ATL International Check-In at Domestic Terminal?
 

Hi Gang--is there any downside to checking in--including checking bags--at the ATL domestic terminal instead of the international one, for an international flight--not counting the train ride out to E or F?

No there is not. I sometimes use the Domestic terminal for Int'l because they always have Pre-Check and Clear.

Which are exactly the same reasons we are contemplating it, and--based on your comment--now will almost certainly do so. Thanks jamiestr.

Assuming you're flying DL (or KL/AF) then no, there's no downside, the distinction is purely ornamental.

I believe you can also check in for VS flights on the domestic side but I'm not positive.

This is for Delta.:)

If you are going to be parking on the domestic side, be aware that when you return from your trip, your checked backs will go to baggage claim in the international terminal. To get back to your car, you'll have to take a shuttle back around to the domestic side.

The groundside transportation is something that factors in, agreed. For me it is the main issue and outweighs security. But also adding to the mix is that many will not return international as they have US connections on the inbound.

And if parking off site, only some lots will serve International.

So let me get this straight: DL WILL allow you to check in for international flights in the domestic terminal? I was under the impression that they would tell you just to get your rear on the international terminal shuttle.

But surely this only includes DL operated flights, right? They wouldn't check you in for an AF flight--even on DL coded AF flights, your itinerary tells you to check in with AF.

They will check you in for AF or KL flights. Why would they not? At ATL, DL checkin counters ARE AirFrance/KLM check-in counters.

Well, they DO actually have separate counters, so I don't think you can say they're the same. I've always checked in for Air France at the Air France counter in the Int'l Terminal; it seems kind of pointless to have separate counters if DL can do it all. Have you actually done this, i.e., checked in for an Air France flight at the DL domestic counter?

Yes, we typically get rides to the airport for international travel, so not an issue. Thanks for thinking of it though.

I haven't done it at ATL, but at JFK at least, any DL agent can handle a KL check-in, even though KL does have separate counter space (I'm not sure why they bother, but there is a separate area). AF is in a separate terminal with their own staff at JFK, so I can't speak to that side of things.

I often do just the opposite, use Int'l instead of Domestic because the security lines are way shorter. Even when Pre-Check is closed at Int'l, the regular line is way faster than Pre-Check on Domestic. The only reason I would consider (and have) using Domestic instead of Int'l is transportation (MARTA) is often easier to Domestic.

First I don't get it why Pre-Check is closed. Only open for a few hours.
I agree the lines are shorter on regular security but having to take off shoes and get laptop out is a PITA for me. Now that I have Clear, I will only use domestic check it.
Now the new bin situation has certainly slowed things down.

Has anyone here checked in for an Air France operated international flight at the ATL Domestic terminal recently? I am on the ATL - CDG AF 681 flight next week and wanted to see if I can just checkin (including bags) at the domestic south terminal.

Thanks
Arun

No. DL is the only airline that does checkin at both international and domestic. DL may ground handle for AF, but checkin will need to be done at an AF checkin counter, which is only in international.

I have never waited in security more than 5 minutes in the international terminal. They do have PreCheck over there so the only thing you would be missing out on would be Clear. All in all, probably wouldn't be much of a time savings.

I'm guessing OP is arriving via MARTA or airtrain and would like to avoid the shuttle to F

Yep, I am getting into ATL domestic terminal on an earlier flight that day on a carrier whose name shall not be said out loud :) . I guess i'll just plan on taking the shuttle to transfer to F.
Thank you guys for the quick response.

Well, if you're there already and the line isn't long, you might give it a try. I don't think it will work but you might get an agent that will shove it through.

If you could carry-on only it is a lot easier as you can exit the first flight at the international terminal. The groundside shuttle is likely 30 minutes or so.

I could suggest trying to interline the bags, but I assume the "carrier not to be named" allows bags to fly free, but never on other airlines :-)

Question, If OP already has the AF BP, any chance he can take that to the baggage drop-off?

Just did this today on the way to the Bahamas on DL and can confirm it went great; checked bags and everything. Saved me an extra shuttle ride and a bunch of time since the Hyatt only drops off at domestic.

The above post and others post lead me to believe the answer is yes but asking to confirm as I'll have an overnight layover at ATL on an itinerary (SAT-ATL-SXM). This is a layover, not a mult-city or separate tickets, if that matters. I will already be checked in for the international leg when I check-in in ATL but will be short-checking bags for the overnight layover in ATL and then re-dropping/re-tagging bags the next morning for the international flight to SXM. Based on what I've read above, I should be able to do this at the "Domestic" terminal versus having to go to the international terminal, which would be convenient since I'm guessing most hotels, especially on the West Side of the airport, only drop off at the Domestic terminal which would then mean having to take the shuttle to the Int'l terminal which sounds like it's not exactly time-efficient. Is this correct? Will I be okay going to the Domestic terminal and dropping off my bags for the flight to SXM there in the morning?

Based on my experiences, that should work great. I personally give myself at least 10-15min of breathing room when doing stuff like this just in case they change policies or something. Best case I just spend it in the SkyClub or at One Flew South.

As long as the carrier is DL, the answer is you can checkin at either end.

Opening this up again for a question for the Hartsfield airport in Atlanta.

Flying from Atlanta to Paris. Will be taking Marta to get to the airport.

I booked a cash rate via Delta as I'm a Gold Medallion. Added an infant to this ticket as a lap baby.
I booked my wife's ticket on points using Air France.

Can I check all of us using the Delta counter in domestic? That way, I can use the Priority line for Delta as well as not go over to the international terminal.

It's not obvious whether you are flying Delta or Air France.

If you are flying Delta, you can check in at the domestic terminal.

If you are flying Air France, you'll have to take the landside bus to the international terminal to check in at the Air France counter.

I don't think it matters which airline they're on. I believe DL can check in all the Skyteam tickets. But depending on the time of day, if you don't have status to use the Priority counters, it might actually be faster to check in at Intl. There have evidently been some massive lines in ATL recently.

DL may ground handle AF/KL, but you're checked in via AF/KL systems. At least last time I asked, must checkin at international for AF/KL.

I don’t believe this is correct unless it changed recently. I checked in, with a bag, for an AF marketed and operated flight at ATL domestic sometime in 2019 maybe. Agent did not bat an eyelash.

With AF/KL it’s a particularly tightly integrated form of ground handling where DL departure control systems like SNAPP are used. Sometime before the check-in window opens, maybe 36-48h out, the operating carrier sends over the PNL (Passenger Name List) to be imported into Deltamatic. Each passenger that doesn’t already have a DL PNR (as they would if, say, connecting inbound on a DL flight or the AF/KL segment itself is DL ticketed or marketed) gets a shadow DL PNR just for check-in purposes. You’ll also notice that the BP is in Delta’s format and the AF and KL websites/apps will redirect to Delta’s for check-in. I think most of this is also the case where DL ground handles AM and VS, but I’m less certain on those (and just because both carriers operate doesn’t mean DL ground handles the JV partner, eg I believe they do not for AM in LAX).

You can see the same in reverse at AMS, where KL desks, kiosks and website handle DL/VS/AF/KL departures and you’d receive a KL-format boarding pass. I believe it’s similar in CDG but have not departed there on DL metal.

At any rate, swhang, you should try it. MART will drop you off right there in the terminal a brief stroll to checkin. Go over there and see if they'll do it. If not, you'll just walk back and go outside to get on the International Terminal shuttle bus. No big deal, really--just allow some extra time in case.

Do report back.

My recent access with PreCheck and Clear at ATL Domestic was not good. Took a long time to get completely through, as they were a little understaffed with helpers to use the Clear machines. But the biggest delay was that they use the new scanners for the luggage. It took a long time for the luggage to get through. Maybe they have improved their skills by now, but going through "normal" Intl security would have been a fair amount quicker.

The agent may have had access to AF/KL system to do it. However unless ATL has changed and is different from elsewhere, the DL checkin system wasn't used. You get an AF/KL formated BP. Some of this has changed in last couple years.

AF/KL and DL have never had the level of checkin cooperation in US,, that they have at CDG/AMS. In fact DL doesn't even ground handle AF/KL at most USairports.

Thought I'd share a data point from last week - we flew DL international ATL-GUA and had completed FlyReady, but alas were unable to use the self-service kiosks to print our bag tags in the domestic terminal. We were shuffsentled over to the 'special services/passenger assistance' SkyPriority area, which was a good 30 minute wait with it being backed up by folks with complex ticket issues. I wish the staff that end up taking bags at the self serve area could process international documents, but we were still sent to the other area. I imagine it may have been faster to hop on the bus to the international terminal...

I remember thinking it was kind of a novelty, and sure enough, I was able to dig up a copy I'd saved... iirc there were some minor process differences, like no mobile/app boarding pass option, no standby list, and possibly no seat selection at check-in. I believe the then-fairly-new DL face recognition camera at the F boarding gate did work and spit out a receipt without having to scan the boarding pass.

Definitely agree that this is not the setup that's in place at most US stations. At terminal E in BOS recently DL counters seemed to be at the opposite end from AF/KL.

I have a vague memory that really long ago, nwa.com did handle check-in for all US-originating KL flights (including places that don't seem to have the joint ground handling now, like SFO) but certainly couldn't swear to it.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...bb69e249c0.png
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...ecb03088bf.png

Yes NW did KLM back in the day. NW/KL were basically one company, even having a logo with both airline names on it. (I knew plenty of people that thought NW and KLM were one company)

My last KLM flight checkin from ATL was last year. I had a KLM style, not DL BP printed. I checked in person, not via OLCI.

? Did you check bags in at domestic end or just checkin for KLM/AF flight?

I did check in the bag at the domestic end. It sounds like the system side has changed since 2019 and they no longer use SNAPP/DL DCS which is probably what enabled that. I’ll be interested to hear a data point on whether it’s still possible!

By chance was this 4/9 in the morning? I got shifted from the self check in to the special services line back to self check in and then to the self services. It went along with them being grossly understaffed. Poor form form dl. I successfully used fly ready and printed bag tags. But the agents refused to take my bags at the drop off counter saying that I needed to have another verification of my documents for my flight to Panama.

Ok I’m just wondering.

in July I had Aeromexico flight JFK-MZT booked through delta website.

my flight was 1:40 AM!!!
I had to wait for the Aeromexico counters to open to check in…. I wanted to get to sky club.

am I to understand I could have checked n for that flight at delta counter:eek: