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With the right Amex cards, you can get complimentary access to Delta Sky Club airport lounges, like this one in Minneapolis.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
If you want access to Delta Sky Club lounges, certain Delta credit cards can get you in for free.
This is a better deal than paying for a Sky Club lounge membership outright.
However, you can also get access with other premium Amex cards, although the annual fees are higher.
Read Insider’s guide to the best airline credit cards.
Like the other major US airlines, Delta has its own network of airport lounges, called Delta Sky Clubs. With dozens of locations in the US, Sky Clubs offer a place to relax and enjoy amenities including free snacks, drinks, and Wi-Fi before your flight.
Normally, Delta Sky Club access is restricted to passengers traveling in eligible premium cabins on Delta and SkyTeam partners, certain elite members on qualifying flights, or those who have purchased a Sky Club membership. Membership prices start at $545 per year, but if you have the right credit card, you can access Delta Sky Clubs at no charge.
The best credit card with Sky Club lounge access for you depends on your other travel goals and spending habits. Here’s a rundown of the differences between these cards to help you choose.
We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Delta Sky Club credit card access
If you have the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, you can access Delta Sky Clubs if you’re traveling on a Delta flight that same day. These cards also come with day-of-travel benefits on Delta flights, including a free checked bag and priority boarding for the cardholder and up to eight companions on the same reservation.
But even if you don’t want to commit to opening a Delta co-branded credit card, there’s a way to get into Delta Sky Clubs for free. The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express also come with Sky Club lounge access if you’re flying on a same-day Delta flight — in addition to offering complimentary entry to other lounges in the Amex Global Lounge Collection, including:
Amex Centurion Lounges (some of the best airport lounges in the US)Priority Pass** (more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide)Plaza Premium loungesLufthansa lounges (when flying Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, or SWISS)
Delta credit cards with Sky Club access
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card-annual-fee Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card-annual-fee Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card come with Delta Sky Club access for the primary cardholder and any additional cardholders when traveling on a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight.
Cardholders are also eligible to bring in up to two guests or immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21 years of age) at a cost of $39 per person, per visit, provided the guests are traveling on a same-day Delta or Delta partner-operated flight.
In addition, when you first open your card and each year on your account anniversary, you’ll receive two one-time Sky Club lounge guest passes. These can be used by guests traveling with you, as long as they’re also flying on a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight.
The annual fees on these cards are just a smidge higher than the cost of buying a Delta Sky Club lounge membership outright, so opening a card is a better value considering all the other perks you receive. These cards are also a good choice if you want to boost your Delta SkyMiles account balance by earning miles for your everyday spending.
Along with a free first checked bag and priority boarding on Delta, cardholders also get access to Amex Centurion lounges when they fly Delta and use the card to pay for their ticket. The Delta Reserve cards also offer an annual Delta companion certificate, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit after you apply through any authorized enrollment provider, access to complimentary upgrades and upgrade priority, and a slew of other travel and purchase protections.
Read our Delta Reserve card review and Delta Reserve Business card review to learn more.
Amex Platinum card Delta Sky Club access
If you want Delta SkyClub access but don’t want to lock yourself into a Delta co-branded card and/or earning Delta miles, the The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express are also excellent choices. Both cards allow Delta SkyClub access for the primary cardholder and authorized users, again only if they’re flying Delta that day.
With a The Platinum Card® from American Express annual fee, the The Platinum Card® from American Express is pricier than either of the Delta Reserve cards. But in return, cardholders receive more comprehensive lounge access and a generous suite of perks that can more than offset the annual fee, including:
Up to $200 per year in airline incidental fee credits** on one qualifying airline you chooseUp to $200 in Uber cash annually** ($15 per month plus a $20 bonus in December), which you can use toward Uber Eats ordersUp to $200 per calendar year toward prepaid hotels that are part of Fine Hotels & Resorts or The Hotel Collection (minimum two-night stay).Up to $300 annual credits (divided into monthly increments of $25) to Equinox** $300 in statement credits when you use your card to buy a SoulCycle at-home bike Up to $240 in annual digital entertainment credits (divided into monthly increments of up to $20)** toward Peacock, Audible, SiriusXM, and The New York TimesUp to $155 in annual statement credits toward Walmart+ (divided into monthly increments of $12.95)**.Up to $100 in annual credits toward Saks Fifth Avenue (divided into $50 increments — the first to be used between January and June, and the second to be used between July and December)**
If you’re a small-business owner, the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express with a The Business Platinum Card® from American Express annual fee could be a better bet. It offers the same airport lounge access as the personal The Platinum Card® from American Express, and comes with slightly different benefits that include:
Uup to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for checked baggage fees, lounge day passes, and more at one selected airline.Up to $400 in statement credits toward U.S. Dell purchases** each calendar year once you enroll your card (divided into two $200 credits: up to $200 between January and June, and up to $200 between July and December)Up to $10 per month in statement credits toward purchases made from any US wireless telephone provider (up to $120 per calendar year)Up to $360 per year in Indeed credits** (up to $90 per quarter)Up to $150 per calendar year** in statement credits toward select Adobe purchases, including Adobe Creative Cloud and Acrobat Pro DC
If you’re torn between the The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, read our personal versus business Platinum card comparison to help decide.
Another way to get discounted Delta Sky Club access
If you’re not willing to commit to a card with a $500+ annual fee but still want to enjoy occasional Delta Sky Club access, consider the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card or Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card. These cards have a Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card annual fee and come with a free first checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights, along with other travel perks.
While these cards don’t offer complimentary Sky Club access, cardholders can get a reduced rate of $39 per person per visit when they use the card to pay and are flying Delta or a Delta partner airline that day. The rate also applies to up to two guests or immediate family traveling with you.
You can find out more in our Delta SkyMiles Platinum review and Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business review.
Bottom line
Delta Sky Club airport lounges can make your travels more comfortable and save you money on expensive airport food and drinks. And you don’t have to be flying first class or have elite status to get access.
You can always pay $545 or more per year for a Delta Sky Club membership, but frequent Delta flyers can get a better deal by opening one of four cards that offer Sky Club access when you have a same-day Delta flight:
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express CardDelta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express CardThe Platinum Card® from American ExpressThe Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Alternately, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card or Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card offer cardholders access at a discounted rate of $39 per visit. Here’s a comparison of the Amex Platinum and Delta Reserve cards to help choose the right card for you.