After being in the works for four years, The Delta Sky Club at LAX Terminal 3 recently opened in April 2022. It’s a beautiful and spacious lounge that is fully equipped with multiple bars, a Sky Deck, showers, and a lot more.
Check out what the experience is all about in the review below and if you ever go to visit let us know what you think!
Table of Contents
Getting to the lounge
The Delta Sky Club at LAX Terminal 3 is located on the departures level between T2 and T3. Once you get close, you really can’t miss it.
The new lounge was part of an even larger project that involved re-doing Delta’s Terminal 3 in a substantial way.
Highlights of the new Terminal 3 include:
- A centralized headhouse that consolidates check-in, security and baggage claim
- 32 self-serve kiosks and 46 check-in positions
- A 250-foot digital backwall featuring helpful info like Delta Sky Club volume
- Five baggage claim carousels
- Seven new security lanes
If you’re coming from Terminal 3 you’ll be able to experience the new terminal but because we were on a connection going through Terminal 2 we didn’t really have that opportunity.
Note: When the Delta Sky Way at LAX project is complete in 2023, Terminals 2 and 3 will be a consolidated.
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Access
We gained access to the lounge since we were flying Delta and we had Amex Platinum cards but there are various ways you can gain access to Delta Sky Clubs.
As soon as we entered the lounge I noticed there were five self-service kiosk stations with a few staff members attending them and it occurred to me that this would be an automated entry.
I absolutely hope other lounges head in this direction because it just makes things so much easier.
Because Brad and I were together they asked if we had separate entry which we did based on us each having a Platinum Card so we checked in separately.
All we had to do was scan our boarding pass and swipe our cards and then that was it.
Access granted.
I did see there was an option to add a guest so if that’s what you need to do it looks like that will be easy to accomplish on the kiosk.
After enjoying a little 21st-century kiosk automation, we made our way up the escalator in this stunning lobby, where fixtures designed to resemble waves rolling in the ocean hang from the ceiling and immediately impress.
Exploring the lounge
As soon as we made our way past the wood-screened area, which marks the official entrance to the lounge, I could tell this was going to be one of the more memorable legacy carrier lounge visits I’ve had in recent memory.
The swankiness is undeniable.
The lounge was spacious and had a steady flow of traffic but did not ever feel overcrowded.
That’s no surprise considering that it’s over 30,000 square feet — one of the largest in the Delta network.
We took a right upon entering and made our way towards the corner of the lounge where we had some nice runway views while also being close to the food and drink area.
Before grubbing out, I made my rounds around the lounge to check everything out and was continuously impressed by the design and layout.
There’s a lot of seating options and no shortage of power outlets and USB ports making it extremely easy to get comfortable and charge your devices at the same time.
You’ll definitely have no excuse for your device going dead at any point.
Floor to (nearly) ceiling windows line the lounge offering great runway views for many guests.
If you’re unable to secure a view looking out, the views looking in to this swanky interior can also delight. It didn’t take long for this lounge to win me over.
I liked the area with the little privacy pods for getting work done or talking on the phone.
These cozy little phone booths could be a great place to focus if the lounge gets a bit busy. Inside each one you can find a power outlet and USB port. Sensors will trigger the light when you open the door.
These are perfect for people like me who rely a lot on speech to text dictation. And hopefully this will attract some of those people that can’t help themselves to using speakerphone in the lounge…
For those trying to get work done out in the open there’s a beautiful wooden work table for eight. Semi-private cushioned cubbies resembling a nice NFL locker room surround it.
A printer station can be found in the corner.
This is right by where you’ll find the entrance to the bathroom (more on the amazing bathrooms below).
Just beyond the work table area, there is a bar area which once again has plenty of outlets built-in.
There’s also a large media wall that was playing ESPN.
You’ll find comfortable seating options in front of it that give off a very fitting cinema vibe.
Near the media wall a flamboyant little nook with a mosaic mural featuring glass tiles imported from Italy, known as the “Coffee Grotto,” will certainly catch your eye.
It’s a nod to the golden age of Hollywood and it seemed to be popular because it stayed busy for almost the entire time. Eventually, after several passes, I got a shot with only a few people in it.
Also in this part of the lounge was another seating area partitioned off with some Hollywood Hills inspired design.
Just like the other side of the lounge you also have great runway views along with the backdrop of mountains. Catching LA on a pretty clear evening was a nice finishing touch to this trip.
Later on during our visit, we made our way over to this side because our gate was located right next to it so we could watch our plane come in from where we were seated.
Always love a lounge visit where you can keep an eye on your gate and it makes it that much sweeter that you only have a short walk to get there.
One final thing I meant to mention was that you can find help desks near the entrance of the lounge along with kiosks.
Dining
This Sky Club had some high-quality dining options.
To kick off the dining experience, first I made my way to the drink section where I found a lot of different options.
They had regular Starbucks brewed coffee along with decaf and a hot water dispenser.
Different types of Harney & Sons tea packets were available including green, mint, and earl grey.
If you want more flavors, head over to the drink station on the other side of the lounge and you can find different types like chamomile and several others.
That’s also where you can find the stations for making your own espressos and cappuccinos.
They also had different types of infused water including some with fresh strawberries. Infused water always sounds so good and refreshing to me… until I drink it. I think it’s that watered-down taste that just makes me want to put down the glass.
Sparkling water is very different story, however.
For sparkling water enthusiasts like myself they had a Bevi machine, although you could also choose Aha from the Coke Freestyle machine right next to it.
Next to the drink station, you could find a variety of snacks and potato chips.
After figuring out the drink situation, it was time to check out the real food.
The lounge features local chefs on a quarterly basis via the Local Flavor program so they are constantly mixing up something special.
I started by checking out the different types of sandwiches which included vegetarian options.
The main attraction for myself and most people that I saw had to have been the juicy brisket.
As someone from Texas, I have high standards for such a dish and it did not disappoint at all. Not only was it tasty but it also was fresh and just kind of blew my mind how good it was. Definitely did not expect that.
Other dining options included spicy tofu and a Thai vegan broth along with tomato basil soup.
For sides they had Ruby Rice, steamed broccoli, and a variety of vegetables and dishes like coleslaw. Bread rolls were also plentiful.
My measuring stick for judging the quality of food in an airport lounge is: can you get full only eating items you truly enjoy?
In this case, the lounge passed this test with flying colors.
They also had a meat and cheese selection which looked pretty appetizing.
For dessert, they provided an apple tart dish and multiple types of cookies which are the only things I didn’t truly care for.
But that also probably had to do with the fact that we just had an amazing chocolate chip cookie on board Delta First Class flying from Houston (IAH) to LAX.
So I think I was a little bit over the limit with sweets at that point.
The other side of the lounge also had a buffet center where you could put together your food items. I think it was a little bit smaller but it was also a lot less busy than the one we were sitting by.
At the end of this food area there is a hidden candy corner where you can find glass jars full of different types of candies like flavored Tootsie Rolls and other types of “classic” wrapped candies like taffy.
Bar
There are two main bars in the lounge: one indoors and one on the Sky Deck.
The bar inside is located right in the middle of the lounge and it’s pretty much on the opposite side from the one on the Sky Deck.
The servers at both bars were very good and I was really happy to have such great service.
The bar will serve you up complimentary drinks although you will need to pay if you want one of the signature cocktails or premium alcoholic beverages.
The complimentary beverages include:
Wine
- Sparkling Brut
- Chardonnay
- Pinot Grigio
- Rose´
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Pinot Noir
Beers & Seltzer
- Michelob Ultra Draft
- Regional Craft
- Michelob Ultra Cucumber Lime Seltzer
- Samuel Adams Just the Haze IPA NA
Spirits & Liqueurs
- New Amsterdam Vodka
- Damrak Gin
- Plantation 3 Stars Rum
- Camarena Silver Tequila
- Old Forester 86 Proof Bourbon
- Dewar’s Scotch
- Kahlua
- Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream
As for the signature cocktails, you’re gonna be spending around $9 to $12 for most drinks.
If you want premium spirits then they have a variety of those including vodkas, gin, rum, tequila, whiskey, scotch, and cognac.
Prices are typically around $7 to $10 but can get much more expensive for some of the higher end products like Johnny Walker Blue Label.
Brad decided to try one of the signature cocktails called the Flower District Margarita. A tasty drink and the St-Germain elderflower liqueur put a nice twist on a margarita.
You can also take advantage of a pretty broad selection of champagne, wine, and beer.
You’ll have to shell out some cash (~$5) for premium craft or imported beers such as Blue Moon or Dos Equis.
Unfortunately, the bar is still without Dom Perignon so you can’t currently use your miles for a glass or bottle. I’m really hoping that that option comes back soon.
Later on, we spent some time out on the Sky Deck which was an awesome experience.
Because I have almost exclusively flown United, American, and Southwest I’ve only had one prior visit to a Delta Sky Club at PHX but it did not have a Sky Deck.
For the longest time I’ve been wanting to experience one and I don’t think there could be a better place to do so than the one in LAX considering how awesome it feels outside especially during the evenings.
It’s not a surprise that it remains open all year round.
On the Sky Deck, you could find different types of seating from bar seats to comfortable chairs.
A lot of the seats looking out towards the runway were taken outside which was no surprise given how great it felt. However, there were plenty of open seats along the bar.
(If you don’t see a bartender at the bar just approach the bar and one will probably come out to serve you from the inside.)
Bathroom
The bathrooms are to the left after you enter the lounge and you’ll find them in a beautiful hallway that also is home to the showers.
The men’s bathroom was huge with quality and very private stalls.
It was also clean and smelled good so it was about as good as you will be able to get.
I didn’t get a chance to check out the showers but based on the status of the bathrooms and all of the photos I’ve seen, I’m sure those were top notch.
Final word
As a travel blogger, I’m constantly researching experiences before we ever give them a shot and so rarely am I ever surprised.
But on this occasion, this was our final connection after traveling for roughly 3 weeks and I did not do my homework before heading to the lounge.
That meant that the entire experience was a true surprise and I was unexpectedly blown away which is something that does not happen very often.
Our First Class flight with Delta was also an enjoyable flight and so I’m really becoming a pretty big Delta fan.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio.