Delta is quietly working on a plan to take over American Airlines' Admirals Club space at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and convert it into a Delta One lounge, according to reporting by View from the Wing. Delta executives have reportedly toured the space, eyeing it as an interim premium lounge once American decamps to its own new club at the west end of the terminal.
Why does this matter? Delta is going big on Austin. The airline has announced daily summer service to Paris starting March 27, 2027, on an Airbus A330-900, joining KLM's Amsterdam route. Delta sees the Texas capital as a rich source of premium customers - particularly Amex cobrand cardholders who'd fly Delta One to Europe and beyond from their home airport. A dedicated business class lounge would help sell that pitch years ahead of schedule.
The timing has a catch: the temporary space won't be ready for the Paris flight's launch, since American must open its replacement lounge and move out first. American's new club - a $10 million, 10,000-square-foot project (with over 12,000 square feet announced overall) including the airline's first outdoor terrace - is under construction and expected in 2027.
The bigger picture at Austin is a lounge land grab. Delta's long-term plan, reflected in the airport's new lease agreement, involves 41,206 square feet of club space: a new ~30,000-square-foot Sky Club at the tunnel connection to the future midfield concourse (with an outdoor terrace, and possibly direct aircraft boarding), plus conversion of its existing 9,000-square-foot club - which has an outdoor deck and sits near international gates - into a Delta One lounge. The new concourse itself isn't expected until the early 2030s, so grabbing American's old space would bridge the gap.
United had also pursued American's space for expansion but may not invest heavily in a lounge it'd only use a few years before its gates move to Concourse B. Meanwhile, Southwest is building a roughly 20,000-square-foot lounge above the West Infill checkpoint as part of its Chase partnership, and there's speculation that space could eventually become a Chase Sapphire Lounge. The airport is still weighing bids for an independent bank lounge too, with Capital One reportedly showing interest.
For travellers, the takeaway is simple: Austin is becoming one of the best-appointed mid-size airports in the US for premium lounge options. If you're flying Delta One to Paris from 2027, expect a proper pre-flight space even before the permanent facilities arrive. Premium cardholders should also watch how the Chase, Capital One and Amex-affiliated pieces shake out over the next few years.
