Delta Air Lines operates eight lounges out of its fortress hub at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. This review focuses on the Sky Club in Concourse E, which happens to be my favorite Delta lounge in ATL.
Delta Sky Club Concourse E Review – Atlanta (ATL)
Picture ATL like a series of vertical lines, almost like a bar graph, starting in Terminal T and then going A – B – C – D – E – F. Terminal E is the sixth concourse you come to after clearing security on the “domestic” side of the airport. It’s a massive airport and Delta offers many lounges. These lounges tend to get very crowded and this lounge was no exception, though it was so spacious that there was still plenty of seating.
Hours + Access + Location
The lounge is open daily from 6:30 am to 10:30 pm and is located in Concourse E across from gate E15. With a line waiting to get in outside the door, I was reluctant to enter this lounge, but it turned out to be simply a bottleneck in processing entry, not a lounge bursting at the seams with guests.
Access is available to:
- Delta Sky Club members (along with same-day boarding pass for Delta or a partner)
- Lifetime members can access the club regardless of the airline they are traveling on
- Two guests or immediate family (including all children under age 21) are permitted for “executive” members while “individual” members must pay $50 for guests (max two).
- Delta One or SkyTeam premium cabin passengers
- Access only when traveling on a branded “Delta One’ (versus first class) domestically
- Access when connecting to/from a same-day international Delta One flight
- No guests permitted
- SkyTeam Elite Plus members traveling on an international ticket in any cabin of service
- Includes Canada, Mexico
- Excludes Caribbean, Guam, Palau, Saipan
- One guest permitted
- There is an exception for SkyTeam Elite Plus passengers via SkyMiles (no access if traveling in economy class)
- Select credit card holders
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve from American Express
- no access on basic economy fares
- limited to 15 visits per year unless $75,000 annual spending on card
- guests are $50 each
- American Express Platinum / Centurion
- no access for Platinum business cards
- limited to 10 visits per year unless $75,000 annual spending on card
- no access on basic economy fares
- Delta SkyMiles Diners Club card
- Three visits per year (guests are included in this count)
- no access on basic economy fares
- two guests permitted
- Delta SkyMiles TRUST CLUB Platinum/Gold Visa card
- Six visits per year (guests are included in this count) for Platinum, three visits for Gold card
- no access on basic economy fares
- two guests permitted
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve from American Express
- WestJet Business Class passengers
- No guests permitted
- WestJet Rewards Gold and Platinum members
- Access only when traveling on a transborder flight
- One guest permitted
The lounge is all on a single level.
Seating
At around 18,000 square feet, the lounge is smaller than the B Concourse or new D Concourse lounges, but felt quite large. The area around the reception desk was fairly crowded while the area in the back (beyond the food and beverage area) was almost empty. The lounge had a fresh feel and power outlets (plus USB-A outlets) were easily within reach virtually anywhere in the lounge.
Food + Drink
This is the Sky Club to visit if you are looking for “enhanced” food and beverage options. The same breakfast spread was available as in other lounges (including sausage, scrambled eggs, potatoes, salad, bagels, toast, and croissants), but there were more options. Additional options included a French Toast station, fresh berries, cheese cubes, and scones.
Although I tend to avoid simple carbs while at home, I have a soft spot for scones and did have one here (heating it over the toaster) with some berries and yogurt.
Food is available via a buffet area in the center of the lounge, with a full-service bar as well as a self-service drink station with water, coffee, tea, soft drinks, and juice.
Restrooms + Showers
Restrooms and showers are available (this Sky Club, along with the F Sky Club are the only two Delta lounges with showers). The shower area is in the rear of the lounge and I had no wait for a shower.
It felt great to freshen up after the redeye flight ahead of my 15-hour flight on Korean Air. Shower products are from Grown Alchemist.
CONCLUSION
Of all the Sky Clubs I visited, this was my favorite one. The lounge was large and not overcrowded and the food selection was better than in other Sky Clubs at ATL.
Lounges in E and F typically have the best food as they are in the international concourses. Delta seems to be enhancing the food in these clubs until they open a Delta One lounge in ATL in three years (crazy!) I’ve seen street taco stations and other creative options before the evening long haul flights leave.
This is my favorite SkyClub in ATL. Less claustrophobic feeling than F. Also, now slightly less crowded because of the Centurion 2 minutes away. It can still have a line around 5-6pm but it will move fast. No waits on showers ever. Last time I was there they had some seafood (shrimp?) stand separate from the main buffet line.