What Credit Cards Can Get Me Into the Delta Sky Club?

Delta Sky Club lounges recently limited access for nonmembers, making it one of the more exclusive airport lounges out there. Day passes are no longer available for cash or miles. These lounges generally include amenities like complimentary wine, craft beer and spirits, showers to freshen up before the next leg of your journey, comfortable seating, and a variety of food options.

Getting into the lounge generally requires buying an annual membership, earning your way in as a top-tier Medallion member or flying in a premium cabin, but note that Delta recently announced some pretty major changes coming to Sky Club access in 2023.

You can, however, also gain immediate or discounted access through certain credit cards. Here are the cards that will get you access so you can escape the hubbub of frustrating airport travel:

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is one of the fastest and easiest ways to gain access to the Delta Sky Club. Cardholders gain complimentary access to Sky Club Lounges when traveling on a Delta-marketed or operated flight. Cardholders also get two one-time guest passes each year.

There are also a number of benefits beyond lounge access. Earn 50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months. Terms Apply.

And big spenders can earn additional MQMs for hitting certain spending thresholds:

• Earn 15,000 MQMs after you make $30,000 in eligible purchases on the card annually, up to 4x per calendar year.

Cardholders earn 3 miles per $1 spent on Delta purchases and 1 mile per $1 on all other eligible purchases. Cardholders also receive an annual companion certificate, valid for a round-trip ticket in domestic first class, Comfort + or Main Cabin.

The downside to the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is the annual fee of $550.

» Learn more: Review: Delta Reserve Credit Card from American Express

The Platinum Card® from American Express

The Platinum Card® from American Express is a premium credit card with perks and benefits to match. The $695 annual fee might seem intimidating at first, but the benefits can easily be worth more than that.

In addition to Delta Sky Club access, this card gains you access to over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide through the American Express Global Lounge Collection.

Platinum cardholders gain a bevy of other travel benefits to make traveling easier beyond just lounge access. After selecting a participating airline each year, cardholders receive $200 in statement credits. Cardholders can also choose between a $100 fee credit for TSA PreCheck every 4.5 years or $100 forGlobal Entry every four years (4.5 for TSA Precheck). American Express has also partnered with Uber to offer cardholders free rides in the U.S., up to $15 each month, plus a bonus $20 in December.

» Learn more: American Express Platinum Review: Luxury Isn’t Cheap

Discounted Sky Club access

Interested in lounge access but not a frequent enough flyer to warrant one of the cards with high annual fees? The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card currently offers discounted access to Sky Club lounges for cardholders and up to two guests for just $50 per person.

Cardholders must be traveling on a Delta flight to access the lounge. The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card has an annual fee of $250.

» Learn more: Platinum Delta SkyMiles Review: One Big Perk Pays the Fee

The bottom line

Delta may have eliminated daily passes to its Sky Club lounges, but that doesn’t mean access is out of reach. The cards above cater to frequent travelers and those looking to save on lounge access. Sky Clubs are generally a cut above the basic domestic airline lounge, so getting in at a discount could be worth it.