The Brand New T3 Delta Sky Club at LAX!! [Quick Look]

It wasn’t even open to the public and I already had a complaint about Delta’s latest and greatest Sky Club airport lounge.

Of course I did.

Delta Air Lines kindly invited some bloggers and other media members to a sneak peek of its new 30,000-square-foot Sky Club (the carrier’s largest) at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Tuesday afternoon —  a day before officially opening to the public.

So, what’s my beef with the LAX T3 Sky Club?

Frankly, it’s such a great club with amazing views. I’ll never get any work done when I visit the place.

Where is the New, Fancy, Huge Delta Sky Club at LAX?

You’ll find this Delta Sky Club on the top floor of the Sky Way project connecting Terminals 2 and 3.

Once you clear security at the new headhouse, turn right. The Sky Club will be on your right side.

The Sky Club is open to Delta Sky Club members, Delta One passengers, SkyTeam premium cabin passengers, SkyTeam Elite Plus passengers traveling on an international itinerary, certain American Express cardholders, and  a few other Delta partner elites.

Entering the Delta T3 Sky Club at LAX

The lounge features several self-check-in kiosks allowing guests to scan their physical or virtual boarding passes.

Claude Roussel, the Managing Director of Delta Sky Clubs, explained this will help get people into the club more quickly than waiting for an agent to check them in. He noted that some people have only about 40 minutes of lounge time before their flight — the last thing they want to do is waste five minutes standing in a line waiting to get in. (Or maybe you’re like René and me and arrive hours ahead of time.)

From there, you’ll take these escalators up to the lounge itself.

There’s a service desk on your left just after entering the main floor.

I like that it looks more like a concierge desk. Mr. Roussel emphasized that airport lounges need to be about hospitality — not simply a table, chair, and outlet.

My First Impressions

Sleek, modern, and impressive. Very impressive. Those were the first words that popped into my mind when I walked into the new LAX Sky Club. After a few years of visiting the crowded and somewhat dated lounges in T5 (now an American Admirals lounge), T3, and T2, this lounge is a welcome relief.

Layout

“Boring,” “sterile,” or “cookie-cutter” are not words that should be associated with the new LAX Delta Sky Club.

Delta, thankfully, didn’t turn this into a massive room with rows upon rows of Sky Club standard chairs and tables. It practically made the lounge a destination and attraction itself.

You might enjoy sitting in “The Coffee Grotto” during a visit.

It features tiles imported from Italy. Mr. Roussel explained this was kind of a tribute to Hollywood.

Or chill out here —

— or here —

— or here.

Maybe here, too.

Something Mr. Roussel emphasized was that Delta focused on putting “nooks and (different) areas” into the club. “You can have your own little cocoon,” he said.

Maybe these S-shaped seats strike your fancy.

You may enjoy the Media Wall and its surrounding area.

There’s a long, community table and some private booths —

— near something Mr. Roussel saidSky Club guests like in Salt Lake City: phone booths for calls or video chats!

They feature USB-A, USB-C, and traditional power outlets.

Sky Deck

At last: a Sky Deck comes to a Delta lounge in Los Angeles!

The deck features heaters and a retractable roof so the deck can remain open year-round. Sure, it doesn’t snow in Los Angeles. But it tends to rain (and rain hard) every so often during the fall and winter months.

Here are a few looks around the deck.

This is currently the only Sky Deck with a dedicated bar. Mr. Roussel said that was a feature Sky Club guests requested.

If you need electrical access while on the deck, the bar and adjacent seats are your options.

The LAX Sky Deck offers great plane spotting and nice views of the western Los Angeles basin. On clear days, the famous Hollywood sign is visible from the deck, as is downtown Los Angeles.

Food and Beverage

In addition to the Sky Deck bar, there’s an identical twin inside. The long bar reminded me of the one at the Virgin Clubhouse at London Heathrow.

There are two, full buffets: one at the east end and another at the west. (Staff was being trained during our tour, so the buffets weren’t open. So, I’ll visit another time for that review.)

 

Both have nearby beverage stations with coffee, water, and carbonated beverage options.

Take note, candy lovers: you’ll find this at the far west end (the side closest to the ocean and farthest from the entrance.)

There are other snacks throughout the lounge, as well.

But Mr. Roussel asked if I’d please be a guinea pig and sample a bartender’s effort at a Peanut Butter Old Fashioned (a drink I tried at the Newark Sky Club last fall.)

I wanted to be a good guest. It was the least I could do, right?

Check out the “LAX” branded orange peel!

Power Outlets

Not every seat and table at the T3 Sky Club has USB or electrical outlets. But a fair amount do.

Even some seats along the windows have access to a row of plug-ins.

You can go on a decent “power trip” in this lounge.

I appreciate that Delta is incorporating more USB-C ports.

Restrooms and Showers

Mr. Roussel told me that bathrooms and showers should be “an experience.”

My, um, experiences in the men’s room were pleasant, I guess. The bathrooms are very nice. (Well, at least the one I visited.)

Beware of confusing the hand lotion and soap. I speak from experience. Based on my quick research, all the lotions were on the left, the soap on the right.

The shower suites are gorgeous.

Final Approach

I’m quite impressed with Delta’s new T3 Sky Club at LAX. (I had a chance to interview Mr. Roussel — and that’s a post itself I’ll publish in the next few days.) I look forward to trying the food and reporting back.

But the size and design of this new Sky Club is great. I look forward to hearing what you think when you visit. Please tell us in the below Comments section!