https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/d ... db2bf66980

I didn't see this posted and apologize if I missed it, but DL is limiting lounge access to 3hrs prior to departure time now and not "all day access". Is this a smart move with business travelers who work at the lounge prior to a flight? Thoughts?

I was more surprised by they limit of people using lounges at their destination. I didn't realize that was allowed in the first place. I thought it had to be origin or connecting points.

polywad6963 wrote:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/delta-tightens-sky-club-access-shares-details-of-new-delta-one-business-class-lounges/ar-AAWUQN0?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=a1cf295540eb43d6b1bfffdb2bf66980

I didn't see this posted and apologize if I missed it, but DL is limiting lounge access to 3hrs prior to departure time now and not "all day access". Is this a smart move with business travelers who work at the lounge prior to a flight? Thoughts?

If UA and/or AA follow suit with these lounge restrictions, then DL's move might stick. However, if their main competitors refuse to follow DL's "lead", these restrictions probably will be gone in a couple of months. But it does beg a question: Why is DL trying to tick-off their best customers?

From Delta's email this morning:

To help ensure the best possible Delta Sky Club experience for you, we’ll start taking steps to implement the following policy updates beginning on Wednesday, June 1:
• Guests will be able to access Clubs anytime within three hours of their scheduled departure time (and connecting customers can continue to access Clubs at any time prior to departure).
• All departing and connecting customers will have access to Clubs. With the exception of arriving Delta One customers, Club access will be unavailable for arriving customers without a connection.
Rest assured that if your travel is impacted by a flight delay, you can still enter up to three hours from your originally scheduled departure time. If you have a layover, you can use the Club in your connection airport for the full duration of your connection.

I read this to mean connecting passengers are not subject to the three-hour limit.

(1) 3hr time limit, prior to departure
(2) No more use upon arrival... lounge guests must be departing or connecting, unless in Delta One.

https://onemileatatime.com/news/new-del ... nt-4837130

Applies to all memberships, whether purchased, or comped through Diamond Medallion or AmEx Reserve/Platinum cards.

___________________________________
I find both of these infuriating, but #2 more so than most.... one of the best things about lounge membership is the ability to jump in, grab a drink/snack, use the shower, and get where you're going upon arrival. It's gonna suck particularly for TCON flyers who get into NYC in the 5-7am range.

Probably only a matter of time before this infection spreads to AA/UA as well.

LAX772LR wrote:

(1) 3hr time limit, prior to departure
(2) No more use upon arrival... lounge guests must be departing or connecting, unless in Delta One.

https://onemileatatime.com/news/new-del ... nt-4837130

Applies to all memberships, whether purchased, or comped through Diamond Medallion or AmEx Reserve/Platinum cards.

___________________________________
I find both of these infuriating, but #2 more so than most.... one of the best things about lounge membership is the ability to jump in, grab a drink/snack, use the shower, and get where you're going upon arrival. It's gonna suck particularly for TCON flyers who get into NYC in the 5-7am range.

Probably only a matter of time before this infection spreads to AA/UA as well.

I switched from DL years ago for my own reasons. But their actions still affect me, because AA usually follows them. This is just another downgrade, soon to be followed by AA/UA, for all of us who have to travel. Honestly, as someone who books long connections to avoid as many miscons as possible, this stinks. I would rather have to pay more for membership then suffer a time limit. And having said time limit enforced on you, during an over 3hr irrop/misconnect, will not make many of us too happy. I can only hope that AA is slow to react to this.

Tack wrote:

LAX772LR wrote:

(1) 3hr time limit, prior to departure
(2) No more use upon arrival... lounge guests must be departing or connecting, unless in Delta One.

https://onemileatatime.com/news/new-del ... nt-4837130

Applies to all memberships, whether purchased, or comped through Diamond Medallion or AmEx Reserve/Platinum cards.

___________________________________
I find both of these infuriating, but #2 more so than most.... one of the best things about lounge membership is the ability to jump in, grab a drink/snack, use the shower, and get where you're going upon arrival. It's gonna suck particularly for TCON flyers who get into NYC in the 5-7am range.

Probably only a matter of time before this infection spreads to AA/UA as well.

I switched from DL years ago for my own reasons. But their actions still affect me, because AA usually follows them. This is just another downgrade, soon to be followed by AA/UA, for all of us who have to travel. Honestly, as someone who books long connections to avoid as many miscons as possible, this stinks. I would rather have to pay more for membership then suffer a time limit. And having said time limit enforced on you, during an over 3hr irrop/misconnect, will not make many of us too happy. I can only hope that AA is slow to react to this.

Per TPG connections aren't impacted
"The three-hour policy does not apply to those accessing the Sky Club at a connecting airport. Those with connections longer than three hours will be admitted to the lounge at the connecting airport(s)."

Tack wrote:

This is just another downgrade.

I thought airlines called these changes enhancements to their frequent flyer services.

Breathe wrote:

Tack wrote:

This is just another downgrade.

I thought airlines called these changes enhancements to their frequent flyer services.

It'll help reduce some of the traffic, which is too high, I'd guess. That is an enhancement given how absolutely overpacked some clubs are.

Ouch that sucks. And just when the showers were starting to open again. They should have just put those rules for Amex and left arrivals for club members….

Unpopular opinion here I'm sure, but I actually understand this.

They probably found a small subset of folks who were just going in and setting up shop basically, working all day from the lounge before getting on a flight. I can understand that might drive a change like this. Three hours is plenty, even if you are an avgeek and want to arrive early. They are not limiting it if you are legit connecting for longer than three hours. Doing this is a cleaner way than trying to enforce "reasonable use" piecemeal.

zuckie13 wrote:

Three hours is plenty, even if you are an avgeek and want to arrive early.

True avgeeks don't necessarily go to the lounge. The hardcore amongst us arrive at an airport early, and spend the time exploring the airport.... not trying to see how much free food you can shovel down your throat as quickly as possible

Shame - I'm sure SM members found value in using the facilities to freshen up after a long-haul flight.

zuckie13 wrote:

Unpopular opinion here I'm sure, but I actually understand this.

They probably found a small subset of folks who were just going in and setting up shop basically, working all day from the lounge before getting on a flight. I can understand that might drive a change like this. Three hours is plenty, even if you are an avgeek and want to arrive early. They are not limiting it if you are legit connecting for longer than three hours. Doing this is a cleaner way than trying to enforce "reasonable use" piecemeal.

Help me understand why it makes sense to deny me lounge access if I show up 3:30 before my departure and either (1) there is not an earlier flight or (2) there are no seats on the earlier flight(s). Early arrivals can be evidence of “lounge abuse” but sometimes are not.

zuckie13 wrote:

Unpopular opinion here I'm sure, but I actually understand this.

They probably found a small subset of folks who were just going in and setting up shop basically, working all day from the lounge before getting on a flight.

By your won statement, you admit why such a thing would be pointless to pursue.

phatfarmlines wrote:

Shame - I'm sure SM members found value in using the facilities to freshen up after a long-haul flight.

Delta One customers are exempt, but with the exception of the TCONs, most D1 customers will have to clear customs, and won't be allowed back in the sterile airside without a cnnx.... so that's sorta moot anyway.

The purpose of a lounge is to make more comfortable the time a person would normally be at an airport.
If you buy an insurance policy, you are still expected to act as if uninsured - ie you still have to be careful and avoid risks.
With an airline lounge, a similiar idea should apply - you are welcome to use the facilities if you would ordinarily expect to be at the airport at that time anyway.
At the origin of a journey people without FF status might arrive at an airport maybe 2 hours in advance. Those who have arrived at their final destination typically leave the terminal within minutes to go to their home/hotel/office.

If lounge access is given out too easily, it loses its value. Restaurants will not let you stay all day - neither should lounges.

3 hours before flight from origin point, and unlimited time during a connection is plenty.

davidjohnson6 wrote:

With an airline lounge, a similiar idea should apply - you are welcome to use the facilities if you would ordinarily expect to be at the airport at that time anyway.

Sure, but business travelers--and probably some leisure travelers too--do not live in this utopian world where we can predict our airport arrivals with precision. Last night, I arrived at FLL at 6:20 for a 7:05 flight. Naturally, I had planned to be earlier. The flip side of that is that sometimes my work obligations finish earlier than I foresee and I have more time at the airport than I expect. That's not unreasonable, it's life.

Cubsrule wrote:

The flip side of that is that sometimes my work obligations finish earlier than I foresee and I have more time at the airport than I expect.

If your work obligations finish much earlier than expected, I have a suggestion.... go out and enjoy yourself for a few hours in whichever city you happen to be in.
If the boss wants you working, then the boss has to either pay for a flexible ticket, or be prepared to provide or pay for some office space in which you can work

davidjohnson6 wrote:

Cubsrule wrote:

The flip side of that is that sometimes my work obligations finish earlier than I foresee and I have more time at the airport than I expect.

If your work obligations finish much earlier than expected, I have a suggestion.... go out and enjoy yourself for a few hours in whichever city you happen to be in.
If the boss wants you working, then the boss has to either pay for a flexible ticket, or be prepared to provide or pay for some office space in which you can work

I've covered this already upthread. Sometimes there isn't an earlier flight, or an earlier flight with seats. I'm not sure why finding a quiet corner of the lounge and getting something done is unreasonable in those circumstances. Certainly the airlines' marketing suggests that productivity is one of the benefits of a lounge.

I frequently use AA's lounges after arrival--I take a 0700 or 0800 flight, land somewhere at 1000 or 1100 local, it's way too early to check-in to my hotel. So I'll hang out in the lounge for an hour or two, use the free WiFi, get some work done, grab a quick snack...

If AA follows suit, I'll likely stop paying for lounge access. I'm surprised passenger-centric DL of all airlines is the one initiating this anti-customer friendly move.

I received the email today from DL - my first (and continuing thought) was what frequent traveler with a SkyClub pass would be showing up 3+ hours before their flight? Let's be honest - how many regular travelers who have a SkyClub membership show up to the airport 3+ hours early? When I traveled for work I timed things just right to get past security ~15-30 mins before boarding and that has carried over into my personal travel now that I no longer travel for work - even in the best airports in the world its still just entirely wasted time once you clear security.

pezzy669 wrote:

I received the email today from DL - my first (and continuing thought) was what frequent traveler with a SkyClub pass would be showing up 3+ hours before their flight? Let's be honest - how many regular travelers who have a SkyClub membership show up to the airport 3+ hours early? When I traveled for work I timed things just right to get past security ~15-30 mins before boarding and that has carried over into my personal travel now that I no longer travel for work - even in the best airports in the world its still just entirely wasted time once you clear security.

Since you asked, here’s a real life example: I had meetings in Charlotte yesterday and today. CLT-BNA has 8ish daily flights on two carriers so not exactly ORD-LGA but reasonable frequency.

My best guess when I booked was that they’d be all day both days so I booked a 1845 CLT-BNA flight. Yesterday afternoon it became clear that today’s meetings would not take all day, so I looked at earlier options. The 1250 flight had lots of seats but I wasn’t confident in my ability to make it; the 1615 flight was sold out. At about 1000, I listed for standby on the 1615 and was number 7 or 8 on the list. I wound up getting to the airport at about 1430 and got a seat on the 1615 flight. But if I hadn’t, I’d have been at the airport four hours before my flight.

Looks like DL has scrapped the "no arriving passengers" part of the restrictions based on customer feedback: https://thepointsguy.com/news/delta-sky ... n-arrival/