Would you believe Kansas City is now home to a Delta Sky Club that’s cooler than any of the lounges the airline offers at its Atlanta mega hub?
Well, with the upcoming opening of the brand new Sky Club in Kansas City on Tuesday, February 28, that will come true.
As part of the ongoing terminal transformation at Kansas City International Airport (MCI), Delta is adding one of its elegant lounges, marking the airport’s first club and one of Delta’s first new Sky Club markets in years.
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The lounge is not only physically beautiful, it also signifies the carrier’s commitment to Kansas City. Delta already offers nonstop service to all nine of its hubs from MCI Airport and plans to add more frequencies on routes to Atlanta, Boston and Minneapolis.
But the real showpiece is the new club, designed with the latest Delta-style motifs that make it feel more like an upscale lounge you’d find tucked away in a luxury club than one you’d stumble upon in an airport.
“Even in Kansas City, which may not be a hub for us, we put on a very similar quality to what we’ve done in our other lounges,” Claude Roussel, Delta’s Sky Clubs chief executive officer, told TPG during our tour. pre-opening – all you can read below.
Inside Delta’s new Kansas City Sky Club
The Kansas City Sky Club is located in the new B Gates Core Services and is open daily from 4:15am to 6:30pm
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Thanks to the gold-lined entrance wall and eye-catching chandelier, the entrance is nearly impossible to miss.
Better yet, the lounge is located just steps from Delta’s gates, making it easy for anyone starting or ending a trip to Kansas City to use the lounge.
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The club itself is located on the upper level of the terminal, requiring you to go up one level in one of two dedicated lifts.
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Once upstairs, two welcome desks and a self-entry kiosk will be waiting to welcome you.
It will only take a few seconds to figure out how visually appealing this lounge is. Turn right and you will find a small seating area before entering the main seating area.
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Some airlines would leave this small seating area empty or simply fill it with shabby furniture.
But Delta put in a velvet-lined coach, three leather recliners, beautiful gray and white carpet, and elegant wallpaper to really give a first impression of luxury.
After passing this welcome area, you will find yourself in the main lounge area, which is designed in a rectangular shape, with a very long base and narrow sides.
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At the base of this rectangle are floor-to-ceiling (blacked out) windows that provide an incredible view of the gate areas and the air traffic control tower in the distance.
Throughout the lounge, you’ll find a variety of seating areas, ranging from sofas and recliners to coworking tables and high-top workstations.
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Although the 11,200-square-foot lounge is essentially a large rectangle, Delta has done a fantastic job of dividing the spaces to make it feel larger than it actually is.
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The airline achieved this by varying the furniture it placed in different spaces and adding privacy wings to many of the sofas and chairs it installed.
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Additionally, the central saloon light fixture and large shared sofa do a great job of creating a sense of space.
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That said, the lounge only seats about 200 passengers, so it’s definitely possible that it will operate at full capacity during Delta’s busiest departure banks.
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Aside from the furniture itself which exudes an opulent vibe, the airline’s locally inspired art program has found its way into this new Sky Club, which further enhances the visual appeal of the space.
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My favorite artwork is the piece that hangs just near the entrance, a painting of Kansas City’s famous Western Auto Building, which coincidentally was first known as the Coca-Cola Building, the beverage company with which Delta shares a hometown.
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That said, there are a lot of paintings throughout the salon, so you’ll probably find your favorite pretty quickly.
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Delta’s Sky Clubs are undoubtedly the industry leaders when it comes to culinary offerings and this outpost is no exception.
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There is a single self-service buffet and soft drink station located towards the rear of the lounge.
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While the food on offer was specially prepared for the media preview, it all looked quite tasty, and Roussel confirmed it will resemble what the airline will be offering when the lounge opens on Tuesday.
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Just compare Delta’s beautifully designed cheese platter and charcuterie board to American’s cheese cubes and it won’t take long to figure out which airline caterer I prefer.
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You won’t find “towers of sadness snacks” here either. Delta’s snacks are placed in mason jars with metal scoops, much sleeker than the plastic towers American and United have in many of their clubs.
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Delta’s above-average catering isn’t just limited to food. The airline’s premium bar in Kansas City will offer a variety of free and paid drinks and cocktails.
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I didn’t get a chance to try any of the concoctions, but I was impressed with the look of the bar itself: inviting and well-lit, and definitely one of the places I’d consider sitting next time I’m passing through Kansas City.
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While the majority of the lounge is laid out in a large rectangle, there is a small offshoot towards the center which houses the entertainment room.
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This space is flanked by two high-top tables, along with a few couches and recliners. The three large HDTVs are housed within a wall-mounted fixture that one might expect to find in a modern home in East Hampton, not an airport.
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Meanwhile, the highlight for aviation enthusiasts will undoubtedly be not one, but two year-round lounge Sky Decks, a first for any Delta lounge worldwide. You will find each of these open terraces flanking the north and south sides of the lounge.
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The two Sky Decks are essentially carbon copies of each other, so I’d recommend only choosing the one that’s less crowded (or has better air traffic ahead).
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That said, these decks have tall tinted windows, so capturing images through the glass isn’t going to be that easy. To keep these terraces open year-round, Delta installed heaters and fans.
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There are plenty of all-weather seating available outside, but be aware that most tables are out of reach.
Speaking of connectivity, Delta has done a great job (inside) of providing flyers with easy access to power outlets and USB charging ports. Most seats have two AC outlets and two USB-A ports. Designated workstations also feature newer USB-C charging ports, ideal for those looking to power the latest devices, like the new MacBook Air or iPad.
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Free, fast Wi-Fi is also available throughout the lounge.
Since Kansas City is an outstation with almost entirely native traffic, Delta didn’t feel the need to install walk-in showers in the lounge. That said, there are two (beautiful) toilets in the lounge, one for men and another for women.
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Each features a handful of stalls and wash stations stocked with Grown Alchemist accessories, along with a few green sconces that add a pop of color to the bathroom area.
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Apart from the bathrooms, the salon boasts no other amenities: there are no telephone rooms, private booths or fireplaces here.
That said, the club excels in all the basics that quickly make this space a well-above-average lounge that beats many of the airline’s older Sky Clubs.
While the physical design is beautiful, Roussel doesn’t stop there. His next big goal is to perfect the service he offers in the lounge.
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“We are working very hard to really take the service to the next level because it is what makes every Sky Club guest feel like they are the most important person in the lounge,” he told TPG. Roussel didn’t share any details, but wants the flyers to “remember special moments” at the Sky Club.
Bottom line
As surprising as it may seem, Delta’s newest Sky Club in Kansas City is one of the most beautiful in the world.
No, it’s not a flagship outpost like you’d find in Los Angeles or New York, but it’s vastly better than any of the airline’s legacy clubs at hubs and outstations.
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The space features a tasteful design, plenty of seating, two year-round Sky Decks, and a delicious array of food and beverages.
Assuming the lounge isn’t too busy, this will no doubt be a space worth visiting the next time you pass through Kansas City.
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