I'm traveling to Europe on a research project and the host University is paying my way (Yea!). Their inhouse travel agency booked a DL-Iberia combo roundtrip for me. The TA sent me the itinerary with the DL identifier for my reservation + a message that said "the ticket will be at the ATL DL ticket counter. You cannot pick up more than 4 hours before flight." In the past I've tried not to check bags to avoid the long ATL DL international coach check-in line, but it sounds like I will have to stand in that line just like I'm purchasing a ticket?

Has anyone had someone purchase a ticket for them like this and had to pick it up at the counter the day of flight? Any problems? Paranoid me is thinking I'll show up at the counter and they might say, "you have a reservation, but where is your ticket?"

Call Delta

Kay...I dont get the 4 hour thingee...but do call Delta they will look at your reservation.It may be a "prepaid" ticket, which would be the case if any of the itinerary is not e-ticket eligible.We are not at the point where every single flight everywhere can be electronically ticketed.If that is the case, then rather than print out a paper ticket and FedEx it to you, the TA has called into Delta the prepaid ticket.This is a procedure out of the past , not "of" the past and not so common anymore.I have done prepaids (PTA's) before and the only difficulty is waiting in line.Delta will be able to tell you if this is the case.I hope this helps and best of luck!

do call delta. ask if it can be an e-ticket. as beachboi said, depending on the route, some are eligable, and some are not. i don't understand the 4 hour thing either. you don't want to head to atl (the worlds busiest airport) without some confirmation or ticket!
enjoy the trip.

Kay...Forgot to finish.....If in fact your ticket is a prepaid ticket,then the ticket agent will issue you a paper ticket for the entire itinerary.

Definitely call Delta or Iberia to find out the status of the ticket. Most likely you can pick it up before your date of travel at the airport or a city ticket office if the ticket is already prepaid and just show valid ID. I do not know much about the 4 hour deal, but it sounds that they need need you to be at the airport early to do the ticketing and check-in.

Here's the update. DL does have the reservation and put in my FF # so I can see it online. Agent said with a prepaid ticket sometime "they" don't put the information in the system until the day of flight, so one can't pick up the ticket until day of flight. That is why the agent told me no more than 4 hours in advance.

I just checked back this morning and she said all the information is now in so I should be able to pick up the ticket at a ticket office or airport counter in advance.

Now there are no advance seat assignments available. So, I'll still have to get there early to put in for a seat.

Was in Atlanta and made the trip to a DL city ticket office--glad there are still a few around! No problem getting the ticket--yes, it is a paper ticket again (seems all my international two-airline tickets must be paper). Got one seat assignment.

Now I am much happier as I have ticket in hand. No last minute surprises at the airport. I have a friend who told me they had a similar prepaid ticket at ATL, but it was a DL/Aeromexico codeshare and there was confusion as to who actually had the ticket to issue which required him to go from one counter to another to get some code that was left off his reservation or something similar.

Now if I can fit my suits in a carryon, then I can avoid the international coach luggage check-in line if it is long. Last time I was at ATL, after standing in line 1 hour, they had worked their way down to my flight and had us get in a separate line to get checked in to give us time to get through security and out to E concourse just a little before boarding started.

Now if I preferred to live on the edge, I'd get there just 1.5 hours before scheduled departure as they call the passengers on that flight to the front of the line--no waiting if it all worked out right.