By now everyone has heard about Delta’s latest enhancement, the increase in award prices across the board for Business Elite. But thanks to another enhancement (to their Sky Club complimentary drink menu) I’ve been keeping tasting notes on the various complimentary options in the Sky Clubs. What I’ve found is that it will pay dividends to get to know your Sky Club bartender because they know how to make a dirnk with what is available to them.
I paid a visit to the Sky Club at Reagan National Airport to check out the Sky Club and their drink offerings.
The Sky Club is located to the left just inside of security.
Once you go up the elevator and you’ll see the entrance straight ahead.
The Luxury Bar is actually fairly small but functional.
What sets this lounge apart in my opinion is the floor to ceiling windows on pretty much all sides. You can choose to sit on one side and see the area outside of security.
Or you can choose the other side and enjoy great views of the runway and gates.
To get things started, I wanted to taste Delta’s premium Cabernet wine, the Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. The price is $10.50 per glass or $42 a bottle plus tip. That is a pretty high markup off it’s $~12 retail value.
I thought the wine tasted great. It’s pretty neat, they even give you an upgraded glass with the words Delta Sky Club on it.
When I headed back to the bar, the bartender, Hanna, had several good suggestions. First, she offered for me to taste the house Cabernet red wine. The house red wine is called Sycamore Lane and can be found for about $6-10 a bottle.
She suggested that it tasted as good and most folks enjoy it as much as the BV option from the Luxury bar menu. Maybe it was the first glass of wine talking, but I would agree with her. While I prefer the BV, the house red was just fine.
The Hanna Special
Next, she made a suggestion which illustrates that it pays to get to know your Sky Club bartender. For example, they know how to work with what they got on the complimentary bar menu. Take for example, Gordons Vodka well drink and compare it to their Ciroc Vodka. The Ciroc drink is $8 while the Hanna Special (with Gordon’s) is free + plus tip.
How to make the Hanna Special:
- Fill glass with ice
- Add Gordons Vodka
- Add Cranberry Juice
- Add Sprite (For sweet) or Club Soda (For not sweet)
- Top with lime and enjoy
Bottom Line
With Delta’s downgrade enhancement to their complimentary bar menu, it will pay dividends to get to know your bartender. They certainly know how to disguise the “gentle roll of a razor blade” taste of Gordons Vodka in a nice mixed drink.
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The Weekly Flyer writes about travel from a business traveler perspective. He travels the world every week accumulating points and miles along the way.
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Another way Delta marketing hype overshadows United substance.
For $10 I can enjoy a glass of a $40 retail bottle of wine at a United Club. No markup.
Hi Greg – Inquiring minds. You or anyone else, please let us know what wine is available in United Clubs for such a good price.
Stags Leap Artemis Cab
Rombauer Chardonnay
Jordan Cab
Duckhorn Merlot
among others…
And champagne (forget if it is Moet or Veuve) is $12
I find the house wine at the Sky Club just a tiny bit too fruity for my taste. I like the reasonably well-oaked BV cab. But you are correct….. after one pay wine, the house wine tastes perfectly serviceable. 🙂
Cheers – from the B26 Sky Club
Did you really need to force two CC links into the post for no good reason? Or did you actually pull out both cards to get in??
Hi Seth – I didn’t have to pull out either card. The Delta Reserve provides Sky Club access and is associated with the member account. So once the boarding pass is scanned, they see I’m a member from the card. If I didn’t have that one, I probably would have had to pull out the Platinum car to gain access. Thanks for the comment.