While I did have high expectations entering this lounge, they were still exceeded: the Delta One Lounge at New York JFK is my new favorite lounge in the United States and has a host of amenities that make it very attractive to book Delta Air Lines.
Delta One Lounge New York JFK Review
I was flying from New York to Los Angeles on Delta in business class, giving me the chance to check out the Delta One lounges in both JFK and LAX.
Hours + Access + Location
The lounge is located in JFK Terminal 4, just past the security checkpoint between the A and B concourses and is open from 4:30 am to 11:00 pm daily. There’s an entrance on concourse (lower) level, which is where I entered:
(you’ll take an elevator upstairs to the lounge)
And also one just past the security checkpoint on the right side (where the SWISS lounge used to be…).
Access to Delta One lounges is reserved for:
- Same-day departing or arriving Delta One ticketed passengers (i.e., seated in the Delta One class of service);
- Delta 360 Members departing or arriving on a same-day ticket in Delta First Class
- Same-day departing or connecting flights operated by the following Delta partners in their respective first and business class cabins specified below:
- Air France La Premiere
- Air France Business Class (Longhaul)
- LATAM Premium Business Class
- KLM Business Class
- Korean Air First Class and Prestige Class
- Virgin Atlantic Upper Class
As an illustration, if you were flying Delta from Paris to New York in Delta One business class, you would have access on arrival in JFK while if you were flying Air France from Paris to New York in business class, you would not have access on arrival.
Downstairs, there was a Delta agent checking credentials before you could even enter (many folks mistook this lounge for the SkyClub and were redirected to the proper lounge).
Seating
This is a large lounge–39,000 square feet to be precise–and even at the height of morning rush, it never felt overly crowded. I suspect it does get more crowded prior to the bank of European departures in the late afternoon and early evening, but the lounge never felt full while I was there, even with most guests clustered in the dining area.
There’s a beautiful dining room (the Brasserie, which I’ll address below) a large dining area, and several seating areas throughout the lounge. The south side of the lounge has floor-to-ceiling windows, filling the lounge with natural light.
You can also find four soundrpoof booths intended for phone calls.
My favorite part of the lounge is the terrace. While the A8 Sky Club aslo has a terrace, this terrace is full of plants and is a very tranquil part of the lounge.
Food + Drink
I enjoyed breakfast in this lounge ahead of my late-morning flight to Los Angeles.
The Market
Rather than a buffet, Delta has opted for a cafeteria-style concept it calls The Market. This is available all day long, with breakfast served until 10:30 am. From French Toast to omelets made-to-order to fresh-squeezed orange juice to breakfast burritos, there’s a wide selection of breakfast items. You point to what you want, and it will be dished on a plate and handed to you to put on your tray.
Coffee is self-serve, but Delta uses beans Red Phoenix Coffee Roasters in the lounge as well and I enjoyed a very nice flat white with my breakfast.
Good coffee, fresh orange juice, avo toast, and an omelet (even though it was bit too well-done)…a perfect breakfast for me.
The Brasserie
Unfortunately, the masterpiece of this lounge–The Brasserie restaurant–was not even open during my visit. It is open from 11:00 am to 9:30 pm daily and offers an a la carte menu of high quality items in a very beautiful dining room:
Here’s the menu:
I hope that I can dine here next time I’m in the lounge, though I thought the market concept for breakfast was more than adequate.
Bar
The bar area is beautiful too, though note (so odd, I might add) that Delta charges for premium alcohol…which strikes me as very cheap for an otherwise premium lounge.
Here’s the menu showing what is included nad what is not:
You can also find beverage carts throughout the lounge:
Wellness Area
In the rear of the lounge is a wellness area in which you can rest or relax in a massaging chair or sleep pod.
You can reserve space here (or a shower suite) via the QR code below or one of the many touchscreens in the lounge.
Shower Suites
Eight shower suites are available. I was up so early, I did not take a shower, so I used my time in the lounge to take one…good pressure and great shower products from Grown Alchemist.
Garment pressing service is also available:
Restrooms are located in the same area.
Shoe Shine
I didn’t see anyone staffing it, but there’s a shoeshine stand near the showers.
Service
The staff roaming this lounge were great. First, there were very proud of the lounge…it showed. Second, they were very thoughtful…offering beverages or even to give me a tour of the lounge when they saw I was taking photos. The staff here make this great lounge even better.
CONCLUSION
This is a fabulous lounge…my favorite in the United States (and in terms of North American lounges, in the same class as Air Canada’s Signature Suites). I’d absolutely make time to visit this lounge if flying in Delta One or on a partner in business class. These long-awaited lounges set the standard for a premium lounge in the USA. Well-done Delta.
Unrelated, but as you’re now a Eurobonus millionaire, will you splurge 60,000 points on the new ‘Destination Unknown’ this year?
Haven’t heard about this.
Essentially you buy a ticket on a trip by SAS to some unknown destination. Last years was to Athens for 30000 points (I believe). This year it’s 60000 so there is some speculation that it’s somewhere more exotic
You wrote: “As an illustration, if you were flying Delta from Paris to New York in Delta One business class, you would have access on arrival in JFK while if you were flying Air France from Paris to New York in business class, you would not have access on arrival.” Confirming whether or not this correct based upon a recent experience.
Back in November, I was on a single ticket CDG-JFK-RDU, with the CDG-JFK marketed and operated by AF (I was in LP), connecting to a Delta marketed and operated flight to RDU. With this itinerary, I was granted access to the D1 lounge during my layover at JFK.
I also wonder how one arriving on Delta into T4 on an international D1 flight would gain access to the D1 lounge? Would TSA let them back through after clearing immigration/customs using their CDG-JFK BP?
Wondered the same about Air France to NY. It made no sense.
It doesn’t matter how…if you can find a way back to the secure side (any ticket on any carrier that will grant you access to T4) you can use your inbound D1 boarding pass to access D1 lounge, but not your inbound Air France (or other SkyTeam J) pass. Doesn’t matter what you are flying out on.
And while there may be a special exclusion for La Premier, it’s not a published rule and unless clarified should be seen as an exception, not a rule.
@ Matthew — What happened to tie-wearing Matthew?
Jaded in our new reality.
Is there a La Premiere AF lounge in JFK?? DID you use $$$ or miles for DLOne?
There is a La Premier section in the Air France Lounge in T1. There are no cheap ways to enjoy D1, sadly.
I’ve been a couple times and it is a beautiful lounge. But with all the access restrictions you outlined, I was surprised how maniacally crowded it was.
I agree that the staff is friendly and helpful.
Except the spa.
The staff there were remarkably unpleasant. I had a very long layover for an international connection. And yet all spa spots were taken in my five hour stay. Nothing in five hours? That seems improbable. And the person doing the scheduling was sour and curt from the moment I approached to make my inquiry. I ended up sitting nearby and saw her do the same thing to customer after customer. People walked alway shaking their heads. What did they do wrong?
And yet the therapists were often hanging out with each other, with lots of down time clearly not working on clients.
My guess is that many people sign up for sessions and then end up leaving before their appointments. That’s why the therapists are idling, rather than providing services. There needs to be a wait list system where a text is sent when there’s an unexpected availability.
As things stand, this is a service in advertising only. It sounds like a great perk, but it’s a ghost. Most customers will never be able to use it, simply because the spa staff is rude and ineffectual.
Just another data point, but the woman pictured above at the spa entrance was lovely…great service, kind, and friendly.
Excellent review, flying JFK SFO (D1), SFO – LAX (Y), and LAX – HNL (Domestic F) later this month. Will I get access in LAX? I believe yes, because it’s all the same day… right? These are all 3 separate tickets.