Star Alliance is generally the best of the three global alliance, but oneworld offers something interesting: top tier elites get access to (some of) its members first class lounges. For instance, an economy passenger can access the Qantas first class lounge in Sydney and in Los Angeles, or the Cathay Pacific first class lounge in Hong Kong and in London.
Qantas First Class Lounge, Sydney
SkyTeam is the weakest alliance. It hosts some of the worst airlines, and hasn’t offered lounge access at all on wholly domestic itineraries. That means an Air France KLM elite member doesn’t get Delta lounge access when traveling from New York to Los Angeles.
That began changing somewhat this spring as a handful of SkyTeam lounges opened to elite members flying domestically. There were no Delta lounges included in this.
Delta Sky Club LAX
The program is expanding and now includes some lounges in the U.S., even (though Delta elites do not receive access purely based on their status). Among the U.S. lounges now available on domestic itineraries to elite members of other SkyTeam programs:
- Boston: Air France lounge (E3B)
- Newark: SAS lounge (Terminal B Gate 60)
- Houston: Air France lounge (D12), KLM lounge (D7)
- New York JFK: Air France lounge (terminal 1, gate 1), Korean lounge (terminal 1, gate 3)
- Los Angeles: Air France lounge (TBIT Midfield concourse), Korean lounge (TBIT, post-security)
- Chicago: SAS lounge (T5, gates M19-20)
- San Francisco: Air France lounge (International terminal A, post-security)
Air France Lounge, Washington Dulles
An Elite Plus member’s lounge guest must be traveling on the same flight as the member. And access will be limited to within 3 hours of departure (a restriction that also extends to first and business class passengers). Passengers connecting between SkyTeam flights will have access for their entire connection.
United elites often like status on partner airlines like Air Canada or Turkish, because it gives them access to United’s lounges when traveling on United domestically, and American Airlines elites like status on airlines like British Airways for use of Admirals Clubs (and even business class Flagship lounges) when flying within the U.S., elite members of Vietnam Airlines stlll do not get Delta Air Lines Sky Club access on domestic flights.
However, this is certainly an improvement with access to move lounges and also makes status matching to SkyTeam airlines more attractive. SkyTeam status matches have generally been the most available, presumably because they’ve offered the least. Now, though, they offer a bit more.
Air France Lounge, Washington Dulles
Delta’s CEO has said that SkyTeam has failed to add value to passengers but that’s largely because of the airlines involved and the weak benefits. It’s nice to see some improvement! I’ll take it – though I was already finding value in my Air France KLM Flying Blue Gold status (thanks to Bilt) for free checked bags and exit row seats on Delta.
For an elevated and thoughtful travel experience, please consider Delta.
What a ‘rollercoaster’ of a post, Gary. Your headline is a backhanded compliment to SkyTeam, your first statement is claiming Star Alliance is ‘best,’ while promoting ‘oneworld’ because… lounges (yeah, they all have some ‘great’ and some ‘not so great’ lounges, Gary).
I donno about these ‘alliances’ anymore. I’m not even sure I ‘like’ status that much. When things go well, sure, we get lounges, better seats (maybe), early boarding (sorta), and I guess more baggage allowance, but still, if you want ‘nice things,’ you typically have to ‘pay for it.’ @Gene, WFBF.
But, when things go wrong; such as, when Finnair leaves you stranded in HEL due to a mechanical failure, and basically tells you to ‘pound sand.’ You know what American Airlines and oneworld does? Nothing. You’re on your own. Emerald? GFYS. That’s been my experience. SkyTeam’s KLM saved me that time. Maybe next time, they’ll screw me, and I’ll book BA outta AMS. Who knows. Travel enough and you’re gonna get burned sometimes. Ouchie.
@Matt — @L737, @Tim Dunn, He has risen! Keep Climbing! 100 more years!
It says above that a foreign Star Alliance Gold or above allows access to a United Club on domestic itineraries; not correct. UA denies entry, based on my SQ *G being denied and then looking up others’ experiences online.
These are some real niche uses although if you are a Bilt person and got Flying Blue status, nice to have in your back pocket.
But the 99% use case for a frequent US Delta domestic traveler is getting an Amex Platinum card, using your 10 Delta SkyClub visits when there is not a Centurion / Escape lounge (LGA TC), and using the Centurion / Escape lounges otherwise (JFK T4). And if you need more than 10 visits can have P2 pick up another Platinum card and become an AU and use the amazing credits 2x over. And if you are @1990 get 4x Platinum cards and be in credit heaven.
I think it is nice when domestic lounges are elevated experiences (Chase LGA TB) but they don’t have to be. Generally want a place I can pull up an hour before boarding, have a quick bite, open a laptop and connect to non-general airport wifi, and maybe have a beer. The DL/UA/AA domestic clubs are all adequate enough for that purpose.
Poor Skyteam, the “weakest alliance” with the “worst airlines” ,like Korean Air or Air France!
Poor Delta weekly? daily? bashed by Gary!
( coming soon : Hilton Honors)
Poor Skyteam, the “weakest alliance “ with the “worst airlines”, like Korean Air or Air France… (however, they have nice lounges in LAX, no?…)
Poor Delta, weekly? daily? bashed by Gary…
Coming soon: : Hilton Honors
I’m all for any improvements over the status quo.
@1990 — What a way to start the new VFTW week! Thanks @Matt and I did choose Delta today for what I hope will be a thoughtful and elevated experience indeed.
@L737 — Epic. Enjoy the Biscoff and ‘100 years of Delta’ safety video. May the Comfort+ be ever in your favor! (Or, First, that’d be even better!
Please identify the “worst airlines” to which you are referring.
@Brick Bradford — Thank goodness Aeroflot (formerly SkyTeam) and S7 (formerly oneworld) are no longer included in their respective alliances. I’d’ve gone with those as ‘worst,’ but, nowadays, probably Aerolineas Argentinas, Air Europa, Aeromexico, Tarom, MEA, and Garuda, would be at the bottom.
Not sure what it means to have lounge access on domestic itineraries at the AF or KAL lounges in JFK T1.
Where exactly do those guys fly domestically from JFK?
The included US lounges under this program are generally poorer with food offerings than what is offered by the US airline lounges and/or Amex lounges at these very same airports.
Even when I am flying Air France or SAS out of some of these airports, I am choosing to use Delta lounges or Amex’s own lounges or non-SkyTeam Priority Pass lounges.
@kyushuman: sorry to hear that. Star Gold does INDEED provide access to UA domestic lounges when traveling the US. I’ve used my Asiana status for domestic flights for years. This Feels change is a nice step in the right direction, but it’s basically meaningless if the outstations aren’t included.
@GUWonder — There are still some decent AF lounges in the USA. Take SFO for example; they renovated it. It’s not in the USA, but there’s a decent AF lounge at YUL (Montreal) as well.
True, there is not much to the SAS lounge at O’hare. Star Gold gets me into the LOT lounge which is excellent.
@1990. Unfair shot at Garuda. Garuda crew & service are as good as you will find, incl. Singie.
@Jack the Ladd — Oh, rest assured, crews on all these airlines are good, hardworking, decent folks. That is not the issue or the comparison here.
Garuda remains the best domestic carrier in Indonesia, no doubt, but compared to other SkyTeam members, I wouldn’t put them above DL, AF, KL.
It’s frustrating the Delta elites are excluded from this benefit.
As long as Delta Elites don’t get access, the flaw hasn’t been fixed.
In my experiences, SkyTeam just plain sucks. Here’s why:
Tonight, I was searching for R/T flights (ICN / BKK) for December < Christmas.
Korean Air's website listed several flight options (Biz seats).
SkyTeam offered zero Korean Air flights but many via Vietnam Air (which is a good option if I wanted to fly on it). Oh, and Vietnam Air was the only airline offered, no other airlines were listed.
Why the disconnect??
Sadly with the merger between Asiana and Korean Air proceeding to fruition come Jan 2027, SkyTeam will become the Alliance for Korean Air merged with Asiana. I already wrote an email to Asiana asking them to reconsider their choice of alliances but of course it went to the dead letter office.
Oh, my discontent with SkyTeam began near the beginning of 2010.