Introduction
DCA is an interesting airport in regards to lounges. Travelers can choose between three options depending on the airline – American Airlines Admirals Club, the United Club, and the subject of this article the Delta Sky Club. I’ll review this stunning Delta Sky Club as well as the best way to get access.
The Sky Club is a quiet oasis with modern finishes that puts the other clubs to shame. Beyond the fact that Delta has an impressive presence at this airport, including the *only* route with a lay-flat seat out of DCA on their daily nonstop to Los Angeles in addition to their hourly shuttle service to New York’s LaGuardia Airport and Boston Logan.
Lounge
The lounges across the majority of the Sky Club network have faced a strikingly similar issue – overcrowding. Pictures of huge lines at busy hubs are all over social media, and all airlines (not just Delta) have struggled with the demand. I’m pleased to share that this lounge is not one of them. With only seven nonstop destinations, passenger volume is usually quite low. I’ve been here dozens of times, a handful of which were with my wife and young daughter, and we’ve always been able to “section off” chairs to give our little one room to roam safely due to the lack of crowds.
Delta flights leave from Concourse B, which is where you will find the entrance to the lounge. You can’t miss it, the elevator is on the left hand side just past the old security checkpoint! After entering the lounge, you’re greeted by a beautiful chandelier that is supposed to be reminiscent of a cherry blossom tree. There’s comfortable seating, floor-to-ceiling windows, and ample power outlets with a great view of the tarmac and the Potomac River allowing tons of natural light inside.
Food/Drink
The bar has a full menu with both free and pay options available. You can also use your SkyMiles to redeem for premium drinks.
My Tip: Since I don’t fly Delta nearly enough nor do I use their credit card, I don’t ever anticipate getting enough miles for a flight (this is intentional and I’ll address why in a future post). Because of this, I always enjoy seasonal cocktails reedemable with SkyMiles.
In addition to the bar area, there’s a coffee/latte machine and a self-service buffet with a menu designed by an executive chef incorporating seasonal ingredients. While not on par with what you get at a Polaris lounge, it’s certainly a huge step above the Admirals Club located 500 feet away. There are plenty of food options meeting different dietary needs.
Who Can Access Delta Sky Club?
Overall there are many ways to get access to the club – including elite status, holding the right credit card, buying a membership outright. Delta has a comprehensive list that outlines who qualifies for their airport lounges – you can find out how to get access here. The short answer is that Delta status can get you in *some* of the time (for example, Diamonds can get in on an international itiniraries) and certain credit cards including the AMEX Platinum and Delta Credit Card American Express Reserve recieve complimentary Sky Club access (guest access with a fee).
To be frank – the American Express Platinum Card is the best option to get access. As I’ve mentioned, obtaining status and gathering Delta SkyMiles aren’t a priority for me which means the Reserve card isn’t as important. With my Platinum card, I’m able to get access to their network of Centurion Lounges, which are all really well done. I’ll be sharing a review of several of these lounges in a future post. I also appreciate how versatile they are, giving me the ability to transfer their points to a wide variety of partners in their network. I’m even working towards getting a million Singapore Airlines miles through credit card spend – I’ll have a post on how to do it and what the possibilities are in the future.
Final Thoughts
This is my favorite lounge at Reagan National Airport and the best place to wait for your Delta flight – at least for now. Once the Centurion Lounge opens at the end of 2022 (supposedly!) it will give the Sky Club a run for its money. This might not be a bad thing – while the former is open to anyone with an AMEX Platinum Card (and therefore non-Delta fliers), the latter will always be for the exclusive use of Delta customers. If anything, it will be even quieter than it is now! Everything about this lounge is excellent – the service, drinks, food, and the overall guest experience are superb. I really like the lounge’s sophisticated finishes and look forward to coming here for years to come.
