Chicago’s O’Hare Airport may be the home hub for United Airlines and a major hub for American Airlines – but that doesn’t mean Delta Air Lines isn’t investing in Windy City.
In fact, Delta on Tuesday wrapped up its newest Sky Club at its new Chicago home, Terminal 5. The new lounge and new gates are part of a $1 billion project to improve created and expanded T5 – in which Delta invested $50 million. . (Delta left her longtime home in concourse E of Terminal 2 on Wednesday, with those gates to be reallocated to United and Alaska Airlines.)
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The new 22,600-square-foot lounge will accommodate nearly 400 visitors – nearly four times the number that can fit in the Sky Club’s former Chicago outpost. It will be extremely welcome news for customers when Sky Clubs compete with serious overload. And, this is the first Sky Club to feature boarding from inside the lounge – a rarity in US airports.
The lounge is superior to many of O’Hare’s United and Admiral’s Clubs – a testament to Delta’s continued investment in premium experiences. It offers premium food and drink options – enough for a full meal – and also has shower rooms. The new space is the fourth Sky Club Delta that has opened this year, following the clubs at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND).
TPG got its first tour of Delta’s new home in Chicago on Tuesday, the day before the space opens to the public.
An eternal space
Until Wednesday, all gates at Terminal 5 are considered public use: owned and managed by the City of Chicago, operator of O’Hare, and designated daily. Delta, on the other hand, will have a fixed ticket counter space and will always use the same gates (nine gates open on Wednesday, with the tenth and last opening next August).
The new ports feature a spacious seating area as well as a variety of charging options: a 110-volt outlet, as well as USB-A and USB-C sockets.
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Delta gate area at ORD. ETHAN KLAPPER / THE WRONG POINTS
Delta’s new Sky Club – and its gate areas – are a short walk from the TSA checkpoint. Strange — a staple in terminals where Delta has a significant presence — won’t be offered on day one at T5, but the airline is working to bring the expedited security program to Chicago.
Boarding in the lounge
Unique to the new Chicago O’Hare Sky Club is the first to offer passengers the opportunity to board select flights directly from within the lounge.
In fact, there are two possible gates for this type of boarding.
The main gate Delta will use for that is gate M11, which will be used for flights to the airline’s LaGuardia hub.
The gate isn’t clearly labeled in the Sky Club, but there are a few hints: a boarding pass reader, as well as a gate information display, will show flight information.
Why LaGuardia? Claude Roussel, Delta’s chief executive officer for Sky Clubs, told TPG in an interview that there is a “strong business connection with New York”. Delta competes fiercely with United and American in the LGA to ORD market.
On the opposite side of the lounge is gate M14, which will be used by Delta partners operating from T5, including Air France, KLM and Korean Air.
This is the first time Delta has been under the same roof as its major international partners in Chicago, and that fact has guided some of the lounge designs.
“We wouldn’t have put the shower in this lounge if it was for the domestic market,” Roussel said. Indeed, Delta’s existing lounge at the ORD does not have a shower.
The seat is warm and inviting
There are different seating areas in the 400-seat lounge.
Roussel said the seat types Delta selects are data-driven based on the type of traveler using the lounge. Business travelers tend to prefer the solo seating option, while families prefer shared seating.
Than: Delta’s biggest Sky Club ever shines in epic LAX debut
At the new ORD club, there are individual seats, couches, high tables and swivel chairs that can be rotated 360 degrees and can face windows for the best views of AvGeek.
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ETHAN KLAPPER / THE WRONG POINTS
And, in what has become one of Delta’s newest Sky Clubs, the lounge features a multimedia wall with multiple TV channels playing at once, as well as comfortable seating around it. Don’t worry about waiting room interruptions – the volume will always be muted.
The lounge will also offer quiet compartments – perfect for business travelers to get work done without distractions or to hold a phone call.
In the port areas, a variety of chargers are available, including a 110-volt outlet, along with USB-A and C. Some surfaces also support wireless device charging via the Qi protocol.
The lounge’s warm tones are designed to create a welcoming feel, says Roussel.
“When you walk into a lounge, we want you to feel like you are entering a beautiful hotel lobby,” he said.
A large kitchen offers innovative dishes
One key difference between Delta’s Sky Clubs and its rivals is its enhanced food and beverage program — and that continues in Chicago.
The new Sky Club in Chicago features a kitchen that’s significantly larger than the one it replaces – allowing for a wider variety of fresher, more delicious food items, as well as the opportunity to invite guest chefs to events. special event.
The new club has two large buffets serving a variety of food, including chicken and waffles, a large charcuterie table and fruit and yogurt parfaits. Hot options include apple-grilled chicken thighs, macaroni and cheese. Roussel has talked about offering brunch all day as part of a future menu.
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ETHAN KLAPPER / THE WRONG POINTS
As is typical at Sky Clubs, the bar offers a free and buy-to-order mix of alcoholic beverages. The bar is shaped like a peninsula, allowing customers in and out from three sides.
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ETHAN KLAPPER / THE WRONG POINTS
An extra bar is located at the back of the lounge. It is primarily a bar, but other drinks can also be ordered from it.
Fresh water is available from the self-service freshwater faucet as well as filtered and carbonated water fountains. Espresso machines are available to make caffeine, as well as drip coffee.
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ETHAN KLAPPER / THE WRONG POINTS
Finally, for a unique Chicago touch, a cart will deliver Chicago-style hot dogs.
Bathroom
The new club has four bathrooms.
As is the case with other new Sky Clubs, access to the suites is through a virtual queue system. A queuing kiosk is located in front of the lounge, as well as near the bathrooms.
Each bath suite has a toilet and a sink, and in addition to the shower, a towel and a hairdryer. The toiletries are from Grown Alchemist, built in partnership with the Delta brand for its premium Delta One cabins.
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ETHAN KLAPPER / THE WRONG POINTS
A space full of art
Delta’s new Sky Club is full of original artwork – by artists with ties to Chicago or pieces that highlight the Windy City.
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ETHAN KLAPPER / THE WRONG POINTS
“We have all the pieces and the goal has always been to bring back the city,” says Roussel.
Key point
Delta’s large investment in O’Hare is testament to the importance of this key business market for the Atlanta-based carrier. You wouldn’t know that ORD ranks 14th in daily departures to Delta stations if you see the gates upgraded and the Sky Club opens on Wednesday. The space is cozy and inviting—and offers better amenities than any United or Admiral’s Club currently in existence at ORD.
With such an attractive space, Delta now faces the challenge of managing overcrowding in the new lounge. Although the space is four times larger than the old lounge, it will now also directly serve SkyTeam luxury and elite passengers flying on Delta’s partner airlines.
While Delta isn’t opening an ORD hub anytime soon, its new space is a big treat for its loyal passengers.
