Delta Air Lines' Recipe For Targeting High-End Travelers In Los Angeles

Delta Air Lines' luxury experience at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) centers around the Delta One Lounge, which opened in October 2024. Here, customers can enjoy hot towels, caviar-topped ice cream, massage checks, and more while they wait for their flight. Private security lanes and baggage check make the travel experience substantially less stressful.

Delta describes this lounge as offering "world-class dining, indulgent wellness experiences, and a new standard of elevated service." This experience comes at a high price, although it is substantially cheaper than flying private, which many Delta One customers will do. A standard roundtrip Delta One ticket from Los Angeles to New York can cost as much as between $2,500 and $3,000.



A cheaper fare can be found in other classes, such as Main Cabin and Delta Comfort Plus. The Delta One Lounge offers customers a unique travel experience compared to what other airlines offer. LAX is home to the third Delta One Lounge.

The other two are located at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Accessing the LAX Delta One Lounge All passengers with a same-day Delta One ticket (departing or arriving from their flight in the Delta One cabin) can access the lounge.

This is the primary way to access the Delta One Lounge at LAX, but Delta 360TM Members departing or arriving on a same-day ticket in first class can also access the space. There are quite a few benefits that come along with Medallion status. Same-day departing or connecting flights operated by some of the following Delta partners in their respective first and business-class cabins can also access the Delta One Lounge.

These options are as follows: Air France La Premiere Air France Business Class (Long-Haul) LATAM Premium Business Class KLM Business Class Korean Air First Class and Prestige Class Virgin Atlantic Upper Class In some cases, passengers of partner airlines are required to access a Delta One Lounge experience in a different lounge due to capacity issues. This has been seen at Boston Aiport, where lounge access for customers traveling in business class on Air France or KLM is limited to the Air France lounge located in Terminal E or to the Delta Sky Clubs in Terminals A & E. It is yet to be seen if such measures will be necessary at LAX.

The other way to access the Delta One Lounge is as a "companion guest." Such guests must be traveling on a same-day Delta-operated flight as an eligible Delta 360 Member traveling in Delta One or First Class. Companion guests must also pay a $100 entry fee and be members of the eligible traveler's immediate family (spouse/domestic partner and children under the age of 21).

Children under 2 years of age can enter free of charge. Unrelated companions cannot experience the Delta One Lounge with this deal. According to the airline's Carry-On Pet Policy, pets are the final type of passenger that can enter the Delta One Lounge.

Eligible animals include dogs, cats, and household birds. Pets must be at least eight weeks old and remain inside the kennel with the door always secured. Animals are also not allowed in the restaurant area.

Service animals can be brought in with fewer rules, although only dogs can be classed as such. They are allowed out of kennels as long as they are well-behaved and controlled. Why Delta is upgrading its premium experience The Delta One Lounge at LAX is part of the airline's initiative to offer the highest-paying passengers high-end amenities and luxury lounges.

This drive came following the widespread return of travel following the coronavirus pandemic. Luxury offerings cater to the wealthiest travelers who choose between flying commercial and private. It is one of the highest-margin areas in commercial aviation.

Other airlines are also matching these efforts. Virgin Atlantic recently opened a clubhouse in LAX . Customers with a premium ticket or Virgin's Gold Tier loyalty program members can enjoy the clubhouse.

Ekrem Dimbiloglu, Delta’s Managing Director of Onboard Strategy and Experience, spoke to the Los Angeles Times about the luxurious space. “The investment in Delta One attracts loyalty. We want to make sure that we are the brand that customers see as the premium airline.

It may mystify some people, but there is such demand for these sorts of things.” Alan Fyall, is the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management. Fyall offered insight into why airlines offer luxury travel experiences at such steep prices.

“It may mystify some people, but there is such demand for these sorts of things. People want the ease, they want the comfort and the luxury.” Delta needs to make this move into luxury travel a success.

Although it reported a decent post-pandemic recovery with profits of $1.7 billion in the fourth quarter of last financial year, its shareholders have lost some confidence in the airline. Delta's stock price has fallen 19% this year.

Reuters has reported further economic woes for the airline. Delta decided to halve its first-quarter profit estimates primarily because of uncertainty about how recent issues with the US economy will impact the travel industry. What comes with Delta One Lounge access? Each Delta One Lounge is slightly different, offering food, drink, and relaxation.

The Delta One Lounge at LAX is known for its fresh sushi, rotating bento box menu, and à la carte selections. The dishes are inspired by destinations served by Delta from LAX. You can enjoy your food and drink on the outdoor terrace, which provides a unique backdrop for watching aircraft come in to land.

LAX's Delta One Lounge is also well-equipped with relaxation and wellness experiences. Rest in a zero-gravity nap pod, rejuvenate with a full-body massage chair, or use personal care products from Grown Alchemist. The other two Delta One Lounges also offer top-tier experiences.

The lounges at BOS and JFK offer elite dining experiences with appealing beverage options. The reserve wines and spirits have been curated by celebrity chefs and expert mixologists. This lounge also has Grown Alchemist personal care products and shower suites.

LAX redevelopment The new Delta One Lounge should be seen within the context of the airport's Terminal 3 redevelopment. A joint project between Delta and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) has spent a combined $2.3 billion on the 10,000-square-foot Delta One Lounge and the 30,000-square-foot new Delta Sky Club.

Delta is set to continue spending a lot of money upgrading its luxury offerings at LAX and beyond, although it has not specified an exact figure for Delta One. It is set to invest $5 billion in 2025 on infrastructure that will support Delta One and the airline's similar products. Delta's commitment to enhancing LAX comes as they were the top carrier in passengers and revenue-related operations at LAX in 2024.

At 6.4 million passengers domestically and 700,000 passengers internationally, the carrier occupied just over 19% of the market, and led the number of passengers served at the airport, according to the LAWA. Despite flights at Terminal 2, the center of Delta's operations is handled at the adjacent Terminal 3, with over 160 daily flights to 60 destinations.

Where else can passengers enjoy a luxury experience? The world's leading airlines are in an arms race to provide the best luxury experience for their high-end passengers. Many airlines have sought unique offerings. Virgin Atlantic's Upper Class product grants access to an in-flight bar.

Meanwhile, passengers of Emirates' highest class can enjoy onboard showers. Four airlines flying between Heathrow and LAX offer business class seats, while two offer first class suites. Delta One has direct competition from the US in the form of United Polaris, which aims to reimagine business class.

United Polaris offers a combined on-the-ground and in-the-air experience. On the ground, passengers can access spa shower facilities, private rest areas, and exclusive dining experiences. In the air, passengers can enjoy greater privacy, noise-canceling headphones, and a large in-flight entertainment screen.

The flight can pass in relaxation with amenity kits designed by Thereabody. United Polaris has also redesigned the United premium dining experience. This includes a made-to-order ice cream sundae for dessert.

All drinks are free with a United Polaris ticket. The carrier's new move promises a fresh look for meals in its most premium class. For passengers wishing to stay with Delta, the airline has two more Delta One Lounges in New York and Boston.

Alongside competing with other airlines to deliver the best luxury product, Delta mustn't forget its budget travelers, who continue to make up the bulk of air travel. "Part of the challenge is that you don’t want to alienate everybody else in the cheaper seats," Fyall explained to the Los Angeles Times. "You want to offer the premium end, but you don’t want to rub it in people’s faces.

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