Review: Delta One Lounge New York (JFK)

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While I did have high expectations entering this lounge, they were still exceeded: the Delta One Lounge at New York JFK is my new favorite lounge in the United States and has a host of amenities that make it very attractive to book Delta Air Lines.

Delta One Lounge New York JFK Review

I was flying from New York to Los Angeles on Delta in business class, giving me the chacne to check out the Delta One lounges in both JFK and LAX.

Hours + Access + Location

The lounge is located in JFK Terminal 4, just past the security checkpoint between the A and B concourses and is open from 4:30 am to 11:00 pm daily. There’s an entrance on concourse (lower) level, which is where I entered:

(you’ll take an elevator upstairs to the lounge)

And also one just past the security checkpoint on the right side (where the SWISS lounge used to be…).

Access to Delta One lounges is reserved for:

Same-day departing or arriving Delta One ticketed passengers (i.e., seated in the Delta One class of service);
Delta 360 Members departing or arriving on a same-day ticket in Delta First Class
Same-day departing or connecting flights operated by the following Delta partners in their respective first and business class cabins specified below:

Air France La Premiere
Air France Business Class (Longhaul)
LATAM Premium Business Class
KLM Business Class
Korean Air First Class and Prestige Class
Virgin Atlantic Upper Class

As an illustration, if you were flying Delta from Paris to New York in Delta One business class, you would have access on arrival in JFK while if you were flying Air France from Paris to New York in business class, you would not have access on arrival.

Downstairs, there was a Delta agent checking credentials before you could even enter (many folks mistook this lounge for the SkyClub and were redirected to the proper lounge).

Seating

This is a large lounge–39,000 square feet to be precise–and even at the height of morning rush, it never felt overly crowded. I suspect it does get more crowded prior to the bank of European departures in the late afternoon and early evening, but the lounge never felt full while I was there, even with most guests clustered in the dining area.

There’s a beautiful dining room (the Brasserie, which I’ll address below) a large dining area, and several seating areas throughout the lounge. The south side of the lounge has floor-to-ceiling windows, filling the lounge with natural light.

You can also find four soundrpoof booths intended for phone calls.

My favorite part of the lounge is the terrace. While the A8 Sky Club aslo has a terrace, this terrace is full of plants and is a very tranquil part of the lounge.

Food + Drink

I enjoyed breakfast in this lounge ahead of my late-morning flight to Los Angeles.

The Market

Rather than a buffet, Delta has opted for a cafeteria-style concept it calls The Market. This is available all day long, with breakfast served until 10:30 am. From French Toast to omelets made-to-order to fresh-squeezed orange juice to breakfast burritos, there’s a wide selection of breakfast items. You point to what you want, and it will be dished on a plate and handed to you to put on your tray.

Coffee is self-serve, but Delta uses beans Red Phoenix Coffee Roasters in the lounge as well and I enjoyed a very nice flat white with my breakfast.

Good coffee, fresh orange juice, avo toast, and an omelet (even though it was bit too well-done)…a perfect breakfast for me.

The Brasserie

Unfortunately, the masterpiece of this lounge–The Brasserie restaurant–was not even open during my visit. It is open from 11:00 am to 9:30 pm daily and offers an a la carte menu of high quality items in a very beautiful dining room:

Here’s the menu:

I hope that I can dine here next time I’m in the lounge, though I thought the market concept for breakfast was more than adequate.

Bar

The bar area is beautiful too, though note (so odd, I might add) that Delta charges for premium alcohol…which strikes me as very cheap for an otherwise premium lounge.

You can also find beverage carts throughout the lounge:

Wellness Area

In the rear of the lounge is a wellness area in which you can rest or relax in a massaging chair or sleep pod.

Don’t forget to ask for a free sample from Grown Alchemist. I love this product!

You can reserve space here (or a shower suite) via the QR code below or one of the many touchscreens in the lounge.

Shower Suites

Eight shower suites are available. I was up so early, I did not take a shower, so I used my time in the lounge to take one…good pressure and great shower products from Grown Alchemist.

Garment pressing service is also available:

Restrooms are located in the same area.

Shoe Shine

I didn’t see anyone staffing it, but there’s a shoeshine stand near the showers.

Service

The staff roaming this lounge were great. First, there were very proud of the lounge…it showed. Second, they were very thoughtful…offering beverages or even to give me a tour of the lounge when they saw I was taking photos. The staff here make this great lounge even better.

Flight help is available near the upper lounge entrance

CONCLUSION

This is a fabulous lounge…my favorite in the United States (and in terms of North American lounges, in the same class as Air Canada’s Signature Suites). I’d absolutely make time to visit this lounge if flying in Delta One or on a partner in business class. These long-awaited lounges set the standard for a premium lounge in the USA. Well-done Delta.