Last Updated on March 9, 2024 by CreditFred
On a recent trip, I had the chance to check out the Delta Sky Club San Francisco (SFO) for the first time!
I’ll be sharing my experience and how you too can relax at the lounge before your flight!
Overview
Location
The Delta Sky Club is located in SFO Terminal 2 (Concourse C), near Gate C3. This lounge is accessible airside (post-security) from all terminals, except from International A and Harvey Milk Terminal 1. There are plans to eventually link all the terminals, but that may be a few years away.
After clearing security from Terminal 2, turn right and look for “C Gates” signs.
Hours & Access
The lounge is open daily between 4:45AM – 11:30PM.
You must have a same-day Delta boarding pass and hold a participating credit card to enter, unless your ticket/membership/SkyTeam status already includes Delta Sky Club lounge access.
Below are some common credit cards that are eligible:
- American Express Centurion – Cardholder: FREE Guests: $39
- American Express Platinum* – Cardholder: FREE Guests: $39
- American Express Delta Reserve – Cardholder: FREE Guests: $39
- American Express Delta Platinum – Cardholder: $39 Guests: $39
*Includes all versions including the Schwab, Business, Morgan Stanley, International etc.
One really nice thing that makes the Delta Sky Clubs stand out from most other lounges is arrivals access. Since you are able to gain entry while holding any same-day Delta boarding pass, you may be able to use the lounge after a long flight. In my experience, even overnight flights that technically span 2-calendar days worked (SFO —> JFK redeye).
Beginning 6/1/2022, access is limited to 3-hours prior to departure, or for any eligible connecting flight. Luckily, arrivals access is still permitted. For full details, check out official Delta rules.
Key Amenities
- Free food (buffet)
- Free alcohol, with some for-purchase options
- Bathroom
- Showers (currently closed due to pandemic)
- Wi-Fi and outlets
- Business services
My Lounge Experience
Reception
Once I entered the Delta Sky Club entrance near Gate C3, I was greeted by the receptionist. Since I already added my Amex Platinum card in my Delta account, all I had to do was scan my boarding pass and I was good to go and proceeded upstairs via the elevator.
General Environment
Compared to the Amex Centurion Lounge at SFO, the Delta Sky Club was much more spacious and considerably less crowded.
Unlike many lounges I’ve visited at SFO where the view faces the terminal area, it was nice to see a lounge with views of the airfield outside! If you visit during daytime, it is also a great place to plane-spot as you can constantly see planes take off and land!
When I arrived at the lounge around 6pm on a weekday, the lounge was practically empty and I had to be super careful not to make too much noise with my utensils. Although more people gradually trickled in later that evening, it was overall still very sparse. The entire atmosphere was definitely more relaxing and less of a chaotic scene compared to the Centurion Lounge at SFO.
Seating
There is a variety of seating options available. Whether you are socializing, working, eating, or plane-spotting, there is an area for you!
Food & Drinks
Dinner was in a buffet format. I went during dinner-time, and some items they had were:
- Pork carnitas (pretty good!), Spanish rice, black beans
- Soups (tomato basil bisque, chicken noodle soup)
- Salads (buffalo bleu cheese potato salad, tuna salad, classic potato salad, arugula fennel garbanzo bean salad, apple cranberry walnut kale salad)
- Cheese, hummus, etc.
- Desserts
- Fruits
- Coffee, tea, juice, sparkling water, etc.
More pics…
Although I wouldn’t say it was anything spectacular, but it was definitely better than paying $20 for general airport food in the main terminal area. Plus, it was nice to eat in a more comfortable setting and fill myself up before a long overnight trans-con flight.
Service was also superb! All the staff I interacted with were kind and attentive, and cleared away finished plates frequently.
There is also a bar where they serve a variety of complimentary drinks (and some for-purchase options). The full drinks menu can be found here. It’s pretty nice to see them offer many non-alcoholic drinks too!
Bathroom & Shower
The bathrooms are definitely nicer than the ones found in the main terminal (and they actually smell really good!). Unfortunately, the showers are still closed due to the pandemic (which makes no sense to me since Amex other other lounge operators continue to offer them).
Conclusion
Overall, the Delta Sky Club lounge is a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the main terminal area and refreshingly peaceful compared to other lounges like the Amex Centurion Lounge SFO that are often beyond packed.
The decent food, easy access, and great views of the tarmac make it my lounge of choice next time I fly out of (or into) SFO. It also has much longer operating hours compared to other lounges (from early AM to almost midnight!).
The only downside is that unlike Priority Pass or Amex Centurion lounges, guests at the Delta Sky Club will cost extra unless they have their own membership. Oh, and Delta, please open your showers already!
