Lounge Review: Delta Sky Club® (LGA – Gate 81)

by Anthony Losanno
Delta Sky Club LGA

Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links below. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

I was on business in New York this week and stopped by the Sky Club® in Terminal D by Gate 81 on the way home. LaGuardia Airport (LGA) has two Sky Club® locations. I’ve reviewed the newer, larger lounge here. I was departing from Gate 85 and had not been to this one, so I decided to check it out.

Delta Sky Club LGA Hall

The entrance to the Sky Club® is up a ramp and down a short hall from the gates.

Access

Access is granted to passengers with memberships (purchased annually), one-time pass holders (earned from the co-branded American Express cards or purchased for $59), Delta One®, SkyTeam premium cabin passengers, SkyTeam Elite Plus when flying internationally in premium cabins, the Centurion® and the Platinum Card® from American Express holders, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card holders, WestJet business class passengers, and WestJet Rewards Platinum and Gold Elite. Allowed guests vary by access type. A same-day boarding pass is required to enter the Delta Sky Club®.

Anthony’s Take: This Sky Club® is nice if you’re departing from the gates numbered in the 80s. It is a pretty large space with lots of seating, a bar, and a full buffet. While the design and amenities at the Sky Way are better, this is a good place to pass time before a flight.

Delta Sky Club Desk LGA

 

Delta Sky Club LGA Desk 2

There are two desks upon entering where agents will scan your boarding pass for entry. There are no kiosks here and the line backed up a bit to get into the lounge.

Delta Sky Club LGA Bar 1

 

Delta Sky Club LGA Bar 2

Bar

There is a bar behind the buffet. It offers all of the standard spirits, wine, and beer that Delta provides complimentary as well as some premium options for purchase.

Delta Sky Club LGA Iced Tea

Iced tea and lemonade were available across from the buffet.

Delta Sky Club LGA Coffee

 

Delta Sky Club LGA Coffee 2

There are two coffee stations (one has an espresso machine). One is tucked in the corner and the other is next to the bar.

Delta Sky Club LGA Buffet

Food

Dinner was being served during my visit. The buffet was a decent size with lots of hot and cold options.

Delta Sky Club LGA Soups

Ginger Carrot and Wicked Thai Style Chicken & Rice soups were at the end of the buffet.

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala

Salmon Tomato Sauce

Salmon with Tomato Sauce

Pasta with Vegetables

Pasta with Vegetables

Carrots

Carrots

Shrimp Salad

Shrimp Salad

Tuscan Chicken Salad

Tuscan Chicken Salad

Pesto Pasta Salad

Pesto Pasta Salad

Cheese & Meat

Cheese and meat

Sandwiches

Sandwiches

Bean Salad

Bean Salad

Fruit Salad

Fruit Salad

Condiments 1

Fresh condiments were next to the hot dishes.

Condiments 2

Bottled condiments were found near the plates and silverware.

Brownies

Brownies were near the buffet for dessert.

Delta Sky Club LGA Snacks

There was a snack station with wrapped fruit and snacks to go near the bar.

Delta Sky Club LGA Seating

Seating & Decor

There is a lot of seating in this Sky Club®. The lounge felt pretty empty during my visit. There are tables for working, dining, chairs for watching TV, chairs and banquettes for relaxing, and other seating configurations. I love a lot of the art that Delta chose for the Sky Clubs® and this one had a cool NYC painting.

Delta Sky Club LGA Desks

There are desks toward the back of the lounge.

Delta Sky Club LGA Table

Long tables are also available behind the bar and buffet area.

Delta Sky Club LGA Cube

Individual cubes provide a bit more privacy.

NYC Painting

NYC painting

Magazines

Amenities

This Sky Club® offers free Wi-Fi, restrooms, magazines, and the food and beverages mentioned above.

Overall Impression: This Delta Sky Club® at LGA is fine for passing time near the gates in the 80s. The larger Sky Way is a nicer lounge in its newness and amenities, but this is a nice lounge with a good selection of food and lots of space.

Anthony’s Credit Card Pick: I love the lounges where The Platinum Card® from American Express grants me access. It has had a prominent place in my wallet for many years now. While it does have an annual fee of $695, it provides many travel benefits and will always be my go-to for lounge access (both Delta Sky Clubs® and Centurion Lounges) and booking airfare from the airlines to earn 5x points (up to $500,000 per calendar year). Learn more. Rates & Fees. Terms apply.

User Generated Content Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat encourages constructive discussions, comments, and questions. Responses are not provided by or commissioned by any bank advertisers. These responses have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the responsibility of the bank advertiser to respond to comments.

Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.

1 comment

NedsKid October 29, 2023 - 7:22 pm

I visited this lounge today. I hadn’t been through LGA on Delta in a few years. I went to the main/new lounge just to see it. No wait to get in but it was an absolute madhouse inside. All that seating and would have had to sit where it was awkward to be between two others like on a couch. Or get people to move their bags (I’ve noticed in certain United Clubs they do a good job of patrolling that). I took a few photos and left after the buffet line looked like a Golden Corral after church.

Went to this club over by Gate 81 since I was departing out of the 90s. Glad to see this original club basically unchanged with just better food. Plenty of seating and much quieter. However, oddly enough, this one is still using paper plates and plastic cutlery. Probably doesn’t have a dishwasher. But either way, they were completely out of forks and knives. Not any even in their storage. So we had plastic spoons.

Reply

Leave a Comment

Related Articles