Review: Delta Sky Club New York LGA Airport

Review: Delta Sky Club New York LGA Airport

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On Wednesday I had a 9:55PM flight out of LaGuardia Airport. I arrived early so I could check out the spectacular American Express Centurion Lounge, which is located landside in Terminal B.

When the lounge closed at 8PM, I headed over to the Delta terminal for my flight. I had to take a bus from Terminal B, which took about 15 minutes total.

I was through security by around 8:30PM, which left almost an hour before my flight was scheduled to board. The Delta SkyClub is located past security and to the left, before the walkway to Terminal C.

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Delta Terminal LaGuardia Airport

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Delta Sky Club Entrance New York LaGuardia Airport

I was quickly admitted with my Platinum Card® from American Express, one of the best credit cards for lounge access.

The Sky Club was basically one big IKEA showroom. On one hand it felt fairly spacious since the seating was spread out, but on the other hand it didn’t feel especially private since it was just a single room.

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Delta Sky Club Seating New York LaGuardia Airport

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Delta Sky Club Seating New York LaGuardia Airport

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Delta Sky Club Seating New York LaGuardia Airport

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Delta Sky Club Seating New York LaGuardia Airport

There was lounge style seating along with some cubicle-style chairs. I love them in theory, though they never seem to have outlets nearby, which is frustrating.

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Delta Sky Club Seating New York LaGuardia Airport

Then there is table-top seating, along with a business center and some dining tables.

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Delta Sky Club Seating New York LaGuardia Airport

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Delta Sky Club Seating New York LaGuardia Airport

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Delta Sky Club Seating New York LaGuardia Airport

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Delta Sky Club Business Center New York LaGuardia Airport

The bar is located at the far end of the lounge, and is the only place to get drinks (there are no soda, water, or juice dispensers anywhere else). Their “basic” alcohol is free, though they also have an extensive selection of premium alcoholic beverages you can purchase.

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Delta Sky Club Bar New York LaGuardia Airport

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Delta Sky Club Bar New York LaGuardia Airport

I was curious to check out the food spread, given that Delta added a new snack menu as of last week, after testing enhanced Sky Club amenities in the spring.

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Delta Sky Club Buffet New York LaGuardia Airport

They make the menu look as long as a Cheesecake Factory menu, but that may just be a function of them listing every single item individually.

They had veggies.

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Delta Sky Club Buffet New York LaGuardia Airport

Olives and marinated mushrooms…

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Delta Sky Club Buffet New York LaGuardia Airport

…which sure looked like they were “marinating” in sewer water.

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Delta Sky Club Buffet New York LaGuardia Airport

Then they had crackers and all kinds of spreads.

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Delta Sky Club Buffet New York LaGuardia Airport

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Delta Sky Club Buffet New York LaGuardia Airport

And then cookies and eclairs.

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Delta Sky Club Buffet New York LaGuardia Airport

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Delta Sky Club Buffet New York LaGuardia Airport

Then over in the corner they had popcorn and two kinds of snack mix.

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Delta Sky Club Buffet New York LaGuardia Airport

It seemed like a pretty average lounge spread to me, though maybe I was there too late to experience the five course Chateaubriand service which I’m sure they have on offer before 8PM. 😉

The Sky Club bathroom was fairly nice, though didn’t feature any showers.

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Delta Sky Club Bathrooms New York LaGuardia Airport

Delta New York LGA Sky Club bottom line

This lounge struck me as completely average. On the plus side it wasn’t overcrowded, not that I’d expect it to be at 9PM at an airport without any redeyes. The lounge feels “fresh” though also very IKEAish, and the snack selection was okay, though not really better than any other US airline lounge, in my opinion.

If you have The Platinum Card® from American Express I definitely think it’s worth going out of your way to visit the American Express Centurion Lounge at LaGuardia.

Conversations (21)
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  1. Ray Guest

    I have an upcoming flight from LGA-Jacksonville,FL. Would I get access to the lounge? I am flying first class but I am not a member.

  2. Rachel Uchizono Guest

    I had my platinum American Express card and my Delta American Express card. Not only was I not allowed access but they were extremely rude to me.

  3. B Guest

    Um. The staff by the bar won't shut the hell up. It's like I'm sitting in an employee lounge, not an airport lounge club meant for its paying customers or platinum cardholders to relax. Literally the only people talking are the ones that work here, congregating near the bar chatting it up in multiple languages. I came here to escape from the sounds of the riff raff yapping their lips in the gate area. I...

    Um. The staff by the bar won't shut the hell up. It's like I'm sitting in an employee lounge, not an airport lounge club meant for its paying customers or platinum cardholders to relax. Literally the only people talking are the ones that work here, congregating near the bar chatting it up in multiple languages. I came here to escape from the sounds of the riff raff yapping their lips in the gate area. I understand it's not a library, but come on. Other people were annoyed by it too. And yeah, food sucked, and the place is pretty blah in general compared to other lounges. If all lounges were like this, nobody would go. It's only marginally better than the gate area.

  4. Alex Gold

    Anyone who is critical of LGA (coughBidencough) obviously didnt fly out of the Delta terminal. Relatively modern, spacious and clean, compared to Terminal B where you'll have AA, US, SW, B6, etc.....

    And the Marine Air Terminal (Delta Shuttle) may just be the coolest terminal ever. It's what i imagine flying in the 1950s would feel like. Check that one out next time you're in LGA.

    It's not Lufthansa or Singapore but Delta is...

    Anyone who is critical of LGA (coughBidencough) obviously didnt fly out of the Delta terminal. Relatively modern, spacious and clean, compared to Terminal B where you'll have AA, US, SW, B6, etc.....

    And the Marine Air Terminal (Delta Shuttle) may just be the coolest terminal ever. It's what i imagine flying in the 1950s would feel like. Check that one out next time you're in LGA.

    It's not Lufthansa or Singapore but Delta is substantially better than their domestic competition.

  5. Neil S. Guest

    @golfingboy: LGA to ORD on DL is Terminal A, which doesn't have a club. So not sure where the shower would go. I love the Marine Terminal but is start with a better coffee option versus a SkyClub.

  6. Golfingboy Guest

    Like someone clarified, the LGA AC does have a shower room. I was in there last month and it was nice, nothing dingy about it unless you expect it to be LH F lounge standard.

    I disagree with the "it is a regional airport so a shower does not make sense" sentiment. When traveling to LGA, I'd very much rather show up for my ORD-LGA flight in PJ after spending 30-45 minutes more sleeping...

    Like someone clarified, the LGA AC does have a shower room. I was in there last month and it was nice, nothing dingy about it unless you expect it to be LH F lounge standard.

    I disagree with the "it is a regional airport so a shower does not make sense" sentiment. When traveling to LGA, I'd very much rather show up for my ORD-LGA flight in PJ after spending 30-45 minutes more sleeping in my bed and freshening myself up for a meeting in the destination airport shower room. There are many business travelers who shows up in wrinkled suits or that can be easily avoided if they waited until their destination to put it on.

    I suspect the vast majority of them do not realize or bother to research and discover that there is a shower facility available at the destination.

  7. Adi-T Gold

    you think this is mediocre? it's pretty nice I think.

    also La Guardia- with its perimeter rule- does not serve long distance flights, and it also is really not a transfer hub for the most part, so the lack of showers is probably not an issue for most travelers.

    a

  8. Paul Guest

    edit

    not "a la credit" but "a la carte"......

  9. Paul Guest

    Love the comparison between Delta Sky Club and AMEX's Centurion Lounge.

    In this new era that Delta (and this year United) have created/fostered where dollar trumps loyalty, service, etc., it will be enjoyable to watch how (if?) the legacies react to the consumer learning his/her true power from this arrangement to choose lounges/airlines (via newfound credit card loyalties) a la credit.

    (Just call me "United Platinum but with a wandering eye and wallet".)

  10. Christine Guest

    Delta just doesn't get it when it comes to food, not on flights and most certainly not in the lounges. That said, at least it looks like they have some real fresh vegetables and none of those nasty tumbled elderly "baby" carrots. When they get rid of that disgusting baby-poop hummus it will be time to rejoice.

    In any case, the lounge does not look appealing at all. I'd be more inclined to find a restaurant or bar in the terminal.

  11. Jason Guest

    @Joey -- LGA Admirals Club has one shower. Dingy but a godsend when I needed one after a day trip to Manhattan.

  12. Billy Guest

    To highlight, this is the terminal D club. There is also a Terminal C club.

    While none are aspirational, DL is running some of the stronger domestic lounges these days.

    @Soltatio - Few consider LGA to be a "small" airport. While perhaps small in land area, it is the 20th busiest in the country.

  13. JP2 Guest

    Ben,

    Sadly, this IKEA look is pretty much standard across all the skyclubs. Some are one large room and some have it broken up a bit

  14. Soltatio Member

    Hell I'd kill for an eclair or marinated mushrooms in the UA Clubs. I think the lounge looks pretty good for a USA domestic lounge at a small airport.

  15. D Wonderment Guest

    Not sure which items I am impressed with most
    The sewer marinated mushrooms, the commercial packaged cheese or the packaged cookies
    I certainly want to pay 600 dollars a year to be a Delta Club member :)
    It looks like an updated terminal done on the cheap no style
    Ill stick to the Amex Centurion Lounge 100x nicer and more generous in offerings
    Its the Delta Program come to life as a lounge stingy

  16. Bob Guest

    That lounge has evil written all over it. I bet they watch the people wander hopelessly searching for a shower and a sandwich with cruel pleasure.

  17. UA-NYC Diamond

    If you think this is "average"...stay away from the UCs! I'm consistently amazed how much nicer they are (hard and soft product) than a typical UC.

  18. wayne Guest

    I am anxiously waiting for your Park Hyatt review. Hahaha!

  19. Joey Diamond

    yup it is LGA... not JFK or EWR. i wouldn't expect showers at LGA given most flights are regional.

    I went to the AA Admirals lounge at LGA and that lounge didnt have showers either. Are there any lounges in LGA that do have showers?

    I love mushrooms and and the marinated mushrooms look fine to me. The food spread there is definitely better compared to any United lounge I have ever been to.

  20. Neil S. Guest

    Showers? Hot entrees? It's LGA!

    I mainly fly Delta and LGA is my home airport. The service in both clubs - C and D - is great. They handle weather and delays without fuss. At least for Plats and Diamonds.

    JFK T4 has showers. Which makes more sense to me.

    My needs for a connection of a few hours are different than what I need at what is essentially a giant commuter airport.

  21. Mohamed Guest

    I rarely fly american companies but i am struck each time i enter their lounge how poor the service is,i dont get it how european,asian,mideastern even african companies can afford lounges with free drinks (alcoholic or not),hot food,sandwiches,salad bar,snaks and all you get from american lounges is limited drinks,crackers and some vegetables,and thats a deterrent from using these companies.

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Ray Guest

I have an upcoming flight from LGA-Jacksonville,FL. Would I get access to the lounge? I am flying first class but I am not a member.

0
Rachel Uchizono Guest

I had my platinum American Express card and my Delta American Express card. Not only was I not allowed access but they were extremely rude to me.

0
B Guest

Um. The staff by the bar won't shut the hell up. It's like I'm sitting in an employee lounge, not an airport lounge club meant for its paying customers or platinum cardholders to relax. Literally the only people talking are the ones that work here, congregating near the bar chatting it up in multiple languages. I came here to escape from the sounds of the riff raff yapping their lips in the gate area. I understand it's not a library, but come on. Other people were annoyed by it too. And yeah, food sucked, and the place is pretty blah in general compared to other lounges. If all lounges were like this, nobody would go. It's only marginally better than the gate area.

0
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