Delta unveils new Sky Club in Charlotte, America’s hub

Delta Air Lines is not the first company that comes to mind when you think of Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) – the hub of American Airlines.

Sure, Delta easily takes Charlotte’s second place — but it’s a distant, distant second.

The Atlanta-based carrier is making inroads into the Southeast, however.

This fall, it got more than half a dozen new gates when the airport opened a new, $241 million section of its A concourse.

This year, Delta flights will depart CLT with about 9% more seats than last year.

And on Wednesday, just before the holidays, the airline will cut the wrapping paper for the new Sky Club at the airport, upping its game as the first competitor to the “enemy of the enemy.”

How to get to Sky Club Charlotte

To get to Delta’s new Charlotte Sky Club, you’ll first have to take a long walk to the airport’s farthest, highest-numbered A gates. It’s worth the walk: This new terminal section is more spacious, modern and quiet than any other conference you’ll find at CLT.

Next to the A32 gate, you will take the escalator up to the mezzanine on the second floor to reach the entrance to the lounge.

Visiting the living room

Inside, you’ll find a beautiful outdoor area complete with all the dining, drinking, seating and amenities you’d expect from a high-end Sky Club.

In a sense, at 14,000 square feet, Delta’s Charlotte club is roughly the size of the gates at Terminal 4 A that opened last year at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). However, it is much smaller than other recently opened lounges in its network, such as the Sky Club it is opening in 2023 at its Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) hub.

Walk into the space and you’ll be greeted by the familiar Sky Club entrance and aroma, as well as the familiar check-in kiosks and customer service desk.

The lounge has 246 seats, more than a dozen of which you’ll see as you walk down the art-filled hallway on one side and large windows that offer glimpses of the terminal on the other.

Design features

Throughout the years, the Sky Club has invoked the influence of the “Queen City” – the nickname of the city of Charlotte, named after Queen Charlotte – which is reflected in the artwork, wallpaper and other design touches.

“We believe it’s designed for the Queen City with a neoclassical look and feel,” said Tim Genovese, director of operations for Delta Sky Clubs, speaking to TPG ahead of the opening.

There’s also a lot of greenery, Genovese noted, drawing on Charlotte’s famous green spaces.

Eating and drinking

Often, the centerpiece of an ideal airport lounge is the eye-catching bar, and that’s certainly the case here, with a white marble bar accented with floral designs – both on the bar back and above the brown leather seats.

The bar reinforces the large space with high and high-level seating, where guests can sit and drink. Guests can choose from a variety of drinks, cocktails or a cup of Starbucks coffee. There are also plenty of food offerings from the nearby buffet.

Along with beer, wine and spirits, two beverage stations offer plenty of non-alcoholic options for caffeine or hydration during your trip.

Looking at the spread of food, I thought I’d ask a Delta crew member what local delicacies I might find – before I saw southern-inspired biscuits with ham and pimento cheese and delicious desserts.

Since Charlotte is a major business center, Delta sees catering to business travelers as a major focus of the hub.

“Obviously there’s a prime business location here in Charlotte and we hope to attract that market,” Genovese said.

Along with a bevy of workspaces and plenty of outlets — including USB-C slots — there are half a dozen cordless phones worthy of jumping on the Zoom line.

Some of them you will find – and more seats – on the open mezzanine facing the airport.

Alternatively, you can trade that view of one of the airports for a quiet lounge, set up behind the Sky Club entrance. Pro tip: Look up where you’re going to catch some of the most impressive pieces of art in the entire area adorning the ceiling.

The bathrooms of the living room play in an impressive style similar to the Great Gatsby beauty, with navy, white, and gold pattern tiles and white marble vanities. Touchless “wave opening” doors complement those features, not to mention the Grow Alchemist products offered throughout Delta’s lounge network and in its Delta One cabins.

Check-in at Delta Sky Club Charlotte

To enter this Sky Club, you have several options. Here are some top ones:

Our complete guide to accessing Delta Sky Clubs is here.

You can check into the Delta Sky Club up to three hours before departure.

The delta strategy of CLT

Opening the Sky Club in Charlotte – in the center of the American fortress – is certainly a revolutionary step for Delta, given that its position at the airport is about 3% of that of American Airlines this year, according to data from the airline analysis company Cirium.

However, major US carriers operating on a breakaway from their competitors are actually more common than you might think.

In fact, until Wednesday, Charlotte was the only American airport where Delta operated he didn’t use Sky Club.

American, on the other hand, has an Admirals Club at Delta’s domestic hub in Atlanta — as well as at several airports operated by United.

Delta has clubs in some of United’s top destinations, as do United and Delta and American alike.

“We have clubs in every top market,” Genovese said, noting that the company that owns the mezzanine saw an opportunity to take over the mezzanine space when Charlotte opened its new convention center this fall.

“Houses for sale are difficult to pass by at the airport,” he said.

A relaxing (much needed?) reception

Either way, this Sky Club is a welcome addition to Charlotte’s lounge portfolio.

Beyond the two American Admirals Clubs, there’s a decent Priority Pass-accessible area nearby on Concourse A, but it’s relatively small and fills up quickly.

Most notably, Charlotte has an American Express Centurion Lounge, but it’s an easy 20-minute walk, one way, from the Delta gates.

Obviously, this will make room for Delta flyers – and card members with Amex Platinum in their wallets.

First and new Sky Club for 2024

It’s also worth noting that the unveiling of the Charlotte facility puts a bow (a holiday bow, you might say) to a 2024 eventful opening of a new Delta lounge.

In the past six months the carrier has opened new Delta One Lounges in New York, Los Angeles and Boston, shaking up the competition for the top US airport lounge.

This year also brought renewed, expanded Sky Clubs to Miami and New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA).

Ironically, Charlotte is the first and newest Sky Club to appear in 2024 – 13 days before the end of the year, at least.

Expect more in 2025, Genovese said — including a new Sky Club that will open below the fourth Delta One Lounge at Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA) between now and summer.

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