Airport lounges keep getting bigger and fancier as travelers look for a respite during layovers between flights.
Delta may have set the bar a little high with the first lounge operated by an airline at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. The airline unveiled the lounge late last month to coincide with Japan easing COVID restrictions and protocols in the country.
“We’ve been looking forward to this day for years,” Claude Roussel, managing director of Delta Sky Club, said in a release. “Bringing the signature Delta Sky Club experience to Haneda as we continue to grow our network of premium, one-of-a-kind lounges is a huge moment for our Asia-Pacific partners, and all future Haneda Club customers.”
Set to open in March 2020 in anticipation of the Tokyo Summer Olympics, COVID had other plans. The lounge sat completed and ready for customers for more than 2 years until its delayed opening in July.
But this one might be worth the wait.
The Haneda Club features three items that make it different from your typical airport lounge:
- A specialty, made-to-order noodle bar staffed by a dedicated chef to whip up popular regional cuisine
- A premium bar serving seasonal cocktails, wines, beers, spirits, and Japanese sake — all complimentary
- A buffet stocked with fresh, seasonal ingredients in the restaurant-quality kitchen.
In addition, the club is filled with design touches that celebrate Japanese culture, including artwork and textiles that reflect the region.
Plenty of windows give guests a view of the airport, the skyline, and on clear days, a glimpse of Mount Fuji.
The 9,000-square-foot club is also built with a variety of seating options, including booths for those who need a work space, power outlets at virtually every seat, free Wi-Fi, and five shower rooms.
The club comes following Delta’s decision to move its flights from Narita Airport to Haneda. Haneda is closer to locations sought by most business travelers and more convenient to the athletic venues built for the olympics and beyond.
The Haneda Club is Delta’s third new airport lounge opened in 2022, joining new facilities at New York’s LaGuardia Airport and Los Angeles International Airport.
Delta is expected to announce more lounges and upgrades to existing clubs in the coming months.
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