Delta's most exclusive airport lounge opens: Here's what you need to know

Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian joins 'Power Lunch' to discuss the company's new high-end lounge at JFK airport. For access to live and exclusive video from CNBC subscribe to CNBC PRO: cnb.cx/42d859g
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[@hle144]

I was there during this interview as part of the sound crew for the opening events... Its a very, very nice lounge..The atrium they're in has beautiful flower gardens... Its quite exquisite..

[@AlwaysAwesome001]

How does that LOWER airfare cost?

[@hle144]

@@AlwaysAwesome001 Thanks for your input, Debbie Downer.. We're discussing design..This lounge is meant for international flights or business or premium tickets. Seems like you're looking for Frontier or Spirit Air.. oops..

[@gdwlaw5549]

Nice to listen to a CEO that talks normally…..easy to understand

[@technole]

Ed is a paragon

[@AlwaysAwesome001]

Most effective way to BS the public. 👍

[@hailandfire1822]

The lounge will now be called The Non-Dirtbag Lounge. This way, the commoners will know their place.

[@SittingBearProd]

And so you should.

[@r12004rewy]

So what was the warning to Airbus ? CEO sounded relaxed and not too concerned

[@mopthermopther]

I was impressed with the gift shop and the ‘massage’ room

[@hansel2001]

Saying the over-crowding issue in lounges is a post-COVID issue is disingenuous. Lounges have been too crowded for about 10 years, pre-dating the return to travel post-COVID. There are snot-nosed kids, loud foreign tourists, young teenagers, etc. running around as if it’s their personal playground. The allure and the perk has definitely lost its luster. The new Delta lounge looks like it was built by the folks who build Vegas resorts. Very nice.

[@jbar_85]

You’re right. Same thing in AMEX lounges. It’s becoming like Disney World in their. Gone is the feeling of exclusivity.

[@karenynyc2111]

Lounge for the 1%… got it. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@jdcaldwell5088]

Where peasants no place

[@FN-rr6mk]

Welcome to life

[@dannychan6202]

Because the 1% paid the price to have access. Unfair for them to have a Delta One ticket for access on their flight from JFK to BOM, and then find it’s filled with people flying with nothing but a Basic Economy ticket on a flight from JFK to PHL.

[@Yilver499]

The 1% fly private.

[@paulgilliland2992]

I’m still looking for my 360 invite Ed . All I’m getting is credit card info.

[@ljacobs357]

Since I canceled my Reserve card, I get a lot of Amex offers. The Delta lounges are just not worth it.

[@piperlani]

The BEST Airline CEO!!!

[@Dan.d649]

Not exactly. Robert Crandall was the best Airline CEO.

[@r12004rewy]

Lord King of British Airways was brilliant here in the UK, unfortunately BA have never been the same since he left.

[@Dan.d649]

@@r12004rewy Yes, of course!! Definitely him too!! However, when these grand CEOs leave their respective companies and they go on to hire someone of less superiority to handle things, these airlines face serious bouts of trouble within.

[@johnk6657]

This Delta lounge cannot be considered 'The most exclusive' while having constant lines to get in. It might be the newest, or most expensive to construct, but it is not in any way the most exclusive, if a lounge can be accessed those with specific credit cards or memberships they will be crowded like Delta lounges often are. Lounges like Lufthansa First Class, Swiss First Class, Air France La Premiere lounges, Qantas Chairmans Lounges are actually exclusive because they require you to be flying in first or to have been granted access due to your corporate spend / influence / celebrity.

[@sharjeelkhan7437]

So.many people are in premier lounges that ordinary lounges are empty lol

[@germb747]

That's a nice lounge!

[@davidMeyers-j8s]

Phil please ask Ed why he closed the lounge in Anchorage recently. Thanks

[@PhilHaddad]

Get all those credit customers out of the lounges…. Too many peeps there just because the card, not brand loyalty.

[@scottgrayson1209]

Subtract the credit card revenue from Delta’s top line and they are a break even company. The credit card customers are here to stay.

[@mlmson7098]

Delta might not make a profit without the credit card customers. Don't be naive.

[@mack-uv6gn]

More direct flights would be nice

[@classicalexpeditions5137]

Finally! I always fly Delta One and the lounges were getting crowded and outdated. It’s nice to be able to have fellow Delta One passengers around instead of the basic economy rowdy types. I once saw a lady with a zip lock bag full of pasta from the lounge’s buffet, she was putting the ziplock bag in her carry on. All I could think was how is she going to eat that on her flight and the smell!

[@deviss7114]

So you only need a delta one ticket or be 360? So then you don’t need card membership on top of being delta one ticket holder?

[@method341]

Always another step to climb up the ladder. Just when you think you've reached the top 🙃

[@jeremypearson6852]

Makes sense because airlines make more money on first and premium class passengers. If someone is paying for a first class seat, they want all the perks that go with it. A former airline employee living in Florida.

[@eguess6103]

I'd like to see a comparison review of The Delta One and the Centurion Lounge

[@eddiegutierrez2448]

No comparison at all

[@midwestmg]

Already reports on Flyertalk of queues to enter, overcrowded and very loud environment. Sounds very PREMIUM !

[@grriceman782]

Yah Ed is a classy guy …. well done on this club, please keep the toddlers out

[@Bmwjonte]

Feels like a really good CEO

[@zesolodar]

he is, i live in atlanta and have a few friends who work for delta all the way from pilots to corporate and all of them say hes a good guy. not everyone will agree with his business decisions but as a person they say hes a great guy

[@pony0110]

Try to fly delta as much as I can. Especially LAX to JFK!

[@SuperPerfectMan]

WHATS 360s ? That also Will have access ?

[@jiminy82]

Super exclusive medallion member, invite only. For people that spend like $75k plus with Delta each year.

[@jasonbrown6534]

Thanks for sharing

[@flamboone9727]

Hope they are not cutting on aircraft maintenance and safety checks in order to afford those fancy lounges.

[@3mmdm32]

1:54 wait did he say the overcrowding is coming down?????? Sorry wrong you are. I guess a 45 minute wait vs and hour is an improvement. Of course never mentions ATL.

[@cottydry]

The lounges have become so crowded that I'd rather find a quiet spot in the gate area. (seek and yea shall find)

[@FoundingFathersUSA]

Like the good old days.

[@KoangDuolLuk]

Good

[@decidocisum]

There was a line at the Delta One lounge at JFK due to it being full. What a joke.

[@MAgaSUXX]

Ed Bastian is impressive, even though I don’t like Delta.👀

[@95lightscameraaction]

Ed for president

[@theVhin]

So this is the answer for United’s Polaris; bring it to the West Coast!

[@visax8550]

They are opening one in LAX

[@jiminy82]

​@@visax8550 and SEA as well

[@ljacobs357]

I canceled my American Express Reserve Card because of overcrowded lounges. Just not worth it.

[@UT48D]

keep allowing credit card holders in just because a credit card that was the issue.

[@benhogan4739]

Hilarious…I would do anything not to fly an American airline let alone go through NY. 😅

[@cmdrls212]

"its overcrowded, so our solution is to make it even more expensive to get away from the riffraf"

[@chrismd1561]

CEO needs to fly out of the US, to see what great lounges are....and even in NA, foreign carriers have much much better lounges. But hey, if I say it, its then true, no questions asked.

[@danielking104]

Only profitable airline left standing time to expand your network.

[@markkilgore5509]

Nothing in Atlanta? Delta’s home base?

[@Brandon-qr2or]

How they skipped that question is crazy

[@javaniwilliams3058]

Right and Atlanta has some of the longest long haul flights out of all their hubs

[@zesolodar]

im sure there is alot of market research and data that was compiled to tell them to build it there

[@Brandon-qr2or]

@@zesolodar could be but probably not

[@Rynopb]

been to a lot of new lounges. this one is kinda meh from the images shown.

[@greglogan8880]

So the solution is to make it less accessible to more people

[@vincentnnyc]

Gotta separate those peasants from the elites!

[@harleyhoracio1]

I would think a majority of this well-heeled clientele Delta is trying to cater to would have their own means of air transportation.

[@Rick4345]

My wife and I flew to Germany on a Delta Boeing 767-400. I’ve flown a lot. That being said, I would have been more at ease on an Airbus 350. We’re looking at a different airline just for that peace of mind. Hard to say because Delta has been awesome.

[@zesolodar]

i mean delta has plenty of airbusses in their fleet including a350's with more on order. their not a strictly boeing airline

[@Rick4345]

@@zesolodar I know. However, I travel to Munich and the only flights I find from the USA use the 767-400. I’ll be glad when they get more A350 aircraft in the fleet.

[@CaptainElijahAviation]

If it was out of JFK delta doesn’t use any a350s from jfk

[@Rick4345]

@@CaptainElijahAviation We flew out of Detroit.

[@CaptainElijahAviation]

@@Rick4345 they use the 350 on that route though did you book a flight with the 767-400 or one with the 350

[@jezrix]

As Delta Diamond for years, we now get nothing. Delta doesn’t compare to Asian and European carriers.

[@zesolodar]

yea my mom was a million miler and was also a diamond member (years of flying internationally for work) and she would always say how disappointing the perks were.

[@giorgosurban]

Delta has 30+ year old airplanes.... RIP

[@goldstandardaviation1667]

Another way to spend money you don't have.

[@zesolodar]

the people who can afford to fly delta one arent the people who dont have money, or are being paid to fly every week

[@jbar_85]

The JFK Delta Club was so packed when we went on my last Delta flight out of NYC. Look at Boeing in Space, astronauts stuck in space.

[@KDieter]

Only if your over payment for there tickets to use it. 😂😂😂😂 buying planes ✈️ for Europe. He doesn’t support buying planes made in America. Shame on him

[@mikejeweler]

Airbus has a factory in Mobile, AL. Many of Delta's planes are made there.

[@KDieter]

@@mikejeweler yes a very small one just to make it look fair 😂😂😂😂

[@mikejeweler]

@@KDieter everyone would like to see Boeing get their act together. Delta has 100-130 Boeing planes on order they can't deliver on.

[@jbar_85]

Those plains come with huge risks. You see what Boeing has done with NASA? Shameful.

[@hussienalsafi1149]

🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@midoujmg]

Wow, what a stupid question she asked

[@bertraminc9412]

So, will Delta staff these lounges with 100% black employees like at their Atlanta gates?

[@BabyBang17datruth]

That’s the demographic for that region. Of course the staff will be mostly black since the airport is surrounded by black communities.

[@jbar_85]

They don’t pay enough and so delta and Amex lounges get what they can with staffing. You get what you pay for. Not saying they’re black jobs as Trump said last night but if that’s all who applies and gets the job, good for them.

[@bertraminc9412]

@@jbar_85 Wrong. DEI is racist and so is Delta. Georgia is only 30% black yet the airport AND Delta staff 100% black.

[@jbar_85]

@@bertraminc9412 yeah DEI is ridiculous now a days.

[@jdcaldwell5088]

@@jbar_85 a white made up THINGS 😂😂😂

[@ProMacMan]

So Delta's devaluing their entire Medallion program....got it.

[@chiquita683]

Not very DEI

[@maltlickytexas]

Cry more.😂

[@ssuwandi3240]

You sound great for Non Profit Assets😊 Or Silicon Asylum😂

[@ToxcynTV]

The company is VERY HEAVY DEI hardcore.

[@maltlickytexas]

@@ToxcynTV Cry more.😂

[@OTRTrader]

Not being DEI will attract me. Sign me up!

[@frankxu2490]

What a stupid waste of company money...money should be invested into improving employee's skill and service and manner !

[@Lucy-hu8gv]

you are sure a 9-5 rat, remember employee is a cost!

[@269KID1]

You do know a person manner comes from only them... "self"... right? Skill is something pick up over time.

[@ssuwandi3240]

No more Critical_Race Rubbish. Amazing

[@Jussomerando677]

I agree that a lot of companies waste money however airlines makes their money on business and first class and they’re frugal af. Combine that with the fact that as long as people are willing to pay for “premium” service or feel they’re experiencing premium service….profits.

[@jbar_85]

From the company known as the number one for airlines? I think they got that secret sauce lol😂