If you are flying out of Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), you will need to know the best LAX airport lounge. Your lounge access depends on your class of flight, which airline you are flying with, and your status with an alliance like Oneworld, Skyteam, or Star Alliance.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is one of the largest airport hubs in the United States, with nine terminals. Most international airlines fly out of the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) at LAX, but some leave or arrive at terminals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. It is worth noting LAX’s terminal buildings are connected airside, so you can walk or shuttle between airport lounges if you’re flying out of a different terminal from the lounge that you want to use.
If you are staying in Los Angeles, we have reviewed the best executive club lounges at hotels in Los Angeles and the best Marriott hotels near Disneyland as well as the best hotels near LAX.
Free Airport Lounge Access
If you have not paid for Business Class or First Class, you can access airport lounges for free if you have an unlimited Priority Pass or an Amex Platinum card. To get extra bonus referral points and advice on the Platinum American Express and other free lounge access credit cards, have a read of our best credit cards for luxury travel.
1. Qantas First Class Lounge, Tom Bradley International Terminal
The Qantas International First Lounge is the best airport lounge at Tom Bradley International Terminal. It is located after security on Level 5 of Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX.
You can access this lounge if you are:
- Flying in first class on Qantas (one guest is allowed)
- You are a Platinum One or Platinum frequent flyer with Qantas and your next flight is Qantas or Oneworld (one guest is allowed)<
- You are a Oneworld Emerald frequent flyer traveling on Oneworld (one guest is allowed)
- American Airlines elites traveling on North American flights, except Mexico City, don’t have access
- Your next onward flight that day is in International First on Oneworld (one guest is allowed)
This airport lounge is spacious with plenty of seating and conference rooms that can be reserved. The Qantas First Class lounge has self-serve soft and alcoholic drinks, but it doesn’t have a buffet. Food is delivered as table service, restaurant-style, with freshly prepared foods from a seasonal menu. The salt and pepper squid and the coconut chicken salad comes highly recommended, but all the food in this lounge is excellent. There are also some snacks like crisps in one of the self-serve drinks areas.
Near the dining area, there’s a long bar with spirits, cocktails, and coffees, etc. You can order drinks at the bar or from servers in the dining area or self-serve them in the lounge seating areas.
It is worth noting that there is no complimentary spa, there are no sleeping areas, and that there are no workstations in this lounge.
2. Star Alliance lounge, Tom Bradley International Terminal
There are seven exclusive Star Alliance branded lounges around the world. Local architects have created these with regional flair to leave you with a positive and lasting memory of that country’s culture. The Star Alliance lounges are located in Buenos Aires (EZE), Los Angeles (LAX), Nagoya (NGO), Paris (CDG), Rio de Janeiro (GIG), Rome (FCO), Amsterdam (AMS), and Sao Paulo (GRU).
The Star Alliance lounge, Tom Bradley International Terminal, is accessible to Star Alliance Gold members with same-day boarding passes and those traveling on a Star Alliance Business or First Class. United Gold and Star Alliance Gold members on a United domestic flights can also access the lounge.
There is also a separate Star Alliance First Class lounge nearby that offers a similar setting but with fewer people and a la carte dining. You can choose between a small buffet and an à la carte menu in the First Class lounge, with your meal delivered table service to you.
Star Alliance airlines include United, Air Canada, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, etc. There are airline-specific agents for passengers who travel on Singapore Airlines, EVA Air, Asiana and Air, and New Zealand within this lounge to help passengers with any issues related to their flights.
This large Business Class lounge is excellent, perhaps even better than Centurion lounges, and has an outdoor terrace with plenty of outdoor seating, obstructed views of the planes, and a fire pit. There’s also a grill for barbecues. A large indoor balcony with a full-service bar overlooks the terminal interior.
The hot and cold buffet has lots of fresh food, including four salad options and a noodle bar. Hot food includes coconut chicken curry, sun-dried tomato mac and cheese, and beef stew with vegetables. There are also snacks including bread, crisps, cheese, dips, cold cuts, salads, sandwiches, hot food, and dessert including fruit.
Spirits, wine, and beer are self-serve, though there are bartenders if you want a cocktail. There’s Mumm Napa brut sparkling wine and bottles of Asahi, Corona, Kirin, and Sam Adams Boston Lager in the fridge.
There are 8 showers within the Business Class lounge (but not the First Class Lounge) which is useful. These contain a dental kit, shaving kit, hairdryer, towels, and Soaptopia toiletries.
The food selection is extensive in this lounge, and the outdoor patio area makes it unique. This is a lounge worth spending time in.
3. Emirates Lounge, Tom Bradley International Terminal
The Emirates Lounge, Tom Bradley International Terminal, is smart with gold and brown interior design and intricate partitions. It is a lovely lounge and has really nice views over the interior but not the airport’s exterior.
There’s a delicious round buffet of pre-plated food, including salads, fresh fruit, cheese, desserts, hummus, fruit, and cake with strawberries on top. The hot dishes include 10 delicious bowls of self serve food under heater lamps; fish, chicken, pasta, vegetables, noodles, stuffed tomatoes, and more. There are spirits at the self-serve bar along with wine and beer. The fridges are also full of cans of soft drinks, juice, and bottled water.
This lounge additionally offers shower rooms and a business center with computers.
4. Oneworld Alliance lounge, Tom Bradley International Terminal
This massive lounge is open to Business Class passengers on Qantas, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, American Airlines, Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways, Iberia, and LATAM. Other passengers who can access this lounge include Oneworld Emerald or Sapphire members and those flying Business Class or First Class on a Oneworld airline (although most travelers would be wise to use the Qantas First Class Lounge if they are traveling in First).
This is a stylish lounge with muted lighting and floor-to-ceiling windows to one side. In fact, there are some rather good reclining seats with footstools next to the windows that are great for watching planes.
There’s a hot and cold buffet with a juicer and loads of fresh fruit and vegetables. There are salads, including Caesar and mango salads, plus there are plenty of cakes and muffins. Self-serve wine, beer, and spirits are set out. For soft drinks, you can pick from tea and coffee, as well as sodas from a machine, including Fanta, Sprite, Coca Cola, and Diet Coke.
There are also shower suites and workstations with computers.
5. Etihad Airways lounge, Tom Bradley International Terminal
The Etihad Airways lounge is a petite but stylish lounge with Arabic decor, intricate partitions, and Arabic-style lighting. Orchids and lots of gold touches and slanted shelving give the space a very unique and special ambiance. The only downside of this beautiful lounge is that it lacks views.
There is a fairly limited cold buffet with fresh fruit, cheese, hummus, salads (Caesar and goats cheese), olives, Arabic Mezze, and cookies, plus a very nice a la carte menu that supplements the buffet and is worth picking some items from. Mains include Pan Roast Bass, Rump of Lamb, vegetable curry, and desserts.
There is an alcoholic bar and a signature cocktail and wine list, and you order drinks from the manned bar. There are also plenty of soft drinks. Shower suites and a prayer room are present within this lounge.
6. Korean Air SkyTeam lounge, Tom Bradley International Terminal
This lounge may well be the worst airline lounge in Tom Bradley International Terminal. It is small and uninteresting, the food and alcohol selection is underwhelming, and it can get very crowded. The Business Class and First Class sections have terraces that overlook the terminal. The Business buffet is cold, but the First Class buffet also has a hot section. The Business Class lounge also offers shower suites.
Copyright Luxury Travel Diary 2014 - 2024. Duplication outside of luxurytraveldiary.com is forbidden.
Note: Benefits & upgrades subject to availability. Benefits offered correct at the time of writing. Terms & conditions apply. Enquire for more information. Posts may be sponsored by the proprietor or brand being appraised. All opinions remain our own & are in no way influenced.
