Beyonce

Flying JFK-ATL-TGU on Delta first class. I know traditional the JFK/ATL route wouldn't get access to the first class lounge but I did read that first class international passengers do have access to the lounge on the transit leg. Would I have acces to the lounge in ATL? The first class ticket isn't Delta One. Neither one is.

xliioper

This topic comes up frequently. There was a change in the access language on the website about a year ago which appears to only grant access with Delta One flights when flying DL metal (they added the words "excluding Delta" to the section for international Skyteam Business and First Class flights). Others disagree. Here is the most recent thread from a few days ago --

Skyclub access when traveling internationally first (not D1)

Beyonce

Thanks. I didn't see that tread but I did see Delta's wording. Like you noticed the "excluding Delta". I have contacted naturally via twitter and phone and the information is literally 50/50. I don't understand why market a first class but not allow customers especially on international flights access to the lounge.

mctaste

first is the new business class.

Beyonce

So it seems. So it seems.

xliioper

It's not really surprising when you take some time to think about it. Delta's "First Class" on international flights is vastly different from what most would usually consider "International First" to be which typically has lie-flats seats and exceptional service. International FC on Delta is basically exactly the same as their domestic FC in terms of both product (they use the same planes as they do on domestic routes) and service. Pricing is also much cheaper than what you would find on a true "International First" product. Given that they don't provide lounge access for domestic FC, it naturally follows that they wouldn't provide it on these shorter-haul international FC flights where the product is exactly the same. European airlines like KLM and Air France call their short-haul Europe premium cabins "Euro Business" so as not to confuse it with true First Class products.

American's policy is somewhat of a hybrid between Delta's and United's. While they provide lounge access on FC flights to Central and South America, their policy does not provide for lounge access on FC flights to/from Canada, Mexico (except Mexico City), and the Caribbean (which DL has also long excluded from lounge access). DL now excludes all of these on their flights except for southern South America where they have D1 flights.

Repooc17

Bey, is the private jet not available?

mctaste

for example: delta one (which is really a business cabin) and delta’s “first class” are like taking a horse drawn carriage compared to lufthansa first.

mattp1987

They're also priced significantly differently. Searching a 7 night JFK-FRA trip (rt, nonstop both way) during May on ITA Matrix, Delta One ranges from $2990 to $4112 while Lufthansa F ranges from $7041 to $13101. The comparable product, Lufthansa J, is actually slightly cheaper than Delta One, coming in at $2648 to $2798 for the same dates which I found surprising only because the flight I looked at is a nonstop into their hub.

MSPeconomist

Those are very good D1 fares (according to this hub captive) but JFK generally has very competitive fares. OTOH, there fewer TATL IFC offerings and those passengers are presumably less price sensitive.

Beyonce

We all need to do our part to offset our CO2 emissions.

Beyonce

But the flight is to Central America. Part of me gets the point you're making. With that said, they call the flight first class and their terms of service seems to suggest that they offer lounge access to first class passengers. Personally, I think that even domestic FC passengers should get the access since they are paying a premium to fly. I get that there's a lot of lounge overcrowding but they are other solutions. In short, it seems that airlines are increasingly offering benefits that they only want the high spenders to use.

HWGeeks

I agree with you, about every FC passenger should get access to the lounge, but it should be every paying FC passenger as many of us myself included get upgraded more often then we pay out right for first.

Then the other drawback is, how crowded the clubs would be if they did give all FC passengers club access even if it's just paying FC passengers.

Often1

1. DL does not offer international F. It has a J product branded as Delta One. But, it does not claim to be nor is it First Class. This has been the case for many years. It has simply branded its J product under different names over time. It's non D1 international is branded as "Business"

2. DL does not have F lounges. Its sole lounge product is its standard SkyClub.

xliioper

Yes, I was noting that AA provides lounge access on FC flights to Central America, while DL now does not. It is what it is. Alaska Airlines provides lounge access to paid domestic FC passengers, but not those who get complimentary upgrades. Lounge overcrowding is an issue as well as the airlines aggressively pricing FC fares to sell more seats (instead of giving them away as complementary upgrades). Maybe if the airlines had more lounges that are over an acre in size like KLM has in AMS, overcrowding might not be such an issue.