Lounge Review: Delta Sky Club® (MSP – Gates G17-G18)

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We are on our way to Sicily and Sardinia. After flying from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP), we had some time before our second flight and decided to head to the new Sky Club® by Gates G17 and G18. This lounge was recently remodeled and reopened on April 19th (I had written about it at the time, here).

Access

Access is granted to passengers with memberships (purchased annually), one-time pass holders (earned from the co-branded American Express cards), 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 newly renovated lounge is beautiful. The colors throughout are shades of copper, bronze, and sage green, which is very on trend form what I recently saw at the Hospitality Design Expo in Las Vegas. This Sky Club® has 21,000 square feet of space with tons of seating configurations, phone booths for calls, two bars, buffet, a gelato station, Wi-Fi, a Sky Deck, and more. It was not too busy during our visit and there is plenty of space to accommodate lots of passengers.

A pair of elevators lead up to the lounge.

Once upstairs, you’ll find three kiosks and an agent to check credentials.

There is a lot of unique art throughout the lounge and I liked the dog near the entrance.

After check-in, you’ll find customer service directly to the right.

The art behind the desks really showcases the Great Lakes.

Bar

There are two bars located on the next to the agents and outside on the Sky Deck. They offer all of the standard spirits, wine, and beer that Delta provides complimentary, as well as some premium options for purchase.

The indoor bar area is huge with tons of seating.

You’ll find ice water and iced tea near the Business Center.

There is also hot water and tea here. It’s odd that there isn’t also coffee to be found here (it’s near the buffet). I think the coffee dispensers might have just been missing during my visit.

A Coca-Cola Freestyle machine was near the buffet. It needed to be refilled as almost every choice was empty. I dislike that these machines don’t have ginger ale.

The coffee machines are located nearby.

There is also Starbucks drip coffee here.

More iced tea and a Bevi sparkling water machine are also here.

A second bar is found out on the Sky Deck.

Food

Lunch/dinner was being served during my visit. The buffet has soup, salads, sandwiches, cheese, cold cuts, hummus, and a few hot dishes.

Roasted Red Pepper and Smoked Gouda Soup

Barbecue Chicken

Corn Bread

Green Beans

Barbecue Baked Beans

Cucumber Tomato and Potato Salad

Salads with chicken and plant-based chicken options

Vegetables, hummus, and pita

Various meats

Assorted Cheeses

Turkey Sandwiches

Caprese Sandwiches

Brownies and bars

Assorted cookies

Brownies and something called Milky Way Parfait (it was odd: lemon flavored with a Milky Way bar on top).

Packaged potato chips were nearby.

The SOLATO machine operates like a Keurig for gelato with cartridges inserted to make a single serving. It can be found on the Sky Deck and was closed during my visit.

Seating & Decor

There is tons of seating in this Sky Club®. There are lots of tables, high tops, and desks around the room.

A massive circular banquette is next to the agents’ desks and before the indoor bar.

On the left side, you’ll find several Framery Phone Pods and cubicles. Delta labeled this area the Business Center and it offers a wireless printer for guest use.

I love the fringe hanging from the ceiling over this banquette near the buffet.

Just some of the art found around the Sky Club®.

The Sky Deck is huge and offers a bar and great runway views.

There is a TV outside as well.

I liked these oversized birdcage chairs.

The Sky Deck can accommodate 110 passengers.

The full-service bar outside was busy.

Amenities

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

Overall Impression:

This new Delta Sky Club® in Minneapolis is well designed and offers a nice spot to relax or work. This is a huge improvement over the F/G Sky Club® and a welcome addition to MSP.

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.