Close connection at ICN
 

We are flying from Atlanta to Bali and connecting in ICN from Delta to Korean Air. We'll have just shy of 90 minutes between flights. We are planning to check a bag, but I understand from Delta that if I show my Korean Air ticket in Atlanta we'll be able to check that bag all the way to Bali. I'm trying to figure out how difficult/risky this is. Will we have to clear customs etc in ICN? Any insight would be much appreciated. thanks!

Are you on separate tickets or one ticket? If separate, the gate agent in Atlanta doesn't have to check your bag all the way through but some agents may, especially since they are partner airlines. If your bag is checked through to Bali then you do not clear immigration or customs in ICN. You stay in transit and your bag will be transferred. If your bag isn't checked through then you do need to clear immigration in ICN, retrieve you bag, and recheck it in with Korean. I will say 90 minutes is very tight for the latter.

I would be surprised if the bags are not able to be checked all the way to Bali, especially after Delta and Korean Air announced a TransPacific Joint Venture in June of this year.

Thanks so much, very helpful! We are on separate tickets, but I do believe Delta can check our bags all the way to Bali. Thanks!

https://pro.delta.com/content/agency/ru/en/products-and-services/baggage/delta-s-through-check-baggage-policy-.html

Delta puts their code on flights from ICN to DPS (DL 7872 is the 630 flight to Bali) which means that is a Delta marketed flight. This means they will check your bags through.

If you're really connecting, it will be a single ticket. Since DL and KE obviously interline, the bag will be checked through. Upon arrival at ICN, you will probably need to change from the satellite terminal that DL uses by little underground train to the main terminal and then go through airport security. Then you should be in the general area of the KE gates for your next flight. If you need a KE boarding pass, there will be transfer desks along the way, but it's easier/faster if you can get the KE boarding pass from DL. IIRC you need a boarding pass to go through their transfer airport security and there can be small lines if you must use one transfer desk in particular.

If you are GM+ on DL, you will have KE lounge access at ICN as well as SkyPriority lines at transfer desks, etc.