As part of its push to pull in more “premium” travelers, Delta recently reached a milestone: The airline now offers dedicated Delta One check-in areas for business class passengers at all its major U.S. hub airports.
Just don't expect white glove service, expedited security, or an exclusive lounge everywhere yet.
After opening exclusive check-in areas for travelers booked in Delta One business class in hubs like New York City (JFK) and Boston (BOS), Delta previously indicated it would expand those areas to all its hubs by the end of the year. While the airline hasn't made a formal announcement, a spokesperson confirmed this week that Delta One check-in areas are now open nationwide.
That includes longstanding locations in New York, Los Angeles (LAX), and Boston; a recently opened outpost – complete with a new Delta One Lounge – in Seattle; and relatively new additions at smaller hubs like:
- Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP)
- Salt Lake City (SLC)
- Detroit (DTW)
- Atlanta (ATL) had a longstanding Delta One check-in location
At a minimum, these check-in areas give business class customers a cozy and dedicated spot to check in and shorter queues to drop off baggage. It's only available to Delta One passengers ahead of a long-haul international flight – plus, some select transcontinental routes and flights to Hawaii. Travelers with invite-only Delta 360 Medallion status can also use it.
But much like Delta One seats themselves onboard the plane, not all these exclusive check-in areas are created equally: Some are far, far better than others.
At the high end, you've got outposts like New York City (JFK) – the first hub with a dedicated (and massive) Delta One Lounge. Here, Delta One passengers can head to their own private corridor to check in, then continue onward to an exclusive security screening area that puts them just steps away from the lounge.
Los Angeles (LAX) also has its own check-in area with private security and lounge access, while Delta One Lounges (complete with dedicated check-in areas) opened in Boston and Seattle recently.
At airports without Delta One Lounges, however, there's less to get excited about.
At our home base of Minneapolis, for instance, the new Delta One check-in area is located across the road from the terminal entrance, accessible via the “Flex Lane” for departures by Door 8, near where rideshare drivers previously picked up passengers. That means Delta One passengers need to take an escalator and walk across the skyway to reach the terminal itself – not the most convenient setup. Nor is there any special security access beyond the usual Sky Priority lane.
The room itself has some leather armchairs to relax, fake plants, and dedicated service on hand. But that's it.
At other new outposts like Salt Lake City, it's clear Delta merely put up plastic dividers to give passengers an exclusive area to check in.
Each location will offer at a minimum the following perks.
- Private or semi-private entrance
- Dedicated staff
- Shorter wait times and expedited bag drop
- Upscale design and premium branding
- Light refreshments such as coffee, water, and snacks
Even just comparing photos, it's clear to see how much effort (or lack thereof…) Delta has put into its various hubs' premium experiences.
What's Next for Delta?
Dedicated check-in areas won't be the end of it.
While just four Delta hubs currently have dedicated Delta One lounges for business class passengers, CEO Ed Bastian has said all eight hubs will eventually get their own Delta One Lounge. But the airline has laid out no timeline for when that might happen.
Clearly, Delta prioritized building out these bigger lounges at ultra-competitive airports like JFK, Boston, and Seattle – not Minneapolis, Salt Lake, or Atlanta, where Delta dominates … and thus doesn't need to offer higher-end amenities to poach consumers.
Meanwhile, Delta continues to focus on bringing in new planes – or retrofitting older jets – with newer Delta One Suites.
The airline has said it will replace outdated business class seats on its older Airbus A330 fleet with Delta One suites – though, again, hasn't laid out a clear timeline yet. Unfortunately, business class cabins on their older Boeing 767-300s will not be replaced before those planes are retired altogether.
All the while, Delta keeps taking delivery of more Airbus A350s and A330-900neos, ensuring those planes – and Delta One suites – become more and more commonplace.
Bottom Line
Delta has officially opened a dedicated Delta One check-in area at all eight of its major hubs.
These new areas offer private entrances, dedicated staff, expedited bag drops, and fit in with Delta's bid to be your “premium” airline of choice. But adjust your expectations: Don't expect a private security queue or business class lounge at all the Delta hubs just yet.
