Delta One private security opens at JFK, with direct link to high-end lounge

Last month, Delta Air Lines cut the ribbon on its second business-class-only lounge at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). A beautiful but smaller, more food-and-beverage focused outpost, the new LAX facility can't quite match the sheer scope of Delta's sprawling, 40,000 square-foot oasis at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), which launched the high-end lounge portfolio this past summer.

Yet, from day one, the Delta One Lounge at LAX did boast at least one distinct advantage over the 4-month-old facility at JFK: a dedicated, private security checkpoint to help the carrier's high-paying guests skirt the chaos of the airport concourse.

Already, though, JFK has closed that gap in a big way.

Delta One private entrance at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY

In late October, Delta quietly opened a key, remaining component of its premium facilities in New York, complete with a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint only open to passengers eligible to use the Delta One Lounge.

Today, if you're departing JFK on a Delta One ticket, you'll be able to navigate check-in, security, and the walk to the lounge without ever coming into contact with the rest of the flying public.

Delta One check-in at JFK

To use the Delta One check-in facilities or lounge, you have to be flying on a Delta One ticket; a domestic first-class ticket won't get you in. Neither will any Delta cobranded American Express credit cards or Medallion elite status — although flyers with invitation-only Delta 360 status can use the Delta One Lounge even if they're flying on a domestic first-class fare. Passengers flying on comparable tickets with certain SkyTeam partners can use the space, too.

Locating Delta One check-in

You'll find the dedicated Delta One check-in facilities on the right-hand side of JFK's Terminal 4, steps from the drop-off curb as you enter the departures level; look for the tan wood structure adorned with Delta One branding.

The initial portion of this check-in experience actually opened in conjunction with the lounge debut this summer.

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Walk through the sliding doors, and you'll be in a spacious, walled-off (but open-air) lobby.

Compared to LAX, you'll get a few more steps in as you make your way from entry point to lounge, but it's still a far more serene and seamless experience than what you'd typically expect at an airport.

Presecurity lounge

Walk down a makeshift, naturally-lit hallway — perhaps pausing for a photo along the way — and you'll arrive at the presecurity lounge area.

There are Delta One-exclusive check-in desks. You can also sit with a customer service representative if you need assistance.

Like at Delta's premium LAX check-in facility, there are some presecurity refreshments. You can grab some Nespresso coffee, a soda, a Delta One-branded box of water or a light snack.

There were also some more elaborate offerings, including a Vive organic blueberry-ginger energy drink and some light bites — such as gravlax with cream cheese and an everything bagel crunch, a fig prosciutto wrap with crumbled goat cheese, and a mixed-berry parfait.

Semiprivate security checkpoint

Once you've had a few refreshments, walk through a doorway marked "Security Checkpoint," and you'll start to notice the biggest changes Delta has made since the Delta One Lounge opened this past summer.

For the first three months of the JFK Delta One Lounge's existence, there was a bit of an intermission in the "premium" portion of your journey after passing through these doors.

Previously, at this spot, you'd have to hang a left to head to security — which involved being dumped back out at the general TSA (or TSA PreCheck) checkpoint. Then, you'd make your way to the lounge via the airport concourse.

Now, instead, you'll want to turn right after exiting the presecurity lounge. You'll proceed down this brief hallway, shown below, and quickly find yourself at the brand new, private Delta One security checkpoint.

SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY

Even the convenience offered by a program like TSA PreCheck or Clear is no match for this experience; it's possible you may be the only passenger using the checkpoint at any given moment (though you may have at least a little company during the peak late-day international departures bank).

The checkpoint is set up to handle both TSA PreCheck and non-PreCheck passengers. As a Trusted Traveler, I got a TSA PreCheck card that allowed me to keep my shoes on.

All travelers, regardless of PreCheck status, can leave laptops and 3-1-1 compliant liquids in their bag, though, since the checkpoint is equipped with the TSA's latest CT scanners.

Read more: TSA chief wants huge TSA PreCheck member growth — and says those big CT scanners are faster than you think

Postsecurity lounge

Once you pass through the checkpoint, you'll be on an open-air walkway overlooking the Terminal 4 concourse.

You'll briefly loop around the walkway, which is lined with New York City-themed photographs. Moments later, you'll arrive at the second-floor entrance to the Delta One Lounge.

Inside, you'll be able to enjoy the outpost's vast amenities, from the full sit-down brasserie to a spa and well-equipped working space.

Like the Delta One check-in and security experience at LAX, this new JFK setup allows high-paying Delta One passengers a quick, quiet path straight to the carrier's high-end lounge — allowing for more time relaxing and minimal interaction with the airport crowds ahead of departure.

A 'game changer' for premium offerings

Speaking to Wall Street on Delta's third-quarter earnings call in October, CEO Ed Bastian pointed to the young Delta One Lounge portfolio as a key facet of the Atlanta-based carrier's push to stay ahead of its U.S. competition.

"Our new Delta One lounges in New York and LA, with dedicated check-in and private TSA security, truly differentiate Delta's premium offering in the two largest revenue markets in the United States," Bastian told analysts.

"What we've created here is an extension of your onboard experience," added Claude Roussel, Delta's vice president of Sky Clubs and lounge experience, speaking to me last month in California.

"It's a game changer," Roussel said. "Once you've done the dedicated check-in, it's difficult to go back in the regular line."

Up next

Delta isn't done.

Its third Delta One Lounge, planned for Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), is tentatively slated for a December opening, executives said last month.

A fourth, at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), is expected in early 2025.

Related reading:

• The best credit cards for airport lounge access
• The ultimate guide to getting Delta Sky Club access
• The do's and don'ts in an airport lounge
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• Domestic lounges that are worth going out of your way for
• Best Delta credit cards