New York’s LaGuardia Airport is getting another gorgeous new building: Delta is set to open the doors to its Terminal C facility on Saturday, June 4.
The modern, $4 billion structure houses a slick check-in lobby, 11 TSA security lanes, and five baggage claim carousels, as well as a new concourse with 10 gates. It’s the latest space to debut in the sweeping construction overhaul of LaGuardia, which will see practically every passenger building torn down and rebuilt from scratch by 2024.
The gleaming new terminal features high ceilings, wood and marble accents, a variety of art installations by local New York artists, and walls of windows to create a light and airy atmosphere for travelers. “In a word, the new Terminal C is magnificent—an architectural gem that dwarfs the facilities it replaces in size, style, and functionality,” Rick Cotton, the Port Authority’s executive director, said in a statement. The first phase of Terminal C—a concourse with seven gates and restaurants emblematic of NYC like H&H Bagels—was opened by Delta back in 2019.
Designed to speed travelers through check-in and security, the spacious departures lobby is fitted with 36 counters for full-service check-in and 49 self-service kiosks, as well as technology like hands-free bag drops, fully automated security lanes, and digital ID scanning capabilities. As of Saturday, nine of the ten new gates will be operational; each berth is designed to accommodate Delta’s domestic fleet of narrow-body planes and will offer plenty of seating and charging stations to embarking passengers.
Gateside food and drink options in the facility’s new concourse—Concourse E—include representations from some of New York’s most beloved restaurants like Bubby’s Diner and Chuko Ramen. Retail options are also upscale and include Le Labo fragrances, Briggs & Riley luggage, and skincare company Beekman 1802.
Also housed by the vast new structure is the largest Delta SkyClub to date—a 34,000-square-foot space that can seat up to 600 guests at a time. Upon opening, the lounge will be outfitted with a “gourmet” kitchen, two buffets, and a bar. Delta says in the future, it plans to add a year-round outdoor SkyDeck and an additional bar to the lounge, too. Elsewhere in the terminal facility is a sensory room with a calming atmosphere for travelers who are neurodivergent.
The terminal will be an important outpost for the Atlanta-based airline, which says it’s the largest carrier at LaGuardia by number of flights operated, with 255 flights departing the hub every day this summer. Thanks to accelerated construction during the pandemic, Delta was able to open the new Terminal C building ahead of schedule, but the sparkling new facility is not the last endeavor at LaGuardia for the airline. It plans to build two more concourses by 2024 and merge Terminals C and D into one expansive facility that will measure 1.3 million square feet with a total of 37 gates across four concourses. The new Terminal C comes as the airport officially finished construction on the equally impressive Terminal B building earlier this year.
