Originally Posted by JJeffrey

These rules haven't changed in years, I'm not sure why there is all the sudden so much confusion. A person with PLT or above status on a qualifying international itinerary, regardless of class of service, can access lounges before a domestic connecting flight. I've flown countless international trips in Y and always have lounge access at all the same day connection points. Yes that includes after the long haul or qualifying flight and before my domestic connecting flight.

This is not a grey area or an agent doing you a favor or misunderstanding the rules, or anything like that, it's 100% policy. The core oneworld lounge access policy allows it.

The only exceptions are AA elites flying soley North American itineraries (except MEX of course) do not get lounge access. So an EXP, flying in Y, on a qualifying itinerary (i.e. one that is not soley in North America) automatically gets lounge access before each and every flight in the itinerary.