| Note: This post is updated to reflect some details I got wrong the first time around, which is that the new Delta One Lounge will actually be opening imminently, but in a confusing way. The post below is updated to reflect all the details. |
Delta Air Lines has revealed plans for its latest Delta One Lounge. The initial version of the lounge will be opening shortly, and rather oddly, it’s at an airport that already has a Delta One Lounge.
Delta One Lounge coming to LAX Terminal 2
Delta is known for its excellent Delta One One Lounges, and there are currently four locations, in Boston (BOS), Los Angeles (LAX), New York (JFK), and Seattle (SEA).
The Delta One Lounge LAX opened back in 2024, located in Terminal 3, and it offers a great experience. At only 10,000 square feet, it pales in comparison to the one at JFK, which is around 40,000 square feet. But still, Delta’s network at LAX also isn’t as big.
That brings us to the news — Delta plans to open a new Delta One Lounge at LAX Terminal 2. However, the process by which this will happen is rather odd. In the summer of 2026, the Delta One Lounge will open in an “initial phase.” Then in 2028, the Delta One Lounge in Terminal 2 will undergo its transformation, and reopen following a full renovation.
It sounds like the initial facility will be more of a makeshift setup, while the real purpose-built Delta One Lounge concept will open in 2028.
Details remain very limited as of now, though it sounds like there will be transportation directly to the lounge from Delta One check-in and the exclusive security line. Terminal 2 is getting a larger redevelopment, and this is the first stage of that, as more work to the entire terminal space is expected to take place in 2028 and beyond.
With time, we should learn more details. We know that the lounge will offer the typical Delta One Lounge dining experience at launch, but beyond that, we don’t know about the size, amenities, etc. I’d speculate that this space will be taking over the former Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Terminal 2 (before it moved to Tom Bradley International Terminal), but I’m not 100% sure about that.
Among the premium international lounges of the “big three” US carriers, this is the first time that we’ve seen two of these lounges at one airport… and LAX isn’t even among Delta’s biggest hubs!
I am curious how they’re going to manage crowding between the two lounges. People will probably go to the lounge closer to their gate, or maybe to the Terminal 3 lounge, out of habit. How will Delta properly distribute guests, especially since ideally you don’t want to tell a business class passenger to schlep to Terminal 2, after they’ve arrived at the Terminal 3 lounge?
Separately, in 2027, Delta also plans to open a new Sky Club in Terminal 2. Again, details are limited, but this is a major investment in the airport.
Does Delta have big plans for LAX, or what’s going on?
Typically, the “big three” US carriers love their fortress hubs, where they dominate the market, and control a majority of the traffic. This allows them to efficiently funnel passengers into their larger network, and also gives them more pricing power.
LAX is unique in that it’s an airport where American, Delta, and United, all have a hub. It’s the only airport where that’s the case. Over the years, we’ve seen the airlines kind of take turns being the slightly dominant airline (I guess you could say they’re LAX vers), but it’s just a really tough market.
You’d think LAX would be super lucrative, but it’s just not anywhere close to the most profitable hubs, due to the amount of competition. On the international front, you have so much service from foreign airlines. Furthermore, given how market share is distributed pretty equally, it’s also hard for any one airline to make huge money on credit cards, or to have much pricing power.
As things currently stand, there’s no denying that the Delta One Lounge LAX gets busy late at night (before the transpacific flights), but other than that, the lounge doesn’t get that crowded.
What’s odd about Delta is that it has spent recent years building up its hub in SEA as a long haul gateway, largely as an alternative to LAX. However, with growth constraints, plus the pressure of being number two behind Alaska, we’e now seen Delta shift growth back to LAX.
In the coming days, the airline will launch flights out of LAX to Hong Kong (HKG), and then plans to launch Manila (MNL) flights in 2027. Side note — that HKG route is going to buh-leed money, particularly with current oil prices.
Anyway, one wonders if the new Delta One Lounge LAX is just intended to serve this increased demand that we already know about, or if Delta has something bigger up its sleeve. I tend to think history repeats itself, and I can’t imagine any ramp-up will be terribly profitable. But perhaps Delta views it as part of a larger strategic interest.
Bottom line
Delta has revealed that it plans to open a second Delta One Lounge at LAX Terminal 2, complementing the one that opened in Terminal 3 in 2024. The temporary Delta One Lounge in Terminal 2 should open this summer, before being fully redeveloped, and then reopening in 2028.
Admittedly the current Delta One Lounge is rather small, but still, this is the first time we’ve seen a US carrier open two premium international business lounges at the same airport. We know Delta plans to grow at LAX, though I’m curious just how much growth is in the cards.
What do you make of a second Delta One Lounge LAX?