Los Angeles International Airport has a variety of excellent airport lounges. Which lounge is the best? We visited half a dozen lounges at LAX to determine which one was the best.
Remember that airport lounges vary depending on which airline you fly, what terminal you are departing from, and how elite you are with the airline. We focused on providing the best possible experience for our ranking of the top LAX airport lounges. We also limited our review to lounges that were open as of December 20, 2022.
1. Qantas First Lounge (Tom Bradley International Terminal)
Imagine an airport lounge with a restaurant. It’s available at the Qantas First Lounge, LAX. This lounge is located at the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT). It is only available to Oneworld first-class travellers and Oneworld Emerald elites.
All the amenities of an airport lounge are available to guests, including snacks, TVs, and reservable meeting rooms. You will also find next-level amenities like seven individual showers, a variety of wines, champagnes, coffees, and teas.
Qantas First Lounge is a top-tier lounge with its top-shelf bar, professional bartenders and elegant sit-down restaurant. The lounge is a great place to relax, with excellent service from servers to housekeeping.
2. United Polaris Lounge (Terminal No. 7)
United’s Polaris Lounge was opened in LAX by United in January 2019. It easily ranks second in our list. This exclusive, modestly-sized lounge exudes elegance. Aviation geeks have a front row seat that allows them to see busy airport operations through large windows.
You can choose from a long hot food buffet or a la carte menu at the server-staffed, sit-down restaurant The Dining Room. You can also order cocktails from the bartender-staffed counter, including some exclusive cocktails.
Six luxurious shower rooms have been outfitted with Sunday Riley products, slippers, and towels from Saks Fifth Avenue. You can also use one of the lounge’s private nap areas if you are suffering from jet lag.
3. Delta Sky Club (Terminal 3).
To rave reviews, Delta’s stunning new Terminal 3 Sky Club was unveiled in April 2022. This striking lounge features a large outdoor Sky Deck, a coffee grotto, and beautiful artwork.
Two bars, including one on Sky Deck, offer travelers the option to choose from and also two complimentary buffets. You can catch the latest news and play a game in our TV room, or make a call from one of the soundproof telephone booths. You can also clean up in one the eight spa-like, spacious shower rooms.
4. American Airlines Flagship Lounge (Terminal 4).
American Airlines’ Flagship Lounge is their best offering. It’s a great offering. You can enjoy a variety of hot food, a self-serve liquor, wine and champagne, as well as soda, coffee, and many other beverages in the lounge. Even the lounge agents will greet you with a glass champagne as a welcome drink.
Relax and enjoy a game in our TV room. You can also work in the business center.
This lounge is not able to compete for the top prize because it offers self-serve dining options, from buffet dining to making-your-own cocktails. This lounge could rise in the rankings once Flagship First Dining has reopened (date yet to be determined).
5. Star Alliance Lounge (TBIT).
TBIT has two lounges for airline alliances, Oneworld and Star Alliance. Both lounges offer full amenities such as buffets, bartender-served cocktails, and more. Only one has an outdoor terrace. This gives Star Alliance Lounge an edge.
The only problem with this lounge is its food. However, the background of champagne bottles and wine makes it look spectacular.
6. Oneworld business-class lounge (TBIT)
The Oneworld business-class lounge comes in second to the Star Alliance lounge. This massive lounge, which can hold 545 passengers, is technically not branded. Qantas operates it and offers many perks that travelers might appreciate at Qantas lounges.
You can find everything you need from warm dishes to ice-cream at the extensive and varied buffet. You can also enjoy a variety of complimentary beverages, including a barista-prepared espresso bar and a selection of wines, spirits, and bartender-made cocktails.
7. LAX Centurion Lounge (TBIT)
The Centurion Lounge is a contender for LAX’s top lounge. The Centurion Lounge offers a buffet with chef-prepared food, and bartenders offer complimentary made-to order cocktails. Guests can also enjoy complimentary spa services during certain hours and clean up in the lounge’s two bathrooms. Even a quick nap can be taken in the rest area, provided that you are able to do so during restricted hours.
It is disappointing. The lounge has many perks, including the bar, spa, and showers. They close at unspecified times and long before the lounge closes. Lounge attendants are often rude or standoffish, and this can lead to rudeness.
We are not the only ones who find this lounge disappointing. The LAX AmEx Centurion Lounge received a rating of 2.3 out five stars on Google and 3.2 stars on Yelp.
8. Emirates Lounge (TBIT)
All reports indicate that this lounge is very popular with Emirates first-class, Skywards Gold, and Platinum elite passengers. A buffet offers a wide selection of hot dishes, as well as fresh fruits, nuts and cheeses.
Passengers have the option to order a drink at the self-serve champagne or liquor bar, or to get a coffee fix from the self service coffee machine. You can also use the lounge’s facilities for washing your hair in the showers.
The main problem is the limited hours. The Emirates Lounge hours, as of the writing of this article, are from 11:35 to 3:35 pm. This coincides with Emirates’ current daily 3 :35 p.m. flight.
9. American Airlines Admirals Club (Terminal 4).
The Flagship Lounge shares an entrance with Terminal 4 Admirals Club. If you do not qualify for a Flagship Club invitation card, you will need to turn left instead of right at the upper lounge entrance. Although the Admirals Club may not be as luxurious as Flagship Lounge, it is still a great lounge.
The lounge is modern and sleek. It has plenty of seating, customizable food options, such as build-yourself tacos, fresh fruit, and espresso coffee machines. The bar offers a variety of house beers, wines, and selected spirits. You can also order warm meals or cocktails from the bar.
Admirals Club has one perk that you won’t find at other lounges. Complimentary avocado toast and fresh-made guacamole. A lounge agent can prepare avocado toast or guacamole for you at certain times of day.
Tip
American Airlines Flagship Lounge does not have a guacamole station. We have found that the Admirals Club agents are happy to allow you to cross to the American Airlines Flagship Lounge to purchase fresh-made Guacamole. This hack might earn you compliments.
Other LAX lounges
At the time of publication, seven other LAX airport lounges were in operation. This excludes experience-focused Priority Pass lounges like the Gameway and Be Relax Spa. To learn more, see our complete breakdown of Priority Pass LAX lounges.
This is a list of other lounges that did not make it into our top 9 best LAX lounges.
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KAL Lounge (TBIT).
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American Airlines Admirals Club (Terminal 5).
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Air Canada Business Class Maple Leaf Lounge (Terminal 6).
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United Club (Terminal 7)
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American Airlines Admirals Club. American Eagle Regional Terminal.
Best LAX lounges recapped
Los Angeles International Airport has a wealth of airport lounges. Every one of the nine LAX airport lounges we reviewed — as well as many others that did not — provides a complimentary buffet of hot food, beer, wine, liquor, and showers.
The airline you fly will determine which lounge is best for you. The Centurion Lounge is the only one that Southwest passengers can access. You’d need to go through security twice to get into it. This list contains the top LAX lounges. Compare access policies to determine which lounge is best for you.
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