I am a Delta Gold and will never get any higher. Is that Plus enough for Skyteam Lounge access. Would NW or CO Gold be better?

If I understand your question correctly, mshaikun, you are wondering about SkyTeam Elite Plus.

As a fellow Delta Air Lines Gold Medallion SkyMiles member, I can assure you that we are SkyTeam Elite members, not SkyTeam Elite Plus members. No, we are not entitled to complimentary SkyTeam lounge access unless we are flying in Business or First Class.

For further information, here are the benefits for SkyTeam Elite members (for which we qualify) and the benefits for SkyTeam Elite Plus members.

I will defer the Continental and Northwest Airlines portion of your question to a FlyerTalk member who is more knowledgable.

[This message has been edited by Canarsie (edited Mar 13, 2004).]

� Top-tier frequent travelers at all member airlines automatically receive special status and benefits:
SkyTeam Elite
(Aeromexico Club Premier Oro and Club Premier Oro Corporativo, Air France Fr�quence Plus Bleu, Alitalia Club Ulisse, Czech Airlines OK Plus Silver, Delta SkyMiles Silver and Gold Medallion, and Korean Air Morning Calm)
� Access to airport lounges when flying international first and business class
� Preferred seating
� Reservation wait-list priority
� Priority check-in counters
� Priority boarding
� Priority on airport standby listings

SkyTeam Elite Plus
(Aeromexico Club Premier Platino, Air France Fr�quence Plus Rouge, Alitalia Club Freccia Alata, Czech Airlines OK Plus Gold, Delta SkyMiles Platinum Medallion and Korean Air Morning Calm Premium and Million Miler)
� Includes all above benefits for Elite AND
� Access to airport lounges, regardless of travel class, and the possibility to invite a guest
� Priority baggage handling on all international itineraries
� Guaranteed full-fare economy reservation, even on sold-out flights

Is this an Elite benefit with SkyTeam? With many other airlines you get lounge access when flying international First or Business Clas regardless of elite status (or even without even being a member of an FFP).

Elite gets lounge access when flying Business or First. Elite Plus gets access even if flying economy.

It is listed on the SkyTeam website as an Elite benefit but the fact is that anyone flying B/E internationally gets lounge access.

------------------
Sir Dovster, OBE
(Omni Boycotter Extraordinaire)

Do they differentiate between paid B/E and upgraded tickets (using miles to upgrade from coach)?

No.

You could also consider moving over to Air France. Here you can become AF+ Rouge (Elite Plus) after just 40,000 miles. It would probably only make sense if you fly a lot international.
Another advantage with AF+ is it doesn't have the MQM system, so if you tend to fly on the discounted tickets it is another plus.

Thena gain if you did mostly int'l travel the PMU's DL gives PM's are something that AF does not have.