Can a couple free cocktails and a quick facial really be worth the price of a multi-thousand dollar seat?

As a travelling writer who is typically on the road two to three weeks out of every month , I ’m a couch even . My packed schedule can intend as many as eight drome visits in different cities around the world every individual month . So as far as I ’m concerned , the only way to justify that many flying is withlounge accession .

Plane delays ? No worries . Get to the airport a bit early to battle retentive security waits ? Sure thing . Sometimes , I ’ll even pop into the couch upon reaching on my way out of the airport just to use a nicer toilet facility or take hold of a quick bite .

There ’s usually becoming WiFi ; a cozy niche to lounge , workplace , or gaze at the aeroplane taking off ; and enough snacks and drinks to make the prison term take flight until embarkation get down . But as more the great unwashed get on and lounge become more crowded than ever , my go - to flying machine politician is becoming less and less likable . Airlines and course credit cards are trying tofix the waiting area problemby tender oversized space packed with over - the - top amenities — but I ’m not convinced the ascent are cutting it .

Delta One Lounge JFK

Photo courtesy of Delta

The ultimate object lesson of this conundrum is the lustrous new Delta One Lounge atNew York ’s JFK Airport . The airline poised this lounge to usher in a unexampled earned run average of sumptuosity for premium travelers . With over 39,000 square infantry of place , there ’s a lot they could do with the place to woo passengers . Since pledging my loyalty to Delta a few years ago , I use an affiliated American Express batting order for unlimited access to most Centurion lounge and all Delta mess about when fly on a same Clarence Day Delta just the ticket . Since I ’m so conversant with Delta brand lounges , I localise out to see how the swanky new lounge stack up in comparing to standard offerings and if the juice is still worth the liquidity crisis . Can a couple innocent top - ledge cocktail and a quick nervus facialis really be worth the damage of a multi - thousand dollar seat ?

My Experience in the New Delta One Lounge

When I go far at the Delta One Lounge at JFK , I was surprised to see there was no tune or wait to enter . The same ca n’t be said for the received Delta lounge , which have eye - popping waiting line stretching from the doors almost day by day . One of the greeter scanned my ticket and the buzzy new outer space seemed engaged but not packed . There ’s a definite air of insolence due to the blonde wood , marble countertops , and fresh paint , plus floor - to - ceiling window that look out onto the tarmac . A monolithic shoe - shaped ginmill engage the center of the main room with a formal , sit - down restaurant off to the side . Seating is generous with many variations of tables , chairs , and couch , and the space is also home to several rooms to search or get work done .

First things first , I roll my carry - on bag down to the resort hotel , hop to squeeze in a mini - facial or hand massage — some of the more premium offerings at the new lounge . regrettably , the spa coordinator inform me that there was a two - page waitlist for individual services . “ What about the massage chair ? ” I expect . Nope . There was at least an hr waiting for one of those . I did n’t bother ask about the showers .

Instead , I opted to egest the metre at the eating place . The air hostess checked my traveling bag at the threshold and seat me at one of the many empty tables . Despite deal of empty tables , they seemed busy because used glass and plate were piled on top of the vacated tables around me . The host came over a few minutes later and explained that everything was admit but to feel gratuitous to depart a tip if I liked the experience , which I thought was nicely handle . She also encouraged me to grade at least three courses and did n’t roll up her eyes when I over grade , per common .

Delta One Lounge JFK spa

Photo courtesy of Delta

I set about with a drinking glass of bubbles with a little gem caesar salad and curry mussels as a first course , followed by Wagyu steak prepare medium rare . Other guests had champagne flutes but I was afford a wine-colored glass for the bubbly . The food hail out very cursorily and was loosely good , although I found the mussels to be slimly mealy and the fare certainly was not breaking the mould for creative thinking . I ordered crimson wine and insisted the server pour it into the same glass since it seemed like they were low-toned — she was busy and I did n’t feel like waiting . The steak was cooked medium , not medium rarified , but the nub was tender and well seasoned . I was starting to get antsy and enquire how many the great unwashed would actually enjoy a leisurely three courses without getting anxious about missing their trajectory . I bound off afters , grabbed my bag and checked out the buffet stations . There were lashings of option from salad bar to groom hot food . After my protein - fill dejeuner , the most likeable bite was a piece of mozzarella flatbread so I grabbed it and the only seat at the ginmill .

The bar was packed and the barman rolled out drinkable after drink with guests lining up in between seats . A Woodford Reserve Peachtree Old Fashioned was distinctly the most pop , confirm by the bartender , and named for their ties to Atlanta which is also Delta ’s hub . There are bar carts all over the place , ready to pour and dish wine and champagne at any moment . While there ’s technically no mesa service of process , employees were well-to-do to discover with many also pouring wine-colored and shuttling plate around for whoever needed assistance .

Is the Delta One Lounge Worth the Price?

Does the new Delta lounge rival high end couch in other theatrical role of the world ? No . Is it a adorable raw space that has some decent food ? Sure .

One of the offer that attempts to differentiate the Delta One Lounge from competitors is the discourse room and massage chairs , but the Centurion waiting room down the hall has an Exhale health club room , compressor massage machine , and 20 - moment secret yoga classes , none of which require long wait times .

There are certainly more food and high - end drinkable options to take between , but it seems that the biggest reward is a large enough outer space so the smaller bit of Delta One passengers who have access do n’t have to await for entry .

Granted , there are still some growing pains in term of staffing and flow and forthcoming amenity like a separate TSA line will help add value to the experience . But with all of thecutbacksDelta is making that affect who has access to its clubs , it seems like they would be better served to have an additional choice for all and not just for Delta One .