What Can You Expect at the New Delta One Lounge at JFK International?

There’s a new standard for airport lounges.

Delta Air Lines this week officially opened The Delta One Lounge at New York’s JFK International Airport, a space that is expected to raise the bar for airport lounges not just for Delta, and not just in the U.S., but for the industry as a whole. 

The lounge, available to same-day arriving or departing Delta One passengers and invite-only 360 members flying first class, is between concourses A and B at JFK’s Terminal 4, right by the main security checkpoint. At 39,000 sq. ft., it comes in as the largest ever Sky Club, and Delta, now and in the run-up to the opening, has stressed that it will raise the bar for airport lounges everywhere.

Its marketing has gone far enough to tell visitors to “step inside and you’ll forget you’re in an airport” and call the lounge an “experience” more than a “location.”

What’s the experience like?
That experience starts at the main arrival area at Terminal 4, where Delta One customers are greeted by a team of service agents, kicking off white-glove service with warm towels and refreshments. They’ll then be whisked through a private TSA screening lane; all part of the “exclusivity” that Delta is trying to create.

Once travelers get into the lounge, there’s no shortage of options to spend the time before their flight. Much of it is inspired by the city that the lounge calls home.

What is the food like? 
There’s a premium bar, offering “elevated takes on classic cocktails,” with an art-deco design, gold-leaf ceiling, and classic chandeliers that echo the vibes at New York’s Radio City Music Hall.

There’s also a Market and Bakery that pays homage to New York’s brasseries, offering some baked goods and seasonal culinary offerings.

Then there’s a separate, full 140-seat dining room called The Lounge that offers a three-course meal service with a menu from Restaurant Associates and Danny Meyer’s Union Square Events. The menu includes dishes like Hamachi crudo, steak tartare, and lasagna Bolognese.

What else does the lounge offer? 
Outside of the food, the new Delta One at JFK lounge offers a dedicated wellness area, with nine reservable relaxation pods, all with full-body massage chairs and nap chairs. The wellness area also offers access to treatments from certified therapists.

Adjacent to that wellness area is a Serenity Lounge, which Delta says is specifically designed “for pre-flight peace of mind” with specialty lighting and some non-alcoholic fruit and herb-infused waters and juices.

Then, there are eight shower suites, each one with towels, bathrobes, slippers, and Grown Alchemist products, available to guests. During their time in the suites, they’ll also be able to leave items inside a suite closet so that a valet attendant can steam their shirts or shine their shoes.

There are also soundproof booths for travelers looking for time to work before their flight. And, for those who need it, Delta offers access to a second monitor in the lounge. 

Finally, there’s an outdoor space called the Terrace, which has a retractable roof, allowing Delta to open it all year long. 

What’s next? 
More Delta One lounges are coming, with two more scheduled to open later this year at Los Angeles International (LAX) and Boston Logan International (BOS).