Detroit airport lounges: navigating the five Delta Sky Clubs
At Detroit Metro, almost all the lounges belong to Delta, which fills the McNamara Terminal with several nearly identical lounges. Those flying with another airline, or looking for something different from a simple buffet, need to look at the North Terminal or a couple of lounges designed for those who served in uniform.
In the McNamara Terminal Delta runs five Sky Club lounges, almost all with the same full-service bar and the same buffet line of hot dishes: the difference, more than in the services, lies in the position relative to your own gate. One of the five, near gate A38, stands out from the others because it's the only one with showers and also the one that opens earliest in the morning, handy for those with a dawn flight who want to freshen up before boarding. Another one bridges two concourses farther from the tram station, handy precisely for those departing from that sector who don't want to walk all the way to the more central lounges.
Mon/Wed/Sat 06:00-21:00, Tue/Thu/Fri 06:00-19:00, Sun 11:00-19:00
Yes
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OtherMcNamara Terminal
Freedom Center
Near gate A43
Opened on November 11, 2011, Veterans Day, it is run by a nonprofit organization founded by a retired Air Force colonel and a retired Navy captain.
Hours
06:00-22:00
Open to all members of the armed forces, veterans and the family members traveling with them.
OtherNorth Terminal
Freedom Center
Near gate D17
The organization's second location at the airport, opened on December 17, 2015 to also serve North Terminal passengers.
AirlineMcNamara Terminal
Delta Sky Club
Concourse A, gate A68, second level at the north express tram station
The full-service bar sits alongside a buffet line of hot dishes.
Hours
Sun-Fri 06:00-21:00, Sat 06:30-12:30
Entry for Delta One and international premium passengers and Delta Sky Club members.
Hot food
Bar
AirlineMcNamara Terminal
Delta Sky Club
Concourse A, gate A18, second level at the south express tram station
A buffet line of hot dishes accompanies the full-service bar.
Hours
Sun-Fri 06:00-21:00, Sat 06:30-12:30
Entry for Delta One and international premium passengers and Delta Sky Club members.
Hot food
Bar
AirlineMcNamara Terminal
Delta Sky Club
Concourse A, gate A38, departures level, at the connector
It's the only one of the five Sky Clubs in the McNamara Terminal with showers, and also the one that opens earliest in the morning.
Hours
04:15-22:30
Entry for Delta One and international premium passengers and Delta Sky Club members.
Showers
Hot food
Bar
AirlineMcNamara Terminal
Delta Sky Club
Concourse A, gate A43, departures level
It shares the same gate with the Freedom Center dedicated to the military, but remains a separate lounge with access reserved for Delta passengers.
Hours
07:00-21:00
Entry for Delta One and international premium passengers and Delta Sky Club members.
Hot food
Bar
AirlineMcNamara Terminal
Delta Sky Club
Between Concourse B and C, gate level, between gate C9 and gate B2
It bridges Concourse B and C, the two areas farthest from the tram station compared to the other Delta lounges at McNamara.
Hours
06:00-21:00
Entry for Delta One and international premium passengers and Delta Sky Club members.
Hot food
Bar
AirlineNorth Terminal · International flightsPriority Pass
Lufthansa Lounge
Concourse D, between gates D7 and D8
After a renovation, it merged the two separate Business and Senator areas into a single lounge open to everyone admitted.
Hours
Mon/Wed/Sat 06:00-21:00, Tue/Thu/Fri 06:00-19:00, Sun 11:00-19:00
Entry for Lufthansa and Star Alliance passengers in business or first class (with one guest), Star Alliance Gold members (with one guest) and Priority Pass members; children under 2 free.
Hot food
Bar
No lounges match this filter.
Those flying with Lufthansa or another Star Alliance airline instead find their lounge in the North Terminal, different from all the others at the airport: after a renovation it merged into a single room the two areas that used to be separate for business passengers and senator passengers, so today everyone admitted shares the same space.
For those who have served or are serving in the armed forces, Detroit Metro has a reference point in both terminals: the McNamara's Freedom Center, originally opened precisely for veterans, shares its gate with one of the Delta lounges but remains a separate, free environment; a second, smaller location is also found in the North Terminal, designed for those departing from that sector who don't have to cross the whole airport, saving time and effort before a long flight.
Those who have to choose among the five Delta lounges would, in practice, do better to look first at their own gate and only afterward at the differences in service: in most cases the most convenient lounge is simply the closest one, unless you really want a shower before boarding or you're departing from one of the terminal's more peripheral concourses.
In the end, choosing at Detroit Metro is almost always a matter of gate rather than brand: the five Delta lounges at McNamara offer more or less the same service, with the exception of the one with showers and the one that bridges the more peripheral concourses. Only those flying with a Star Alliance airline other than Delta really have an alternative, in the North Terminal; while those who have worn the uniform find a free reference point everywhere thanks to the Freedom Center, present in both of the airport's terminals. In any case, before heading to a distant lounge it's worth checking whether the one closest to your own gate is already enough to meet your needs, saving precious time before boarding.
