Delta unveils spacious new Sky Club at ATL
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The lounge features work by Atlanta artists. Photo: Thomas Wheatley/Axios
Travelers flying in and out of Concourse D at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport have a bigger Sky Club starting today.
Driving the news: This morning, the airline opens the doors to its eighth Sky Club in the world's busiest airport.
- The 24,000-square-foot lounge with more than 500 seats — the most of Delta's Sky Clubs at Hartsfield-Jackson — is Atlanta's first new lounge since 2016.
Zoom in: Key features include six private (and basically soundproof) phone booths for business calls; an enter-from-the-middle buffet bar to keep travelers moving; and panoramic sunrise and sunset views of takeoffs and landings.
Catch up quick: Claude Roussel, who oversees the airline's Sky Clubs, told Axios he was given a mandate when he took the job 11 years ago: "Make the Sky Club a reason to fly Delta."
- They've found success, Roussel said, by serving a universe of travelers with different wants and needs but who are all seeking a seamless experience.
- That includes small details like the discreet yet visible placement of power stations — 90% of the new lounge's seats have a place to plug in — to the easy-to-find bathrooms with touchless entry and a nut-free food program to reduce anxiety about potential allergic reactions.
Vibe: "Southern charm meets city flair," Delta said. "[T]he new outpost is by far the nicest that Delta offers in Atlanta," according to The Points Guy.
The big picture: The wildly popular Sky Clubs are central to Delta's business model and its bet that people will pay a premium for travel without the hassle.
- In addition to increasing the number of premium seats on flights, the airline is opening Delta One lounges for business travelers.
- Plans call for an Atlanta location in the near future, the AJC reports.