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The Atlanta-based airline is working on a series of cabin updates and new lounge offerings.
Delta Air Lines has been busy developing new plans for its passenger experience offerings. The Atlanta-based carrier is working on refreshed cabin colors, a new premium lounge concept, and increased Delta One Suites on its flagship long-haul aircraft.
As reported by The Points Guy, internal documents have revealed that Delta is working on a new interior color palette for its aircraft. Delta cabins have long-featured brighter blue seats with red and gray accents, but the new planned colors have a darker and more modern feel.
Based on available renderings, it appears that the new seats will feature a combination of dark blue and dark grey hues with red accents.
The existing white checkerboard forward bulkheads will be replaced by a dark design with white dots called “Dark Celestial Sky.” Meanwhile, the rear bulkheads will have a white design with dark dots called “White Celestial Sky.”
An internal presentation indicated that the airline’s premium domestic 757-200s could be the first to receive the new cabins. According to xJonNYC on X (formerly known as Twitter), Delta will send a Boeing 757-200 to a Jacksonville, Fla. maintenance facility for a complete interior retrofit in the coming weeks. The aircraft will then serve as a testbed for the new cabin elements.
Although both American and United have long had premium lounge offerings for its top customers, Delta has lagged behind in this area. This is about to change, as the first Delta premium lounges will open this year to join the ranks of American’s Flagship Lounges and United’s Polaris Lounges.
New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport will host the first premium lounge. With 38,000 square feet of space, the lounge will feature a full-service brewery, open kitchens, dedicated wellness areas, and locally inspired design elements.
Access guidelines have yet to be announced but will most likely include Delta One passengers and possibly those with high levels of status in the airline’s frequent flyer program. The JFK lounge is expected to open in June of 2024. Two other premium lounges will open in Los Angeles and Boston later in the year.
Delta is also planning on increasing existing Delta Sky Club lounge capacity in 2024. The airline is expanding its lounges at LaGuardia Airport and Miami International Airport and adding a second lounge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Charlotte Douglas International Airport is also slated to receive its first Sky Club. As the airline has been experiencing crowding and lines at many of its lounges, the added capacity will be a welcome change for both Delta and its customers.
Last month, Delta also announced that it would start retrofitting its Boeing 737-800 aircraft with its newest domestic first class seats. These seats initially debuted on the airline’s Airbus A321neo in 2022 and feature additional storage space and more privacy. Delta is also upgrading the economy class seats with 10-inch Panasonic seatback screens.
The airline is further expanding its premium product by adding eight lie-flat Delta One Suites to its Airbus A350-900 aircraft. With this reconfiguration, Delta is reducing the overall capacity on its flagship long-haul aircraft in order to bolster the number of premium seats. The new layout is expected to enter service this summer.
Andrew is a lifelong lover of aviation and travel. He has flown all over the world and is fascinated by the workings of the air travel industry. As a private pilot and glider pilot who has worked with airlines, airports and other industry stakeholders, he is always excited to share his passion for aviation with others. In addition to being a writer, he also hosts Flying Smarter, an educational travel podcast that explores the complex world of air travel to help listeners become better-informed and savvier travelers.
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