Delta Sky Club Access - Is There an Easy Way?

In times past, American Express provided membership to the Delta Sky Clubs as a perk for being a cardholder. I suppose - technically - they still do but the annual fees on those cards are pretty high. Having retired, I don't have the occasion to access the clubs like I did while working (and passing the costs on expense reports), but it would still be nice for when I do travel.

Question for Elite: Has anybody found a hack to get around having to pay $650 a year for an AmEx card (with limited visits - 15, I think) or paying $900 for a membership through Delta? They do not do day passes anymore.

Thanks.

I have never once been in an airline club. What are they for? The bar? A better place to sit than the terminal? For most flights I don't seem to have enough time in a terminal to spend in a club.

Pretty sure they just changed the rules to curb exactly what you're describing. The only other way is they may have a spending threshold you could hit but with you being retired, that seems like it's out of the question.

Have you looked into the delta credit card? It gives nice perks. I've never researched whether the sky club was one of them because it seems I spend all of my time sprinting through larger airports trying to make my connections.

The rule changes are intended to ease the overcrowding. Over the past few years the clubs have become so crowded that sometimes they have a line outside, and you have to wait for someone to leave to even get in.

I have used the AmEx for years which provided me membership. Now it's not a "full" membership, but provides a limited number of club visits per year. They are still tweaking the changes. I will probably keep the AmEx but I can easily see myself letting this go. Another club where I'm a member has also raised their annual dues to an extreme amount and even with my grandfathered status, I'm in for a huge increase on a club I can only visit in person once or twice a year. (They have a LOT of great virtual resources, though, so I'm torn.)

Bottom line, they are trying to eliminate inexpensive ways to get in as a way to ease the crowds. They will have plenty of high-revenue, corporate card, corporate membership people in the clubs and that's how it was originally created anyway. All of the changes over the last 20 years that allowed small-fry guys like me to get in for a few hundred bucks a year -- well, word got around and it eventually had to be reined in.

As for the value of the club -- it is quieter, has food and beverage included in the membership, nicer restrooms (often with showers which are fantastic if you're on a long layover traveling internationally or getting in somewhere super early), and it's just nice to be in a less crowded spot. I make a habit of going to the airport WELL in advance of my flight. Traffic to ATL is unpredictable a lot of the time, and it's best to leave early to save anxiety over being stuck in traffic. So I always travel with a big time buffer and the club is a nice perk for having gotten through security early.

The best way to get in cheap, I suppose, is to travel with a friend who has a membership that allows a guest or a guest pass. They will have to be with you, though.

Alternatively, there are non-airline lounges in some airports where you can buy day passes -- or at least you could. I bet they are tweaking rules, too.

Good luck.

Crowds are overflowing because of delays and cancelled flights. Last two or three years have been a disaster for me with both! I'm retired now and my travel is for vacations and still have not had a smooth trip in a while.

I retired last year but on my last few trips the Crown rooms were a joke due to overcrowding. I had folks that were trying to impress people by doing zoom type meetings with several folks and open audio, far too overcrowded and the accommodations (food) just weren't that good. I took advantage of the showers on trips from the ME and the like. There is no way that I would have paid extra for the crown room.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by basedog

Crowds are overflowing because of delays and cancelled flights.

---

Those also contribute, along increased access through credit cards and day-passes that used to be available.