When my husband and I traveled by air with three young children, we were airport pariahs. No one wants to sit near a family, especially one with a kid who got green around the gills with any sort of travel.
But once our children grew up, and we could travel without them, the idea of the airport – and the plane – as a luxury retreat became a reality.
And the ability to rest or sleep on the plane, so we could hit the ground running – or hiking or biking – is a huge bonus. If you are going on a special trip, or planning an adventure, or just treating yourself, it is an indulgence you won’t regret.
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Delta One – Be a VIP
Delta recently introduced its premium class, Delta One. Right now, the full luxury Delta One experience, from airport to airplane, is available only at JFK and LAX, with more on the horizon. But the premium Delta One cabin is on many long haul flights, both across the US and internationally..
Slow Entry into Luxury
We didn’t jump right into the luxury air experience. It was sort of a slow burn. First, we realized on our inaugural trip without the kids that the vacation started at the airport (we live in New York, and there is no part of the trek to JFK, or Newark, that can be considered anything but basic economy, no matter the price).
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The Airport Bar
So we started our trips with a stop at an airport bar. This meant we were leaving extra time to get to the airport, and not rushing. Rushing and flop sweat are not luxury.
The Airport Lounge
Next, we upgraded to the Platinum Delta American Express, which offered access to the Delta Lounge. There were couches, tables, good WiFi, free food and drinks. But Delta started limiting access to the lounges, which frankly could get crowded and noisy. We sometimes thought we might as well be fighting it out at the gate.
Delta One Lounge
This is the ne plus ultra of lounges. Currently available at JFK in New York, SEA in Seattle, BOS in Boston and LAX in Los Angeles, the lounges offer special cosseting even before your flight.
Lounge Amenities
Brasserie
This sit down restaurant requires a reservation. Pro tip: head here first if you are pressed for time and really want to be served a meal.
Freshen up BEFORE you travel
The lounge has showers, and you can have your clothes steamed, and your shoes shined. There are also massage chairs and 15 min massages and facials. Again, all by reservation only.
Pro tip: If you are with someone, scoot over to the wellness area to scoop up reservations, while the other person heads to the brasserie to secure a spot. You can wind up with your massage appointment popping up while you eat, but, seriously, first world problem.
More in the Delta One Lounge
There is plenty of seating, though when we arrived on a Tuesday around 6pm, all the couches and ‘easy’ chairs were occupied. We found stools at a counter; there were also seats at the bar.
Delta One Bar
The bar had premium alcohol and we enjoyed a great Manhattan. But we were surprised that some even more expensive alcohol had a price tag.
The Check In Experience and Security
These are often pain points for travelers. But at JFK, Delta One customers have their own dedicated check-in area – a lounge, really. If you get there and you’re feeling peckish or just can’t wait to slake your thirst, there are snacks and beverages, along with comfy chairs. But you won’t be here long – as soon as a ‘crowd’ of 3 people arrives, more check-in stations open.
Private Security
Forget the long lines at CLEAR, TSA pre-check and Delta Digital ID. Delta One customers, at least at JFK and LAX, also get a dedicated security area nowhere near the regular security area. I hesitate to call it a line – it is really a private security station where you are truly getting the VIP experience.
The Flight Itself
Of course, the whole point of spending the extra money, or the points, is the cabin experience.
With Delta One you:
- Board first
- Get a large, comfortable seat that converts to a bed
- Have either a window seat by yourself or an aisle seat next to someone
- Get a Missoni flight bag with lip balm, moisturizer, toothbrush and toothpaste
- Have super attentive flight attendants
- Use a bathroom used by very few people so it stays clean on a long flight
- Are first off the plane
- Your checked bags are off first
- Have tons of overhead space if you carry on, along with hanging space
Food on Delta One
If you didn’t have time to eat in the lounge, don’t despair. Great food awaits. You can pre-order – morel soup and a burrata appetizer were some of the choices we had. We did sample the chocolate tart, with mango on the side. It was decadent and worth the calories.
How to Decide if Delta One is Worth It
- Does the airport have a truly special Delta One check in? At EDI, the Delta One check in is a counter next to the priority check in. And everyone flying from here has to go through the same security process
- Does the airport have a Delta One lounge? JFK and LAX have them, but SFO doesn’t. Sure the Delta lounge is nice, but it’s not as rarefied as the Delta One
- Is your flight long enough for you to sleep? If you’re taking a redeye from Denver to New York, the flight is only 3 hours
- What time of day are you flying? A daytime flight from NYC to the West Coast is long enough, but are you going to sleep during the day?
- What are you doing when you arrive? We were going straight to a bike tour of Edinburgh, so we truly appreciated the time saved, and the ability to sleep
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