Delta Air Lines is limiting access to its sought-after airport lounges, putting new restrictions in place this month for travelers who use a credit card membership to get in.
The new rules, which went into effect over the weekend on Feb. 1, will now limit the number of times travelers can enter a lounge, depending on the type of credit card they have. The changes are an extension of the carrier’s loyalty program overhaul and an effort to address crowding at Sky Club lounges.
Going forward, travelers who hold a Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express card or a Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express card will now be able to visit a lounge up to 15 times each year, while travelers who hold an American Express Platinum card or an American Express Business Platinum card will now be able to access a lounge up to 10 times each year. Platinum card members traveling on a basic economy ticket have not been allowed to access Sky Club lounges since 2024.
Each of these card holders can earn unlimited visits if they spend at least $75,000 in eligible purchases. If these travelers use up all of their allotted lounge visits, they may purchase access for $50 per person, per visit.
Travelers who have a layover, however, will be able to access multiple lounges in a 24-hour period, which will only count toward one official “visit,” according to Delta. In addition, the airline said travelers will be able to access multiple Sky Clubs as a single “visit” if they are traveling on a same-day roundtrip itinerary as long as the entry on their return flight is within 24 hours of their initial entry.
Travelers who hold multiple eligible cards may take advantage of each card’s individual visit allotment.
The changes come as Delta has focused on opening new and larger lounges, including expanding its Sky Club at New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA), opening its first-ever Sky Club at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT), and expanding its premium Delta One lounges at airports across the country.
