New Delta One Lounge in LAX sets the bar for North American lounges

Delta is redefining the luxury airport lounge experience with the grand opening of its Delta One Lounge at LAX, supplementing the already impressive Sky Club situated just next door in Terminal 3. Designed to be a cut above the Sky Club, this exclusive space is designed to serve nearly 200 guests and offers a fully immersive, premium experience from the moment passengers check in at Delta One’s private check-in area on the Arrivals level. Now Delta One passengers get an enhanced yet seamless, private transition from curb to club, making the journey both streamlined and indulgent.

Inspired by Los Angeles: A Design Story

The Delta One Lounge draws inspiration from both the natural beauty and the iconic architecture of Los Angeles, a city known for its melting pot of culture and design touches. The lounge’s design carefully reflects this diversity, with an elegant colour palette inspired by Southern California’s sunsets. The interplay of warm hues evokes the golden hour in Los Angeles, creating a welcoming and luxurious ambiance for travellers as they depart.

The material choices further enhance this connection to the region. Leather and walnut accents provide a rich, organic feel, while the Icon Bar, a central feature of the lounge, is adorned with Verde Emerald quartzite and onyx. These materials, with their rich textures and bold patterns, echo the natural landscapes of the LA coastline. Above the bar, a glistening feature ceiling pays tribute to the vastness of the Pacific Ocean, its shimmering surface catching light like the water at sunset.

Beyond the Icon Bar, thoughtful details weave throughout the space. Fluted walnut paneling, reminiscent of LA’s Modernist and Art Deco architecture, adds depth and warmth to the interior, while the oculus-inspired ceilings draw the eye upward, creating a sense of openness and airiness that reflects the coastal city’s blend of urban and natural environments.

Nods to Old Hollywood Glamour

The lighting throughout the lounge serves not only as a functional element but also as a design statement, evoking the timeless glamour of old Hollywood. In the dining room and library lounge, dramatic wall lighting adds a cinematic quality to the space, offering a nod to LA’s storied film history. The library lounge, with its cozy yet elegant design, features curated coffee table books and décor from Delta’s existing luxury brand partner, Missoni, further enriching the space with high-end, fashion-forward touches.

Missoni’s influence extends to the landscaped terrace, where plush accent pillows bring a sense of homey luxury to the outdoor seating area. With space for 26 guests its roughly the same size as the Sky Club’s terrace next door, but this terrace offers travellers a place to relax and enjoy the LA sunshine before their flight, all while surrounded by carefully landscaped greenery and modern, yet comfortable, furnishings.

Art that Reflects a Global City

Art plays a crucial role in the Delta One Lounge, reinforcing LAX’s position as a global gateway. The artwork, curated from artists around the world—including from the United States, Philippines, South Africa, Haiti, and Japan—reflects the international character of Los Angeles as well as Delta’s global reach. Each piece was chosen to tell a story, adding an additional layer of depth to the lounge’s already rich design narrative. By incorporating global art, Delta One at LAX invites travellers to engage with the world even before they board their flights, reinforcing the idea that LAX is not just an airport but a cultural hub.

Dining: A Luxe Experience

In comparison to the SkyClub, dining in the Delta One Lounge is designed to be personalised, with attendants providing thoughtful, bespoke hospitality to every guest. Whether you’re seated in the Icon Bar, library lounge, or dining room, food and drink come directly to you, offering a restaurant-like experience without ever leaving the comfort of the lounge, not dissimilar to the service you find in Virgin’s Clubhouses.

The menu is equally impressive, regularly rotating to feature new and elevated dishes crafted for discerning palates. Signature items include crispy duck tacos, pan-roasted salmon, and roasted corn pizza, offering a variety of flavours and textures. For sushi lovers, the lounge boasts a year-round sushi bar, a unique feature exclusive to LAX. Here, guests can indulge in freshly prepared rolls and other sushi delicacies, making it a must-visit spot for any traveller passing through the lounge.

In keeping with Delta’s global mindset, the lounge also offers bento boxes inspired by LAX’s key international destinations, including Paris, Tokyo, and Boston. Each box is thoughtfully crafted to evoke the flavours and culinary traditions of its namesake city, providing guests with a miniature gastronomic journey before they even step on the plane.

For those who prefer to drink their way around the world, the lounge’s “Destination Libations” menu offers signature cocktails themed after airport codes. Whether you’re sipping a Mai Tai-inspired cocktail representing Tahiti (PPT) or enjoying a gin-forward mix that nods to London (LHR), the drink menu adds a playful yet refined element to the lounge experience.

Desserts and Sweets: A Finishing Touch

No meal is complete without dessert, and Delta One Lounge does not disappoint. A central, multi-tiered table is dedicated to sweet treats and savoury bites, ensuring that guests can always find something to satisfy their cravings. The desserts, like the rest of the menu, are designed with elegance in mind, offering travellers a final indulgence before their departure.

Wellness: Re-LAX and Recharge

For those seeking relaxation, the lounge offers a dedicated tech-laden wellness area featuring eight private relaxation pods. These pods are equipped with zero-gravity and full-body massage chairs, designed to help travellers unwind and prepare for long flights. Specialty lighting in the wellness room mimics natural light cycles, helping the body adjust to different time zones and easing the stress of international travel.

Wellness isn’t limited to the pods. A rolling wellness cart, stocked with spa water, refreshing towels, and product samples from the luxury brand Grown Alchemist, is available to guests throughout the lounge. This added touch reflects Delta’s commitment to holistic travel, ensuring that passengers can relax, recharge, and rejuvenate before their journey.

Whether you’re indulging in a luxury meal, sipping a cocktail inspired by a faraway city, or enjoying a moment of tranquility in the wellness room, the Delta One Lounge offers a sanctuary of style and substance, setting a new standard for what an airport lounge can be. Through its thoughtful design and exceptional service, Delta invites travelers to not only pass through LAX but to experience it in a way that is as dynamic, glamorous, and diverse as Los Angeles itself.

A Chic, Sophisticated Benchmark for the U.S.

It’s clear that the Delta One Lounge at LAX is a design triumph—elegant, chic, and rich in both style and substance. Every inch of the space has been thoughtfully crafted to exude luxury, with a design that blends modern aesthetics with LA’s architectural heritage. But while the lounge’s aesthetic details are impeccable, one key factor will determine whether this space truly raises the bar for airport lounges in the U.S.: noise control.

Delta’s first Delta One Lounge at JFK, though visually stunning, faced criticism for its noisy environment, which detracted from the serenity and exclusivity guests expected. If Delta has learned from that experience and implemented better acoustic management in the LAX lounge, this could be a true game-changer. With its combination of stylish design, high-end amenities, and focus on wellness, the Delta One Lounge at LAX has the potential to be one of the hardest lounges to beat in the U.S. right now.

The LAX Delta One Lounge could easily become the gold standard for airport lounges across the country. Its thoughtful blend of style, personalised service, and a holistic approach to wellness and service makes it a standout in the premium lounge market in the US, and a space that other airlines will find hard to match.