Sky Industry News

An important aspect of these new regulations is that multiple visits within a single travel day count as one visit. This means travelers can visit different clubs during layovers without it affecting their annual visit quota more than once.

Cardholders can regain unlimited access by spending $75,000 on purchases within a calendar year using any of the four specified cards. This spending threshold also grants complimentary guest access at Amex's Centurion Lounge network.

For those who exhaust their allotted visits without meeting the spending requirement, entry into the lounges will incur a fee: $50 per location per visit or $25 for grab-and-go locations.

Delta continues to offer separate allotments for individuals holding multiple eligible credit cards. For example, someone with both a Delta Reserve Amex consumer card and an Amex Business Platinum would receive 25 total annual lounge visits across both cards.

Despite these changes, other access rules remain consistent. Travelers must fly on same-day Delta-operated flights to enter the clubs; entry is not permitted when flying with other airlines like United Airlines. Guest policies also remain unchanged: primary members can bring up to two guests at $50 each per club visit under certain conditions.

These revisions come after Delta announced plans in late 2023 to overhaul its loyalty program and lounge policies due to increasing demand leading to overcrowded facilities. "In some cases, when you have greater demand than you have the capacity to serve, you've got to figure that out," said Tim Mapes, Delta's chief communications officer.

Looking ahead, Delta aims to alleviate congestion by opening and expanding several lounges nationwide throughout 2025. Recent announcements include new facilities at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC).