DCA SC Refresh Complete [after partial closure]
 

I've seen signs suggesting DL was going to rebuild the DCA Skyclub, but I hadn't seen any tangible progress on that front until this morning - at some point over the last ten days or so, they've sealed off the main seating section, facing the bar. Unless there's another seating section I'm not aware of (to the left on the food/bathrooms?), the club is going to be cramped while they rebuild.

Oh boy. Guess I won't miss the SC, as my next few trips are ex-RIC.

I think I do remember hearing that the DCA SC was due for some work. DCA is definitely one of DL's most valuable outstations.

Somewhere to the left of where you check in there's a special private VIP area for congresscritters and celebrities.

Are you sure? Pretty sure there's a wall to the left of the check-in desk.

That's where we met, isn't it?

;) :D ;)

To the left of check once inside the SC is a solid wall.

Perhaps you are referencing the other club on the 3 level which was a United Club at one point. I believe it is now a USO club or something like that.

Well thats a bummer as I have three trips out of DCA in the next 6 weeks, I like that SkyClub

Well somebody doesn't know the secret knock

The DCA club could really use a renovation. It's one of the most tired looking clubs in the system. I wish all clubs would get the nice big square chairs that offer a lot of privacy and you can actually sleep.

Personally not a fan. For some reason they feel dirtier to me than other chairs, and when they are in the middle of the room, they make the space feel crowded because they block sight lines (such as the MSP F club).

Think what you're referring to is the area past the bar and the food area to the left, past the bathrooms. Not sure I've ever seen this door open, but on Sunday, it was open. There's a light sensor on the door which suggests that it requires a fob to typically access, but the door was wide open this morning. It wasn't clearly accessible, so I didn't venture over there. There's also an outside area where I saw people eating and drinking last week, but not sure if that was a lounge?

Looks like the mythical DCA SC VIP area does exist.

This rather pathetic Sky Club is part of the reason why I fly out of Washington-Dulles now. I much prefer the Air France or Turkish lounges. Plus, upgrades in and out of Dulles much, much easier.

Except on the CRJ-200s.

Only to JFK, and that's such a short run that it doesn't really matter. I do miss the ERJ145s.

For some of us who have to travel to the DC area, IAD is way out of the way for me and DCA is very convenient with easy access to Metro and close walk to gates compared to IAD with Metro that will probably arrive in 2055 and having a long truck to the gates.

Yeah IAD is almost never a good option. If not checking bags, I can arrive at T-35 (thanks Clear). Can't do that at IAD.

I'm surprised they didn't do this earlier with the DCA-LAX D1 service launching.

Have a couple of glasses of real champagne at the Air France lounge and you'll be fine.

They may have wanted to see if it went over well enough to continue it.

Also the LAX-DCA route was only upgraded to D1 service a few months before launch so probably not much time to do renovation work in that short time frame especially with the peak summer travel season coming up around that time. It makes sense to do the renovation during off peak months.

There's really nothing wrong with the club- I don't know what all this whining is about.

I'm sure the upgrades will be nice and I'm looking forward to them, but anyone who lives inside the beltway and regularly takes IAD doesn't value their time; unless you fly United and want the directs.

Bolding mine, the directs would save someone time, which makes your argument bizarre.

The bar needs to be updated in DCA. IMO the best thing they could of done is move the bar to the windows, allowing patrons to look out the windows at the capital/downtown.

Has anyone been sent to the VIP/protocol room to alleviate crowding in the DCA SC during the construction and partial closure?

They have opened up a room (there's a pic above in the thread) that if you walk towards the restrooms and take a left (down a previously closed hall) that is now open for business.

Would make sense if that was previously used for the purpose you describe.

You can see the front door of the VIP/protocol room from the hallway as you enter the DCA SC. It's to the left. Does the back entrance that you describe lead to the same room?

The room is off to the left of where the entrance to the SC is for us plebs. So could be.

Didn't notice any door in the room, but wasn't looking. Will check Friday and report back.

I checked it out yesterday. Basically the same as the rest of the club, except the carpet and furniture are obviously less worn. It's a nice space.

It's small, particularly the food and bar area as well as the bathrooms.

The renovation is inconvenient, but it should be finished rather quick. There's not a lot of physical renovations they can do in that space - mostly cosmetic, I suspect.

The DCA SC agents are some of the best in the system IMO.

The most critical need at DCA is upgrading the food offerings. IMHO, they could put in a self-service bar! I haven't seen the bar crowded all that often but the club could use more room. Apart from that it's a good club.

I've seen twenty people in line to get drinks with the line stretching back halfway across the club at DCA.

Some of this crowding is DL's fault, sad to say. Those of us who don't (or in my case, rarely) drink alcohol still have to grovel up to the bar in most clubs for a soda in those clubs without a dispenser. :(

However, the longer lines cause less soda and less alcohol to be consumed, saving DL money. Maybe it's deliberate.

Dang it! I booked DCA>MSN this Friday partially because of the direct flight and partially because of having some time before the flight to enjoy a sip in the lounge. My work is in Baltimore so it's a bit of a hike to DCA for the direct. I probably would have flown BWI>DTW>MSN if I had known.

If you're DM you can try to SDC onto the BWI connection using the (unpublished?) co-terminal benefit. Note that SDC from a nonstop onto a connection is allowed but not the reverse.

IIRC BWI has (re)opened a lounge that accepts either PP or the AmEx Plat charge card.

I never know what I'm doing. Of course BWI has a PP lounge and I've used it. I just forgot. They have Freixenet for free at the bar which is a tolerable affordable sparkler. It's a bit small but big enough. My main problem with BWI is the fitness facility (paid) which I feel compelled to use to compensate for my PDB and in-flight indulgences, and then I get on the plane and start cramping because I'm running late and don't stretch lol.

This is why the new Sky Club designs that require lounge patrons to stand in line for a non-alcoholic Coke or Diet Coke are stupid and poorly thought out.

No. The plan is that the longer lines will save DL money on Coke as well as alcoholic beverages.

Fountain beverage pop costs maybe a penny a glass.