Consider the Delta One Lounge in Seattle (SEA) like a fancy restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. I very much enjoyed my time here, enjoying a multi-course lunch and excellent service during a four-hour layover.
Delta One Lounge Seattle Review (SEA)
Delta invited me to the grand opening of this lounge earlier this year and I was unable to attend. I asked for a “rain check” and was thankful for the chance to visit this lounge during a recent layover in Seattle.
Access + Hours + Location
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
- LATAM Premium Business Class
- KLM Business Class
- Korean Air First Class and Prestige Class
- Virgin Atlantic Upper Class
The lounge is open daily from 8:30 am to 8:00 pm.
This lounge is located in Concourse A, near Gate 11, one level above the SkyClub: you can take the elevator up to the fourth level or take the stairs, though it’s quite a climb from the concourse level.
Upon entry, you are given a black card to access the lounge that you surrender upon entry, much like AA does with its Flagship Lounges. That’s to keep folks who only have access to the SkyClub from going upstairs.
Seating
Unlike the New York Delta One Lounge and to some extent, the Los Angeles Delta One Lounge, this lounge is wholly focused on dining. You don’t have to eat, of course, but all seating in this lounge is intended for dining.
Just inside, there’s a brasserie area with booths. Further into the lounge are tables, including seats along an open kitchen concept.
There’s also a bar with seating on three sides.
It’s rather daring for Seattle, but there’s a semi-outdoor terrace as well with seating in comfortable padded chairs or benches. The terrace is covered overhead and there are glass walls, but they have openings between panes to let the fresh air in.
It was a beautiful autumn afternoon—a bit nippy—but I spent my entire stay outside and enjoyed the fresh air (though I did get cold by the time I left).
I do find it strange there are no areas intended simply for seating, but I think that takes into mind the unique real estate of this lounge, which is like the frame of a square: the center looks down on the SkyClub one level below.
Food + Drink
Prepare for a feast…the food is very good here and so is the beverage selection.
The menu includes house-made dumplings, a wide variety of tapas-style starters, several entrees, and a cheese and dessert menu.
The drink menu includes complimentary Champagne (Charles De Cazanove), wine, beer, sake, spirits, and specialty cocktails.
Additionally, there are “Reserve” alcohol available as well for purchase, including higher quality Champagne, wine, and spirits.
I began by ordering a Marillo Spritz (Italian amaro, rosemary-infused vermouth, blueberry, ginger-honey, lemon, and soda water) along with a butter lettuce salad served with shaved asparagus, dill, radish, and green goddess dressing.
The cocktail was a refreshing aperitif, and the salad ingredients were delicious.
For my first course, I chose dungeness crab cannelloni, served with tomato fondue, ricotta, and basil. It was delicious and highly recommended…a must-try menu dish if you dine in this lounge.
For my second course, I probably would have chosen the dry-aged prime hanger steak, but since I had just had beef short ribs on my flight up to Seattle, I chose the roasted free-range chicken instead, served with roasted corn, farro succotash, and blistered tomatoes…another delicious dish.
Next came a Pacific Northwest artisanal cheese plate, featuring Beecher’s flagship handmade cheese, Cascadia creamery sawtooth, and glacier blue.
Finally, I rounded out the meal with a “Marionberry Sundae” served with ginger and lime crumble as well as well as a cappuccino, with superb coffee from Umbria, a local Seattle roaster.
Folks, this was a very solid meal…such a value-add to the Delta One experience and the sort of meal I’d enjoy on the ground so as to skip the onboard meal and maximize my sleep in the air.
My only criticism is that Delta charges for premium liquor here. I suppose its better than not offering it at all, but there’s something to be said for a truly all-inclusive lounge experience…it just seems out of place to ask for pricing on anything.
Service
The star of the lounge was Guiezi, who was just fabulous. From the moment I sat down, he was attentive. First, he introduced himself and explained the menu.
Over the next couple of hours, I enjoyed a leisurely lunch and Guiezi, pronounced Jesse, was always nearby checking how my food was, asking if I needed a beverage refill, and recommending more dishes for me to try
Here’s what really blew me away. He noticed my iPhone battery was low and brought me over a portable charger since this seating area did not have plugs within reach. I was so impressed by that attention to detail.
If you’re in this lounge, ask for Guiezi!
Restrooms + Showers
Like the LAX Delta One Lounge, there are no dedicated showers in this lounge, but shower suites are available (on a priority basis) in the SkyClub one level below…just ask any member of lounge staff for help.
The lounge does have a pair of private restrooms featuring a toilet and sink.
CONCLUSION
I’ve now reviewed three Delta One Lounges (LAX, JFK, and SEA) and found them all excellent, but all unique. This one is odd in the sense there is really no dedicated area just to sit, but I loved the menu and particularly appreciated the warm, attentive service. Delta once again demonstrated that its Delta One lounges are an important value-add to its longhaul business class product.
Interesting lounge concept! Are any transcon flights available that would meet the criteria out of SEA?
Sadly, I don’t think so… which is a real shame. Delta used to operate 75S ‘DeltaOne’ with 2-2 lie-flat on JFK-SEA, but haven’t seen that in a while.
Those special 757s are now used for all of the ATL to SNA Orange County CA routes.
I’ve also seen 75S on DCA-LAX, which, I’m assuming is an exception that both Delta and the California Congresspeople lobbied hard to get and keep, so, why not ‘pamper’ them; also, when DL down-gauges the JFK-SFO route, they sometimes swap the 763 for 75S. Either way, hope DL upgrades both in the future because each is dated. Like, DL did a much better job with the 764 new ‘DeltaOne’ cabins for JFK-LAX.
Wow, it looks nice. I’ve only been to JFK and LAX, and want to try SEA (and BOS), but have to ‘go-out-of-my-way’ from NYC to book an applicable flight from there. It is still surprising to me that Delta did not prioritize ATL for a D1 Lounge yet. Well, SLC gets it next, I guess (perhaps, because they’re rebuilding that entire airport anyway). As far as lounges in the USA, these are now some of the best, followed by AA’s Chelsea and Soho at JFK T8. Now, if AA would ever reopen First Dining at LAX Flagship, that’d be swell.
Does the outdoor area have heaters?
No. The JFK / BOS routes use A321s that are not sold as D1.
Not that I saw – and as the clouds rolled in and the wind picked it up, it did get cold.
I’m confused, you didn’t try the burger ?
I did on the connecting flight. That review (SEA-ORD) is coming tomorrow.
This looks really nice. I’ve been to LAX which feels very special and is excellent, worth going out of your way for. I did not enjoy JFK very much, so crowded and difficult for staff to deliver the same experience. Better food than the Greenwich lounge for sure, but I prefer the overall Greenwich experience personally.
Greenwich? Oh, you poor baby… Chelsea and Soho are where it’s at (within JFK T8 oneworld at least.)
Listen, D1 at JFK T4 is magnificent, even at peak times, because when you realize that the area to the right used to be that awful ‘Wingtips’ lounge, you’ll thank your lucky stars that Delta did what it did to put that ole horse outta its misery.
A stunning lounge experience before takeoff…
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
Hi Matthew. Fan of the blog and realize it’s not/uncommon for a blogger to gain lounge entry in advance, but when comms people know you’re coming (and the staff knows who you are), a lounge can be a very different experience.
While it’s good you acknowledge how you got in, I think the pre-organized entry undermines the integrity of the review. Or at a bare minimum I’d have to assume the service I got was unique to who I was. I think the savvy reader should do the same here.
Signed, someone whose organic D1 lounge experience at LAX was surprisingly disappointing the first time (though it did improve on a second visit).
I think Matt gave a fairly honest and visible disclaimer at the start of his review (about the special access.) I’ve been at the LAX and JFK D1 lounge several times, mornings, afternoons, and evenings, and of course, during peak times, it’s gonna get busy at each, but the quality of service, food, drinks, and amenities (spa treatments, massage chairs?!) were excellent, like, the only US-based lounge that even comes close is Chelsea AA Flagship First at JFK T8.
I used the lounge in September and the service was spectacular. It was the first time I had been in an airport lounge so I had nothing to compare it to but I was impressed. I DO wish I had been told about the portable phone charger though – it was weird there were no plugs to charge devices on the terrace. Since then I visited the Virgin lounge at Heathrow and Seattle’s service was better but I liked all the seating options in Heathrow better.
Why are there no seats set up to just sit?
Because they don’t want you to linger.
Two things. One, Delta should not be granting Air France, KLM, etc. passengers access, not least because these airlines have their own lounges at some airports. JFK and Los Angeles are examples. Air France is even opening a lounge in Miami. Two. It’s beyond cheap for Delta to charge for wine. The same or comparable wines Delta charges for are free at United Polaris, AA Flagship, etc. lounges.
I lied. Two more things. One. The wines — really? They should have more wines from Washington and Oregon on that wine list. Including a complimentary wine. And no chablis or even a riesling? Wow. Two. I don’t understand this concept. If I’m flying Delta One, I’m also going to get a meal on the plane. How many passengers are skipping the meal on the plane for eating in the lounge? They still have to cater all those meals. It seems wasteful. Maybe they should offer an incentive to skip the in-flight meal for eating in the lounge. $100 off the airfare or something.
It’s odd that J pax for ke and CI aren’t admissible, but for AF, KL, and LA are? LA isn’t even skyteam.