Over the last few weeks, Delta has announced many changes and upgrades coming later this year. The airline is looking to refresh its select Boeing 737-800 and alter the seat configuration of its A350-900 aircraft.
In addition, Delta has announced that 2024 will see the launch of its premium lounges. Also, Delta will be opening a few new Sky Clubs and expanding some of its main Sky Club locations. Addressing the upcoming developments, Delta’s Vice President of Brand Experience, Mauricio Parise, stated:
“Delta is committed to creating a consistent and elevated customer experience across all touchpoints of the travel journey, which includes offering the best products for our customers while in-flight…Enhancing our aircraft interiors with select retrofits will give customers more premium options to choose from.”
Changes to Boeing 737-800 Aircraft
Delta announced that it will be revamping its Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The refresh will affect Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin but will not be rolled out across the fleet only to select aircraft.
Features of the refresh include the addition of 10-inch Panasonic seatback screens. These will have access to the Delta Studio entertainment package. The package features over 1,000 hours of complimentary premium entertainment, including everything from TV shows to films.
Delta will also be making some upgrades to the aircraft airframe. This will be done by installing split-scimitar winglets instead of the current winglets. The change will dramatically impact aircraft fuel consumption. And should result in savings of over 3.3 million gallons of fuel per year.
Delta has also indicated that further cabin upgrades will be coming to the Boeing 757 and other wide-body jets in the future.
Additional Delta One Seats On the A350-900S
As part of the announcement, Delta said it would add more Delta One seats on its A350-900S aircraft. Currently, the aircraft has 32 seats, but Delta plans to increase this number to 40.
Oscape flew these seats last year, and the experience was mixed. The crew was superb, but luck meant there were seat problems, and overall, the experience was underwhelming, to say the least. That said, there would be no hesitation in flying the product again.
In addition to the extra Delta One seats, Delta is tweaking the configuration to feature 40 Delta Premium Select cabin seats, 36 extra-legroom seats in Delta Comfort+, and 159 Main Cabin seats. These new modified aircraft are scheduled to enter service later this summer.
Delta Premium Lounges
2024 will see Delta launch its premium lounge collection and finally catch up with United and AA with their Polaris and Flagship lounges, respectively. So far, Delta has indicated that its first three premium lounge locations will be:
- New York JFK.
- Los Angeles LAX
- Boston BOS.
The new lounges will aim to bring a truly premium experience and upgraded level of service than currently available in Sky Clubs. However, Delta has indicated that no two premium lounges will be similar. In fact, every lounge will incorporate elements of the city it is in to give it a unique flavor that cannot be found anywhere else.
The first premium lounge is expected to launch at JFK in June 2024. The new massive 38,000-square-foot will feature the following:
- Full-service brasserie.
- Casual service brasserie.
- Chef-assisted food market with open kitchen.
- A dedicated wellness area.
The Boston BOS premium lounge and the Los Angeles LAX premium lounge are expected to be operational by Q4 2024.
Premium Lounge Access Policy
At this point in time, Delta has not put the final touches to its premium lounge access policy. However, according to the Vice President – Sky Club and Lounge Experience Claude Roussel:
“We want each of our guests to receive a highly personalized and dedicated level of service…It’s not enough to have beautiful spaces and exceptional offerings. Premium lounge customers should feel welcomed and known when they walk in the door, just as they would at their favorite hotel or restaurant. We look forward to providing that warm welcome and making ‘premium’ feel personal for each guest.”
Considering the problems Delta has had with overcrowding in its Sky Clubs. And the fact it had to take drastic measures near the end of last year to reduce access. We expect the criteria for premium lounge access to be much stricter. Possibly, it may be restricted to the highest level of elite and those flying in paid premium cabins. However, we will have to wait and see what Delta has got up its sleeve in access terms.
New Delta Sky Clubs and Expansion
Aside from the premium lounges, Delta announced that it will open a couple of new lounges and expand a couple of its existing locations to add capacity.
Seattle SEA: Delta plans to open its second lounge in SEA, located on the A Concourse. The new lounge is expected to be ready by Q4 2024 and will be over 21,000 square feet.
Charlotte CLT: Delta is entering a new market, and a new Sky Club will land in Charlotte in Q4 2024. The new facility is expected to be close to 15,000 square feet and can accommodate up to 250 people.
Miami MIA: Delta will expand its Sky Club at MIA, with the work expected to be completed by Q2 2024. Once finished, the expanded lounge will be over 12,000 square feet and will be able to seat up to 320 people and
La Guardia LGA: by early summer 2024, Delta will have completed the expansion of the Sky Club in Terminal C. The newly expanded club and busy location will then feature space for an additional 100 travelers. Lounge patrons will also be able to enjoy the Sky Deck, which is being installed.
Final Thoughts
Premium lounges, more Delta One suites, and better entertainment on some aircraft, there is nothing not to like about the news coming out of Delta. While there are many questions, especially around the new premium lounge product, we must be patient.
Hopefully, the access rules will not be too strict and will be similar to what United and AA impose on their premium lounge selection. Either way, it’s great to see Delta finally catching up with its competitors and getting its premium lounge collection off the ground.
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