When is international not international
 

Last Saturday I was refused access to the lounge in ATL F (international) terminal. Travelling ATL-SXM in Y as a PM.

The desk agent said that SXM (the Caribbean) doesn't count as "international".

Is this fair? I guess you can use regional upgrades on this route and get complimentary medallion upgrades too. I accepted her words, smiled and moved on.

DL tends to define "international" differently for different purposes. I have yet to see one that corresponds to what a dictionary would say.

France and the Netherlands won't be pleased to know that Delta Airlines considers their territory part of the United States...

Isn't the Netherlands part of England/Great Britain? Or is it Denmark?

A line checker at AMS once asked me whether Minneapolis was in Greece, so we're even.

I don't know if it's fair, but the Sky Club agent was correct. Delta specifically excludes the Caribbean from its definition of international in regard to Elite+ access to Sky Clubs when on international itineraries.

https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...-of-terms.html

Yes it is correct. There's an exclusion for all Caribbean destinations. You get it for flights to Canada though. I guess Caribbean destinations are full of low-yield passengers on vacation, even in F.

Traveling TO Sydney, the VA lounge in Domestic will take PM/DM (and I think GM, but not sure about that)
It is over in Domestic Terminal which is past immigration and outside security as it's a 10 minute bus ride over. Stop by the VA transfer desk and they'll get you free bus passes.
If you have a few hours layover, or SYD is your endgame, the VA lounge has showers and nice breakfast.
It is past security, but don't go through the terminal: after the bus drops you off, keep walking in direction of traffic until you get to the ramp up to the VA priority entrance (I think it's called something like that). There you have a dedicated security entrance point that gets you through in minutes ... and you end up IN the lounge before even getting to the gated terminal hallways.

Yes, there is a SkyTeam lounge in International - but it's for departing DL flights only. Tried last Oct on the way in - no go. On the way out: yes.

But, keeping in International, there is an Amex lounge directly before the ST lounge. They welcome most Amex card holders with guests. It's a smaller lounge, but the food is great!

And don't try to get into the Air New Zealand lounge - which is a VA partner lounge, who is a DL partner. Used to be able to get access as PM on the way out of SYD, and desk agents will 'think' you have access, but we don't (tried on the way out in Nov)

The confusion comes because Delta uses the Air New Zealand lounge only for Business Class Passengers. Which since it has been done up, is one of the best lounges in SYD apart from the Qantas First Lounge, it is also next to the gates that DL departures from where as the SkyTeam Lounge is an 10min walk.

Air NZ SYD Lounge

http://www.ausbt.com.au/photos/view/...ge-flipper.jpg

http://www.ausbt.com.au/photos/view/...et-seating.jpg

This just in (email) in case you missed it:
https://www.delta.com/mypromos/acela...A006488_P0_PRI

Extra bonus miles for flying Aussie routes (BNE or SYD) from LAX.