savekenny

I'm flying Virgin Australia (DJ) domestic flight from BNE-SYD. Does anyone know if I could use Virgin's lounge in BNE as a ST+? Delta's website suggests I could, but ST's website and Virgin's website suggest something else.

Delta Dude

You have to be flying on/connecting to an international itinerary AND on SkyTeam to be able to take advantage of Elite Plus lounge access. Since you're flying domestic DJ, the answer here would be no. Though it definitely would not hurt to try

qwertyuiop

As I understand top tier delta flyers and Skyclub members get access to virgin australia lounges when flying virgin Australia. This has nothing to do with sky team and is a reciprocal arrangement between delta and virgin. Virgin gold and platinums get access to delta sky clubs when flying domestically in the US. You should be fine - try your luck at least.

ashill

Virgin Australia's web site says clearly that you do have access: Delta partnership on va.com.au:

I had no trouble accessing DJ lounges (in domestic terminals with a DJ flight) as a Sky Club member, but can't (yet) speak from personal experience as a Delta Gold.

MSPeconomist

Since no Virgin airline is a SkyTeam member, what the SkyTeam website says is irrelevant. DL and Virgin whatever are partners, so if there is a lounge benefit, it is derived specifically from your DL elite status.

Delta Dude

Don't you still have to be flying internationally though?

qwertyuiop

No. Not for the domestic lounges.

bgriff

Any idea if this benefit also allows a guest in? I believe I have seen that it does, but the most recent link to Virgin's website doesn't specifically say.

bigswiss

I am currently in Australia, and have flown between MEL and ADL two times this week. I used my Diamond card for Virgin Lounge access on Domestic DJ tickets on each visit to each respective airport. I am travelling with a Platinum, and there was some confusion by the Virgin staff in MEL as to whose membership had a higher value. They joked with us that I would have to be my travelling companion's guest, and vice versa, but let us in the lounge with no drama.

nycflyer75

I have traveled between SYD and BNE a few times and I've simply shown my diamond card and boarding pass and been let in. The SYD and BNE lounges are pretty awesome.

bgriff

Thanks for the replies -- and I can now confirm from firsthand experience that a Delta Gold card does indeed get you into the lounge with a guest. The lounges are only in the domestic terminals, so it's no help if you're flying out of any of the Aussie airports internationally, but they are indeed quite nice if you happen to be flying domestic on VA.

MSPeconomist

If the Virgin lounges are all in domestic terminals, what happens to DL elites flying the DL SYD-LAX flight or any of the international Virgin flights to LAX exAustralia?

ashill

On DL metal: access to Air New Zealand lounge (the contracted lounge).

On VA metal: no lounge access (if in coach). (I can confirm this from personal experience at LAX T3 -- though at least you have the SkyClub in T5 there -- and the wording on VA's web site is pretty clear for Australian international terminals: DL Gold+ get access to "the Virgin Australia lounge network", which means VA owned and operated lounges.)

Note that Virgin Australia and Etihad are allegedly looking for the right space to construct their own joint lounge at the Sydney international terminal. This would presumably be part of "the Virgin Australia lounge network" (ie Virgin owned and operated) and thus allow partner elites access. However, though it was in the news again a few weeks ago, they still haven't found the right space, let alone started construction.

Edit: To be complete, the Etihad lounge is now open. It is not a joint VA/EY lounge, so not part of the VA lounge network and thus no access for DL elites.

MSPeconomist

What happens to people in business class on the VA operated flights? Does elite status with DL matter then?

ashill

Can't speak from experience, but you get lounge access (NZ lounges in Oz, VX lounge in LAX) like any other business class customer.