Delta Sky Club Grab-and-Go Stations: A Swift Solution for Travelers

Delta Air Lines has innovated the airport experience with its Delta Sky Club Grab-and-Go stations, offering a swift and convenient option for travelers on the move. Initially launched at key airport hubs in Atlanta and New York, these grab-and-go lounges embody the perfect blend of convenience and luxury for those with time constraints. Here’s a closer look at this game-changing offering.

At the beginning of 2024, the Club access policy update came into force, read the new Sky Club access rules here.

An Expedited Lounge Experience

Travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and JFK International Airport now have the luxury of bypassing traditional lounge waits with Delta’s standalone grab-and-go food and beverage kiosks, strategically located at Delta Sky Club locations. These kiosks are designed to offer a quick, efficient way to enjoy Sky Club perks without the wait, addressing the demand for faster service and mitigating lounge overcrowding.

Complimentary food and drinks are among the most popular reasons travelers visit lounges. So, instead of waiting in line to enter the lounge on a busy travel day just for a quick bite, the kiosk is now available to use instead.

What’s on the Menu?

Delta’s grab-and-go Atlanta and New York locations provide a selection of prepackaged food and beverages, catering to various tastes and preferences:

• Main Items: Cold sandwiches, entree salads, lunch wraps, and warm breakfast wraps
• Snacks: Miss Vickie’s chips, cups of mixed fruit, veggie platters, and mixed nuts
• Sweets: Nature Valley granola bars, yogurt, and wrapped muffins
• Beverages: An assortment of non-alcoholic options including soft drinks, water, coffee, and tea

How it works

The new grad-and-go kiosks opened earlier this month at Delta hubs Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (in Concourse B) and the JFK International Airport (in Terminal 4, Concourse B). Each kiosk is in the lobby of the Delta Sky Club.

Travelers have the option to enter the lounge or pick from the grab-and-go station. Choosing the grab-and-go option lets you skip the line to enter the lounge and get your food/drinks directly.

Upon arrival at the Delta Sky Club, travelers can opt for the grab-and-go station over the traditional lounge entry. After receiving a ticket from the reception desk, guests select their preferred food and beverage items, with a limit of one from each category: main item, snack, sweet, and beverage. This seamless process ensures that even those with the tightest schedules can enjoy the benefits of the Sky Club.

With grab-and-go, there are no tables to sit at after getting your food. Instead, it’s a takeaway concept to improve the flow of travelers using the lounges.

Downsides to Delta Grab-and-Go

The grab-and-go kiosks make it easy for travelers who don’t have enough time to get the entire lounge experience. This can be due to short layovers, which are common in these pilot cities—also long wait times to get into a lounge when it’s busy. However, there are a couple of downsides to expediting the lounge experience.

No Sky Club access

Selecting the grab-and-go kiosk ticket means you cannot access the Sky Club. The kiosk counts as a “lounge visit,” so you can’t enter the lounge before or after the day you use the grab-and-go service.

It’s no problem for travelers with short layovers who just want something quick. But if you have more time in the airport, it may be worth the wait to enter the Sky Club lounge.

Limits on food

Food and drinks are a premier feature for lounges, especially all-you-can-eat. However, unlike the unlimited buffet inside the Sky Club, the grab-and-go kiosk only gives a limited selection.

Delta Sky Club returned to serving hot food in the lounges after we saw prepackaged food served during the pandemic era. The grab-and-go options are similar to these, so don’t expect hot food to go.

On the one hand, the grab-and-go kiosk adds value to travelers with lounge access who never had time to enjoy its amenities, like complimentary food. But on the other hand, travelers who are able to spend time in the lounge won’t get as much value from the kiosk since it makes you ineligible to enter the Sky Club.

Who can Access the Grab-and-Go?

The accessibility to enter Delta Lounges has skyrocketed for travelers. Whether you’re a loyalty member or have access via your credit card, you can get access to the grab-and-go.

Here’s how you can use this new feature:

• Delta Sky Club Membership
• Delta Passengers – Delta One and SkyTeam Premium Cabin
• Loyalty Members – Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Medallion
• Credit Cards Holders – Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business American Express Card, Centurion Card American Express, Platinum Card American Express (valid if traveling on Delta the same day)

Delta Sky Club Membership

• Executive Membership: Unlimited access for the member plus two guests or family, priced at $1,495.00 or 149,500 miles.
• Individual Membership: Access for the member with guest passes available for an additional fee, priced at $695.00 or 69,500 miles.

Delta Sky Club Members have the option to use miles from their SkyMiles accounts to pay for accompanying guests as a payment option. For access to Grab and Go locations, the fee for each guest per visit is $25, or alternatively, members can redeem 2,500 miles. This mileage redemption option is exclusively available to Delta Sky Club Members

The grab-and-go kiosk is available for anyone who can enter the lounge.

Lounge Troubles With Delta

Having many options for those allowed in the lounges has made Delta Sky Club popular for many travelers, especially in its busiest airports. For example, the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport gets 30+ million Delta travelers every year, many of which are eligible for the lounge. 

While it’s one solution to the overcrowding issue, it’s not the only thing Delta is doing to make its lounge more exclusive, such as increasing entry and membership prices. In addition, it’s planning a new lounge in JFK airport scheduled for later this year as well as new Sky Clubs at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

The Future of Delta Grab-and-Go

As Delta Sky Club continues to evolve, the success of the grab-and-go pilot in Atlanta and New York will guide the expansion of this offering. With plans for new lounges and updates to existing ones, Delta is committed to enhancing the travel experience for its passengers, providing both traditional and expedited lounge options to meet the dynamic needs of today’s traveler.

Delta’s grab-and-go initiative not only enhances the lounge experience for those in a hurry but also showcases the airline’s dedication to innovation and customer service. Whether you’re a loyalty member, a premium cabin traveler, or a cardholder with lounge access, the Delta Sky Club grab-and-go stations offer a new way to enjoy the perks of lounge access, making your travel experience more enjoyable and efficient.