Review: Delta One Lounge New York Kennedy Airport (JFK)

For the last portion of my Aria Suite Adventure to Hong Kong, I had the chance to check out the Delta One Lounge New York (JFK), prior to my Delta One 767 business class flight to Los Angeles (LAX).

The Delta One Lounge concept debuted in mid-2024, with the JFK location being the first. Delta waited a long time to get into the game of operating premium lounges and competing with American Flagship Lounges and United Polaris Lounges, but my gosh, the airline knocked it out of the park.

The Delta One Lounge JFK is incredible. It’s without a doubt the best business class lounge in the United States, and I’d argue it’s one of the top few business class lounges in the world (if not the best). There’s just so much to love about the lounge, from the design, to the food and drinks, to the terrace, to the wellness area and showers, to the incredible service. You can just tell that at every turn, the airline takes pride in this facility, and thought out every detail.

I can’t say enough good things about the Delta One Lounge, and give the airline credit for how it has elevated the lounge game.

Delta One private check-in & security JFK

At JFK, the Delta One experience starts before you even get to the lounge. Delta has a dedicated check-in and security checkpoint for Delta One passengers, which gives you a shortcut to the lounge. When you’re in the check-in hall of Terminal 4, just go to the very right, and you’ll see the entrance to the facility.

After walking down a hall, you’ll see the standard Delta One check-in area to the right, plus some desks for ticketing assistance to the left.

The check-in area even has a coffee machine, soft drinks, and light food throughout the day, ranging from tofu salad, to tuna crudo, to beef carpaccio, to pastrami sandwiches. Once you’re ready to go through security, the lounge has a dedicated security lane, leading you in the same direction as the lounge.

While the security checkpoint doesn’t let out directly at the lounge, you just have to walk a short distance, and then you’ll see the entrance to the Delta One Lounge on the right.

Delta One Lounge New York JFK location

If you’re not originating at JFK and using the private Delta One security checkpoint, you can also access the lounge from the concourse. Once airside in Terminal 4, go to the area between Concourse A and Concourse B, near the main security checkpoint (just one level down), and you’ll see the entrance to the lounge there.

Note that this is a different entrance to the lounge than what you’ll find upstairs. This entrance is actually one floor down, so you then walk down a hallway, and take one of the elevators up a level, to the lounge (the terminal is on level three, while the lounge is on level four).

You’ve gotta love the art by the elevators…

Delta One Lounge New York JFK hours

The Delta One Lounge JFK is currently open daily from 4:30AM until 11PM. You can expect that those hours will change over time based on flight schedules, but as you can tell, this covers a vast majority of Delta departures from the airport.

You can expect that the lounge will be a relatively calm oasis for most of the day, except in the afternoons and evenings, when the bulk of the flights to Europe depart. At that point the lounge will often get very crowded.

Delta One Lounge New York JFK entry requirements

Who can access the Delta One Lounge JFK? The lounge is accessible to the following passengers:

• Same day departing or arriving Delta One ticketed passengers; it doesn’t matter if you paid cash, redeemed miles, or upgraded
• Delta 360 members departing or arriving on a same day Delta first class ticket
• Same day departing or connecting passengers on flights operated by select Delta partners in first or business class; this includes passengers on Air France, LATAM, KLM, Korean Air, and Virgin Atlantic

The Delta One Lounge JFK doesn’t allow travelers to bring guests, except Delta 360 members can do so for either $100 or 10,000 SkyMiles per person (either for immediate family members or up to two guests).

Also, keep in mind that if you’re traveling on a partner airline, actually accessing Terminal 4 can be complicated. Air France and Korean Air do not depart from this terminal, so it would be quite a trek to get here (meanwhile KLM and Virgin Atlantic do depart from this terminal).

Delta One Lounge New York JFK seating & layout

The Delta One Lounge JFK is large — it’s nearly 40,000 square feet, and can accommodate up to 515 guests. The lounge is broken up into several distinct zones, and I’d describe the facility as being long and narrow (not in a bad way, my point is just to say that this isn’t one of those mostly square lounges). In no part of the lounge will you necessarily feel like it’s huge, which also helps with it not feeling too busy.

In the center area of the lounge you’ll find a seating area that has a faux fireplace, couches, and banquettes.

Immediately next to that is the bar, which has some high-top stools, and also has a significant amount of seating around it, with both high-top tables, and individual chairs and side tables.

Off to the side area of the bar area is the brasserie, which is the lounge’s sit-down dining restaurant, accommodating up to 140 guests. Note that this is only open over certain hours, when the lounge is busiest. This is easily one of the most beautiful lounge dining spaces that I’ve ever seen.

Past that is the market, which is the lounge’s all-day dining area. This is ideal whether you’re looking to just grab a quick bite, or want a full meal, without the table service (also, for many hours the lounge is open, this is the only dining option).

Off to the side of the market area is a space more geared to working and lounging. This has everything from private pods, to communal workstations, to rows of seats facing one another.

Then there are another couple of seating areas, right near the wellness area (which I’ll talk more about later). Theses spaces have a variety of seating, ranging from rows of comfortable loungers, to little nooks.

Along the exterior of the lounge, you’ll find a narrow selection of seating, either facing the windows, or facing one of the center walkways of the lounge.

There are even some useful cool work pods, which I love. I was skeptical when I first saw them, but they’re so quiet, so they’re a great place to get some work done, or to make a call.

Last but not least, the lounge has a year-round terrace. I adore how Delta puts so much effort into having terraces in its lounges. In this case, it’s fully enclosed, but it still has such a different vibe.

If you’re an aviation geek, you’ll love the views of the apron from here. I could sit here all day and watch planes. Come and think of it, that’s exactly what I did.

One other thing I want to mention is that I really appreciate the nice background music throughout the lounge. It was different on the terrace than in the rest of the lounge, and I tend to think that background music can really change the vibe of a place. This lounge does a phenomenal job with that. There’s also a signature scent, which is noticeable but not overpowering.

Delta One Lounge New York JFK food & drinks

The Delta One Lounge JFK has a very strong food and beverage game. Let’s start with food, and then we’ll talk about drinks. The lounge has two options for dining, and neither are self-service. As someone who is a selective germaphobe, I’m a big fan of that.

The market is the Delta One Lounge’s all-day dining space, and it’s essentially a staffed buffet. There’s a huge selection of food behind glass shields, and then the staff will plate whatever you’d like.

The breakfast selection included a bagel bar, where you could have custom bagels prepared.

Then there was a bakery section, with fruit and yogurt parfaits, fruit cups, smoothies, chia seed pudding, hardboiled eggs, quiche, avocado toast, croque monsieur, charcuterie plates, danishes, croissants, and more.

Then there was an omelet station, with egg dishes that could be customized.

Other hot options included breakfast potatoes, sausage, grilled tomatoes, bacon, waffles, and more.

After breakfast, an all-day dining concept is available, which remains the same throughout the day. The bagel bar transformed into a salad and soup station, with the ability to customize salads as you’d like.

Then there were a variety of sandwiches, charcuterie plates, quiche, veggies, and more.

There was even a bar with freshly baked pizza — it’s not often you get pizza this good in an airport lounge!

Hot options at lunch included a taco station, chicken piccata, fried artichoke misto, beef bourguignon, seared branzino, asparagus, and lemon potatoes.

There was also a tasty selection of sweet treats, with everything from cookies, to brownies, to pudding, to cheesecake, to tiramisu.

Early in the morning, I decided to have an everything bagel with smoked salmon. It was beautifully plated — it was good, but to be honest, I feel like Delta could up the quality of the bagels a bit, since we’re talking about New York. If it were anywhere else I would’ve been happy with the bagels, but I was hoping for more from New York. That’s just about my only real criticism of the lounge.

The real highlight of dining in the lounge is the brasserie, which is the lounge’s restaurant area. I had lunch here, and you can find the all-day dining menu below.

You can also find the drink list below, which is the same throughout the entire lounge. As you can see, most alcohol is complimentary, while some premium drinks are available for purchase. Some people find it cheap that Delta charges for certain drinks, but it didn’t bother me, since I found the complimentary selection to be more than sufficient.

The idea is that you can enjoy a three-course meal here, and it’s all served pretty efficiently if you’d like, so that you can enjoy this even if you don’t have too much time.

For the starter, I ordered the tuna crudo with avocado, shaved radish, sesame snow, and black bean sauce.

For the main course, I selected the pan roasted branzino with exotic mushroom, tomato fondu, and herb butter.

Lastly, for dessert I had the opera cake with coffee crumble and chocolate sauce. My server proactively brought me vanilla ice cream to go with it, since she said that’s how she likes it as well.

At the conclusion of the meal, I had an espresso martini to drink.

I can’t say enough good things about the meal. It wasn’t just good by airport lounge standards, but was genuine restaurant quality. I don’t remember the last time I’ve had a meal this good in a business class lounge.

Beyond the two dining areas and the bar, the lounge has several drink stations throughout. This includes coffee — there’s no barista coffee in the lounge, but the machines do a pretty good job.

Soft drinks are dispensed out of machines that are much cooler-looking than your typical soda fountains.

The wellness area even has a station with infused water and juice.

For those looking to get an alcoholic drink without going to the bar, there are staffed beverage carts throughout the lounge, where staff will gladly pour you a drink, with all kinds of wine available. Even beyond that, staff are willing to get you a cocktail, or anything else you might want.

Delta One Lounge New York JFK wellness area & spa

The Delta One Lounge JFK has a wellness area, tucked behind the market dining space. This has four seats in the center section, and then various types of seating behind curtains, where various services are available. Note that this isn’t open over all hours — for example, during my visit, treatments only started at 12PM.

The wellness area offers a variety of 10-minute spa treatments, ranging from an eye treatment, to a hand and arm massage, to a shoulder, scalp, and temple massage.

These are live treatments with therapists, and appointments are available on a first come, first served basis.

In addition to the treatments with therapists, there are also some massage chairs, plus some relaxation chairs with Delta’s onboard bedding.

Delta One Lounge New York JFK bathrooms & showers

The Delta One Lounge JFK has bathrooms on each end of the facility. At the far end of the facility, near the showers, you’ll find individual restrooms, which are gender-neutral.

These bathrooms are elegantly designed and spacious, and are also constantly refreshed by cleaners.

On the other end of the lounge you’ll find shared restrooms, which are gender segregated.

The lounge also has eight shower suites, which must be among the most luxurious airport shower suites you’ll find anywhere.

Each shower suite has a sink, toilet, and walk-in shower. The amenities are impressive as well, with everything from bathrobes, to Delta branded slippers, to Grown Alchemist toiletries. I do wish the shower pressure were a bit better, though.

There’s even a “secret” door you can open, in case you need any ironing services.

Shower suites, as well as some other amenities, can be reserved via little reservations monitors. It’s a pretty easy process, and then you receive a text when it’s your turn.

Delta One Lounge New York JFK service

The Delta One Lounge JFK is physically beautiful, with incredible food and amenities. But what can’t be overstated is the extent to which the staff contribute to the joy of spending time here. The Delta One Lounge is really well staffed, with really lovely people.

I don’t know how Delta does it, but it feels like every single person in the lounge is committed to ensuring that guests have an amazing time, and that really makes you feel welcome. I don’t even know where to start:

• As you enter the lounge, you’re asked if it’s your first time, and they offer to give you a tour, explain the amenities, etc.
• The lounge staff even offer to hold onto your luggage while you’re in the lounge, so you don’t have to carry it around
• No matter where you’re seated, lounge staff are constantly seeing if guests want anything to drink, or if they need anything
• Alex was taking of me in the brasserie, and she couldn’t have been lovelier or more engaging; she asked each person she was serving their name, and then addressed them by name throughout the interaction, in addition to just generally being kind and attentive
• As someone who takes a lot of pictures, often lounge staff will roll their eyes at me, or look annoyed — one staff member who saw me taking pictures commented “I’m always so happy when I see people taking pictures, it means they like what we’re offering”

Whatever Delta is doing with hiring and training in this lounge is working, and I hope that trend continues. It’s so refreshing to feel like you’re surrounded by people who take pride in what they do.

Bottom line

The Delta One Lounge JFK is stellar. I had high expectations going into my visit, and despite that, they managed to be exceeded. The Delta One Lounge JFK is spacious, and has a beautiful and functional design, with a variety of seating options. The lounge also has delicious food, friendly service, spa treatments, and more.

Admittedly your impression of this lounge will probably differ based on when you visit. If you just visit briefly in the late afternoon or evening, you might not be that blown away, since the lounge will likely be at capacity. But regardless, this is a really impressive facility, and that same issue exists at virtually every lounge.

This is without a doubt the most impressive business class lounge you’ll find in the United States, and I’d argue that it’s also one of the very best business class lounges in the entire world. While we had to wait a long time for Delta One Lounges to open, it sure was worth the wait.

When I visit lounges I always take notes about my experiences, for when I sit down to write my review. I’ll share one note I took during my visit — “this makes an American Flagship Lounge feel like a soup kitchen, by comparison.”

What’s your take on the Delta One Lounge JFK?