VS will check your baggage through to destination and issue all boarding passes
immigration, a person can only use esta machine if they've entered with esta at least once before
collect checked baggage from carousel
pass through customs
hand your checked bagged to the guys at the transfer belt on your left
pass through security, hand baggage x-ray etc. - tip: if you want to bring in duty free alcohol or other liquids over 100cc, you MUST get it sealed in a tamper evident bag on purchase at MAN, otherwise it'll be seized at this point
check the screens for which terminal next (installing the DL app on your phone can help here, it can also track your checked baggage to see if it made the transfer ok), then take the little train, it's quite quick moving between terminals
if your flight is in DL F you can use the DL sky club lounges at ATL, nothing special but there's a bar, snacks and it's away from the hubbub, you'll also have 'sky priority' which gives you first boarding (and access to priority security lanes at some airports)
if you use the DL lounge, they may issue you a new DL boarding pass, use this at the gate (not the VS issued one which won't work anymore)
on return, the VS flight will be terminal F, just get the train from arrival terminal to F, bags will be checked through and transferred direct plane to plane, no need to collect them etc., there're no security/other checks on the way
in terminal F, flying UC you can again use the DL sky club, here it's a larger one with more choice, though i prefer to get a proper meal at ecco then go to the lounge to relax a bit
duty free has to be collected at the gate when boarding, don't forget (like i nearly did!)
the dfa site allows you to pre-purchase on-line which can be more convenient, again they have it ready for you at the gate...
https://www.dutyfreeamericas.com..there's a max/min time to order ahead of flight (which i can't remember)
