Delta Air Lines officially plans to open a second Delta One Lounge at LAX in Terminal 2, but I suspect this will be less of a second standalone flagship lounge and more of a Delta One dining section within the resurrected Sky Club. Either way, it underscores Delta’s growing ambitions in Los Angeles.
Delta Plans Second Delta One Lounge At LAX As Los Angeles Ambitions Grow
Delta Air Lines plans to open a second Delta One Lounge at Los Angeles International Airport later this year, this time in Terminal 2.
This would complement the existing Delta One Lounge in Terminal 3, which opened in 2024 and remains one of the best premium lounges in the United States. Indeed, I was just in the Delta One Lounge at LAX a few weeks ago and found that it is holding up very well. The lounge is not huge, but the food, service, drinks, and wellness amenities make it a compelling reason to choose Delta One out of LAX.
So what will this second lounge be?
My guess is that this will not be a full duplicate of the existing Terminal 3 lounge. Instead, I suspect it will be more like what Delta has done in Boston and Seattle: a Delta One section within or adjacent to a Sky Club, likely focused on à la carte dining and a quieter, more premium space for eligible passengers.
That would make sense. Delta’s temporarily-shuttered Terminal 2 Sky Club has long been part of network (I reviewed the Delta Sky Club in Terminal 2 several years ago). More recently, Delta’s newer Terminal 3 Sky Club has become one of the best domestic lounges in the country, with a beautiful terrace and a strong food spread.
A Delta spokesperson confirmed to Live And Let’s Fly a three-part timeline for the new Delta One Lounge and re-opening the old T2 Sky Club:
- Summer 2026: The “initial phase” of the Terminal 2 Delta One Lounge will open
- 2027: Terminal 2 Delta Sky Club will open
- 2028: The Terminal 2 Delta One Lounge undergoes a “full transformation and opens following its full renovation”
Delta added:
“As the leading carrier at LAX, Delta is scaling in real time—launching new nonstop service to Hong Kong on June 6 and to Chicago O’Hare on June 7 as part of a broader summer expansion. The new Delta One Lounge in Terminal 2 reflects this momentum, supporting a growing premium customer base traveling both long-haul internationally and on key domestic routes.
“This opening jumpstarts a multi-year investment as Delta gears up for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games – where Delta is the inaugural founding partner – opening a brand-new T2 Delta Sky Club in 2027 in addition to the renovation of the T2 Delta One Lounge in 2028.”
A dedicated Delta One dining room inside Terminal 2 would give Delta more premium capacity without requiring another massive standalone lounge. Another possibility is that this lounge may be a private dining room in the former Virgin Atlantic Lounge, which is located very close to the T2 Delta Sky Club.
Delta’s Growing LAX Ambitions
The bigger story is not just another lounge but what this says about Delta’s ambitions at LAX.
Delta has spent years building up Los Angeles, investing in Terminals 2 and 3, improving the customer experience, and positioning itself as a premium carrier in a market where premium traffic matters. LAX is not a fortress hub market Atlanta, Detroit, or Minneapolis, but it is one of the most important air travel markets in the world.
Delta already markets some domestic flights from LAX as Delta One, including routes to Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), Washington National (DCA), and New York (JFK). I would not be surprised to see more domestic Delta One expansion from Los Angeles if the demand supports it, especially if Delta has more lounge capacity to support the premium product.
As Delta takes more aircraft deliveries, we might see more longhaul routes from LAX as well. Delta’s Los Angeles – London Heathrow service appears set to return on Delta metal in the future, shifting some flying back from Virgin Atlantic. That would be a big symbolic step for Delta at LAX, even acknowledging that longhaul growth is difficult in the current high-fuel environment. Service to Hong Kong (HKG) will also soon launch with service to Manila (MNL) slated to begin next year.
And then there is Seattle.
Alaska Airlines, a local favorite oneworld member, is continuing its intercontinental expansion. As Alaska becomes a more formidable competitor in Seattle, Delta may have even more reason to keep building Los Angeles as a larger West Coast hub.
A second Delta One Lounge at LAX augments what I personally find as one of the largest value-adds of flying Delta.
CONCLUSION
Delta plans to open a second Delta One Lounge at LAX in Terminal 2 later this year, with a more elaborate lounge coming in 2028 as well as a new Sky Club in 2027. I suspect this will be more like a premium Delta One section within the Sky Club than a full standalone lounge, likely focused on à la carte dining. But that’s still a big deal and LAX will be the first Delta station that has two Delta One Lounges.
The existing Delta One Lounge at LAX is holding up very well, and more premium lounge capacity would support Delta’s broader ambitions in Los Angeles. Between domestic Delta One growth, the return of LAX – London on Delta metal, and intensifying competition from Alaska in Seattle, Delta appears to be laying the groundwork for a larger role at LAX.
Los Angeles remains a difficult market, but Delta hopes (unlike American Airlines, which was the most recent carrier to try to build up its LAX hub and largely failed) it can increase its size without compromising its profitablity.
If they can do two at LAX, then a I guess they can do two at ATL?
Nope. Monopoly at ATL, so those folks at HQ can suck it. Actual competition at LAX, so they get two.
Wow mega cool! Will be the only us airport with 2 top tier airline lounges right? Maybe worldwide?
This looks like yet another proof to the mutual love between DL and LAX.