Airport lounges are no longer just stopovers between destinations. Now they’re destinations in their own right. At Delta Air Lines, art has emerged as a defining element of that evolution. Across its Sky Clubs and Delta One lounges, the airline is transforming high-traffic spaces into cultural touchpoints, each defined by curated collections that reflect the character and creative energy of the cities they serve.
Guiding that vision is Susan Gibbs, art curator at Delta, who collaborates with local artists, galleries and communities to shape immersive environments that celebrate a destination and its identity. From striking murals in San Francisco to commissions throughout New York and Atlanta, Gibbs’ approach goes beyond decoration into the realm of storytelling. Through her work, travelers don’t just pass through these spaces. They’re invited pause, look up and connect.
We sat down with Gibbs to discuss the vision behind Delta’s growing art program, her process around discovering and championing regional talent, and how art has the power to transform even the most transient of spaces.
How do you see the role of art within the Delta Sky Club and Delta One Lounge experience, and what do you hope travelers take away from it?
Our art collection has been thoughtfully curated to delight our guests and spark curiosity. Each piece is chosen not only to enhance the space, but also to celebrate the creativity and talent of local artists. As our guests explore the collection, we invite them to learn more about the artists behind the work and discover the cultural stories each destination has to offer. We hope this experience adds a deeper, more personal connection to their travels—one that stays with them long after the journey ends.
How do you collaborate with local communities to ensure the collections feel authentic and representative rather than just decorative?
We look at who they are represented by, especially the local galleries, museum acquisitions and placements, education, awards, exhibition inclusion, etc. In addition to the aesthetic, we look very carefully at the investment appreciation potential as an asset to the airline and as a solid and reputable artists to present to our guests for potential interest.
How do you balance curating pieces that work harmoniously with the interior design while still letting the art stand on its own?
That’s a question I was often asked when I had a retail art gallery in Atlanta. Never should one buy a piece of art to match or coordinate with the interiors of a space. When you fall in love with a piece of art, you will love it forever. Furniture and wall color changes. Buy what you love, and it will always find the right wall.
With that said, I work with the architects and the interiors teams for Delta Sky Clubs, and we plan a year ahead to coordinate walls specified for art. Therefore, we sometimes commission original works for the specific width and/or height of a location. Every so often, during installation, I may find myself switching pieces from one wall to another because the finished space, light and furniture placement may naturally dictate a new position.
Once all the artwork is in place, it’s like the jewelry on a dress: it completes the look, enhancing the colors, materials and textures of the lounge while allowing the art itself to truly shine.
Can you share an example of a piece or installation in a specific lounge that really captures the spirit of its city?
We commissioned a mural, spanning 30’ in width, for the San Francisco Delta Sky Club. We worked with a digital artist from Greece with a global reputation for making large scale images from a series of 100s to 1000s of individual photographs. The other artists brought the digital photos to life in creating each one with dimension using a variety of media, raising some panels while receding others. It is a wide view of the Golden Gate bridge, and it owns the room and speaks of pride of place. People from around the globe still take selfies in front of the mural!
Airport lounges are transitional spaces where people often rush in and out. How do you think about engaging travelers in that fleeting moment through art?
Yes, we live in a world where it’s hard to get people to look up from their devices, or to simply slow down. Sometimes our guests have a shorter connection, and don’t plan to spend much time in the lounge. But the art has a way of stopping people—whether it’s the pull of a particular piece, the glow of neon, the movement in the work, or a subject that makes someone pause mid-step.
To deepen that connection, we include placards featuring an image of the artist, a personal statement, and details about the work, along with links to learn more. We also provide a full-color takeaway with thumbnails of each piece, the artist’s name, and our contact information for anyone who wants to explore further.
What are some of the biggest challenges you face when curating art for such dynamic, high-traffic environments? Have there been any unexpected successes or stories that stand out?
What is tough is being able to represent as many artists as possible, in each Sky Club. We must be careful to follow architectural codes, cautious of projection off the wall, protecting it from dust created by high foot traffic, and anything electric or mechanical keeping it in motion!
Most galleries have a small, finite number of visitors per day. Our larger lounges can get more than a thousand visitors per day, giving the artists far more exposure. Being placed in the Delta Sky Club permanent collection can be career changing to the artist and their gallery representation. And we are very proud of that.
As the Sky Clubs and Delta One Lounges continue to evolve, what’s next for the art program? Are there upcoming themes, partnerships, or directions you’re especially excited about?
We are excited with each new Delta Sky Club built. Delta has spent many years of experience creating the most beautiful and thoughtful environments for their guests. We are still in the process of the expansion of the new lounges in new terminals and new airports to continue to bring the Delta Sky Club experience to more customers.
We continue to strive to make the art program both visually pleasing and experiential. We are purposeful in the inclusion of artists spanning a variety of generations, cultures, ethnicities, education and self-identities. Each artist brings to their work life experiences, mentors support, education toward content and the moments in time they want to capture and share with the viewer.
Do you have a favorite Delta lounge? Favorite city?
Oooh, that’s a hard one. It’s as if I have nearly 60 children and you are asking me which one is my favorite!
If you had to pin me down, I have to say the new JFK Delta One Lounge won my heart. It’s our largest lounge across the network at nearly 40,000 square feet and just wants you to explore it! The art was given such prominence with the space and experiential aspects of the design. I also am biased toward the Sky Club in Terminal E in BOS, since it’s my home state! The layout and large windows really allow the art in this lounge to shine.
After each Sky Club art installation, I fly back home and text some pics with each artist of their work as it went up. I know how proud they are to have been selected and among a special group of their peers. And we are proud to have helped them a bit with their career growth and potential visibility to sustain their practice.