A massage before a flight? Sign me up.
I’ve never dreamed of going to the airport: the traffic to JFK, trying to distract the airline workers from seeing how overweight your bags are, rushing to your gate with a Shake Shack burger in hand. But Delta wants to change that. (If you’re willing to shell out for Delta One prices, that is.) The carrier has opened a new space for Delta One customers that is less a lounge and more of a luxury wellness hub that just happens to be in an airport — and this is coming from someone who regularly gets massages and facials. Here is my review.
As a beauty obsessive, I found my interest instantly piqued when I heard the lounge has a spa. I thought there would maybe be a few massage chairs to relax in before a flight, but while there are massage chairs, they are only a quarter of what this spa offers. Full-body massages and facials are available with Grown Alchemist products and certified therapists. I had a full-body massage that got knots out of my neck and back that I didn’t even know existed. Three wellness treatments are also on offer: for recovery, there’s a ten-minute shoulder, scalp, and temple massage the spa dubs the “Jet Lag Reviver”; for tired eyes, a reawakening eye treatment using cryotherapy ice globes and Grown Alchemist serums; and for relaxation, a hand and arm massage that exfoliates, then moisturizes for a relaxing preflight experience.
If a full treatment in the airport doesn’t suit your fancy (or if the spa is booked up as treatments are given on a first-come, first-served basis), maybe the relaxation pods will. Small spaces with curtains for privacy, five pods are complete with zero-gravity massage chairs and four with reclining chairs for resting. Upon request in the pods, guests can use Hyperice self-care devices, massage guns, and tools to target muscle fatigue and aid in recovery and relief. My favorite was the Normatec compression boots that not only massage legs but increase circulation and flush waste out of the body as in a lymphatic treatment. Before long flights, I often try to get this treatment at a recovery spa in New York, but having one in the lounge directly before a flight saves ample time and money. Does it actually work? For me, increasing my body’s circulation before flying makes my muscles feel a lot less tense once I land; it’s my alternative to wearing compression leggings or socks. To complete the spa aura in the wellness area, a cart rolls around with offerings such as spa water (a fancy name for fruit-infused water), Grown Alchemist samples, and refreshing face and hand towels. And there’s a rejuvenation bar with nonalcoholic wellness drinks and health-conscious snacks — a dream for someone like me who often gets anxiety from traveling and not being able to eat or drink what I want because I’m constantly surrounded by liquor and airport food (I love Shake Shack, but I don’t want it before every flight).
“This is the ultimate luxury,” I said while twirling inside the marble walls of the large bathrooms. (While you’re showering, a valet can even steam your clothes.) “It’s close — the ultimate luxury is flying private,” someone told me. As I too have flown private (for a work trip), I can attest that it’s great — but I definitely didn’t have a massage, a five-course meal, or a shoeshine before boarding. Nice Instagram pictures, though.
Next, I indulged in the five-course meal with dishes like hamachi crudo and a molten-chocolate lava cake for dessert. There’s also a marketplace with flatbread pizzas and a bakery with offerings like a Biscoff cookie–caramel pudding and tiramisu. Admittedly, I don’t usually love airport lounge food; it’s good enough to hold me over though never something I would indulge in. But the Delta salted chocolate-chip cookie everyone raves about is worth the hype. And this spot has chic design touches like a fireplace, accent pillows, and coffee-table books courtesy of Missoni, the Italian luxury house the airline recently tapped as a partner for the lounge and the Delta One amenity kits onboard.
The lounge officially opened this week in Terminal 4, just in time for your summer travels. And for select customers, forget walking to your gate after you’re finished in the lounge — a Porsche can drive out on the tarmac and take you directly to your plane. The travel bar has officially been raised.
