more than large enough to handle Delta's few flights in and out of the Japanese capital. But the lounge is open and bright thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows on several sides, with plenty of seating and power outlets nearby, high-quality finishes, and plenty of Japanese design flair.
The new lounge is located in Haneda's Terminal 3, up on the fifth floor. The lounge's opening hours have not yet been published.
“We’ve been looking forward to this day for years,” Claude Roussel, the managing director for Sky Clubs, said in a statement. “Bringing the signature Delta Sky Club experience to Haneda as we continue to grow our network of premium, one-of-a-kind lounges is a huge moment for our Asia-Pacific partners, and all future Haneda Club customers.”
As you might expect, there are some extra amenities and eats you won't find in your average Delta lounge. For starters, there's a made-to-order noodle bar along with buffet featuring Asian-inspired bites and a beautiful bar featuring complimentary cocktails like a Sake Blossom Cosmo. If you want to freshen up before a flight out of Tokyo, there are five private shower suites, too.
Unfortunately, Japan remains closed to nearly all tourists today … with no sure signal of when that may change. Delta still hasn't brought back its normal schedule to Tokyo, as it's currently only flying there from its hubs in Seattle (SEA), Atlanta (ATL), and Detroit (DTW) – and just a few times a week. Service from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP), Portland (PDX), Los Angeles (LAX), and Honolulu (HNL) is currently scheduled to start back up in late October, though there's no guarantee those all resume this fall.
But as travelers eventually head back for Tokyo, there are several ways to get into this new Sky Club. Of course, all passengers flying in Delta One Suites can pop in before their flight. It's unclear whether travelers flying up front with Delta's partner airlines like Korean Air or Vietnam Airlines can use the lounge.
But even flyers back in economy can get complimentary Delta Sky Club access with the right credit cards so long as they're flying Delta that day. That includes The Platinum Card® from American Express as well as the top-tier Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card.
Delta recently tightened up the access restrictions for Sky Clubs to combat overcrowding: You can only get into the lounge within three hours of a departing flight. After a brief uproar, the airline backtracked on its plans to cut access upon arrival – though that won't be an option in Tokyo as you'll need to clear customs and immigration.
This new Tokyo lounge was first announced way back in February 2020, aiming to open in time for the Olympics that summer. But the pandemic put those plans on pause … only temporarily.
This new space should be a massive step up for Delta's premium cabin passengers, who previously could use the TIAT Annex Lounge – a contract lounge used by several other airlines. During a brief visit before a Delta One flight a few years ago, we found that lounge was large and somewhat empty but unremarkable.
Bottom Line
Tokyo is a magical city, and Haneda is a phenomenal airport to get in and out. With this new Delta Sky Club, it just got much better for Delta flyers.
Japan remains largely closed to travelers, but this new Tokyo-Haneda Sky Club should be a treat when tourism restarts.
Is the Delta Lounge in Haneda open 24 hrs?
Do delta one passengers get access to the JAL lounge at Haneda like other sky team airlines?
No, until this lounge opens they get access to the TIAT Annex Lounge, which is OK. See a mini-review here: https://thriftytraveler.com/delta-one-suites-review-tokyo-minneapolis/
I am flying to Tokyo at the end of April and coming back early May and was wondering if there is any plan for Haneda to get any priority pass lounges?
Not that we’re aware of currently.