While we’ve seen lines to get in lounges before, this was our first time seeing a Delta Sky Club virtual queue. And it reminds us that Delta has a problem.

Crowding at Delta Sky Clubs is real

Everyone who has access to Delta Sky Clubs has experienced it at least once. You arrive at the lounge only to find it so full that it’s considered to be at capacity. And you see a line forming in front of you. Do you decide to wait in line or spend time elsewhere in the airport? Obviously, one of the biggest considerations is time–will you get into the lounge with enough time before your flight to enjoy it?

At Delta Sky Club locations, they’ve implemented a two-tier approach to getting in with a line. Those with the following credentials can wait in a shorter line:

• Delta One customers
• SkyTeam premium customers
• Delta first class customers with qualifying access
• Delta Diamond Medallions with qualifying access

Those customers can stand in an often-shorter line. Meanwhile, everyone else has to wait in the regular line. Sometimes this wait lasts a few minutes, and sometimes it can potentially top an hour.

Using the Delta Sky Club virtual queue

In my experience, most Delta Sky Club locations use a physical queueing system to get into their lounges. That means if you want to get in, you need to physically stand in the line and wait around. Especially if you’re waiting with kids, it can be tough just standing around for an unknown amount of time. It’s not exactly a premium experience the airline is offering when they make you wait around for a service you already paid for.

However, recently I stopped by Tampa International Airport (TPA), and found a line already in place. The problem was that several larger flights got hit with substantial delays. At an outstation like TPA, the lounge isn’t large enough to handle the IROPS. And so everyone after that point is forced to wait around. However, rather than a physical queue, they handled it via virtual queue.

Similar to physical queueing, there is a two-tier approach to these virtual queues. If you have the same preferred criteria from above, you can chat with the agent and receive a special QR code. The agent will confirm you have the status and then briefly flash you the code to scan. Everyone else can scan the QR code posted on the board.

How bad were the delays? The Delta agent was quoting times of 20 minutes for the premium line and well over an hour for the regular entry. Absolutely painful.

Virtual queues at least let you do other things

With lines that long, it sure is painful if you end up hungry or need to use the restroom while waiting around. In my case, I scanned the code but didn’t plan on entering–it was more of a just-in-case if it happened to work out. Sure, I had the “VIP” line thanks to my Diamond Medallion status, but the time listed wasn’t dependable.

I mean, the website originally said the wait would be 13 minutes with seven people ahead of me. Flash forward 20 minutes and it changed to a 22 minute wait with five people ahead of me.

Just seven minutes later and I received a message to come in. Uhh, yeah it would be nice to have a more reliable time estimate. The technology is powered by Moviik, which seems to also handle Lufthansa virtual queues.

Naturally, there were still a lot of people crowding around the Sky Club lounge, but I just needed to show the message to the agent and go upstairs to check in as normal. And of course, the lounge was nowhere near crowded once inside and seemed somewhere between half and three-fourths full. The people waiting downstairs would probably not be thrilled to hear that.

Delta tried managing crowds but hasn’t found the right answer yet

Delta has tried to control crowds in recent years but hasn’t found the secret sauce yet. Let’s count the ways they’ve tried:

• Three-hour time limit in the lounge
• Basic economy no longer receives access
• Delta Platinum cardholders can no longer get in with a fee
• Only Delta Medallions can purchase lounge memberships
• International flights for Delta Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Medallions don’t automatically give access; those members must be flying at least premium economy
• “Nonrev” travelers no longer receive access
• Introduction of Delta One Lounges also reduces overcrowding at Sky Clubs
• Price of admission has gone up with higher annual fees and lounge memberships

On top of that, Delta tried removing access on arrival for members, but significant pushback stopped that initiative.

Crowding remains

Despite all of these changes, Delta Sky Clubs are still crowded. Sure, IROPS can wreak havoc on smaller lounges, but even at Atlanta, where each terminal has at least one Sky Club, the problem remains. Of course, in Atlanta, they might actually hand out some free gear for entering their lounges when there is a lengthy line present. A small consolation prize for physically standing in line.

If Delta truly cared about those waiting in lines, they would eliminate or further restrict Amex Platinum cardholders from entering. Since they haven’t, we can only assume two things:

• Delta gets a lot of money from American Express and doesn’t expect those cardholders to switch to the Delta Reserve.
• Removing access to Amex Platinum cardholders would be a bridge too far–the lounges might be too empty in some locations.

You can make the argument that increased investment in their Sky Club lounges is a result of their popularity. However, making some customers wait an hour for access defeats the purpose of having access in the first place. They need to find a happy medium and haven’t yet done it.

Suggested reading:

• Review: Delta Sky Club LAX (One of the Best in the System)
• Making Memories on the Plane with Delta Trading Cards
• Review: Delta One Lounge JFK