CarefulBuilder14

Theme would be more like equal inconvenience for all terminals. It does look like TBIT is quite a trek from T7/T8, though. TBIT seems reasonable to me. I'm certainly happy it's post-security. Maybe T4 would have been more central for the average non-Delta flyer.

United gets the convenient Centurion at SFO, and I fly there a few times a year. I guess one upshot of the placement at LAX is that regardless of my choice of: UA/AA/DL, I get an easy Centurion when I depart, one when I arrive, or a decent SkyClub at both ends.

jhartvu

All of this is exactly right, despite the nonsense ramblings of others in the thread. TBIT is the least of all evils: it has walking or bus access to all of the other terminals. And while, as an AA frequent flyer, I'd love to see it right in T4, there's simply nowhere to put it there. The people who don't want to make the walk or ride to TBIT will simply continue to use existing airline lounges, I'm sure.

CarefulBuilder14

Do others know exactly where this lounge will be within TBIT?

I haven't been through customs at LAX so don't really know the TBIT layout or process. How are domestic customs-less flights at TBIT separated from international flights requiring a stop at customs? I have Global Entry. If I flew in a big group and landed at LAX, would this be a place I could hang out after going through customs while GE-less people waited in line?

stimpy

Ah, I wasn't aware that they had moved all those domestic flights to TBIT.

But still I think most premium flyers and frequent flyers will use the airline lounges rather than an Amex lounge. Take OneWorld Emeralds for instance. They can use the BA First lounge no matter what OW airline they are flying or what class. The BA lounge has a much better drink selection than Amex offers for instance.

As for the walk from T4, it is still too far. Again look at OWE's. As a BA Gold member I can use the AA Flagship lounge even if I'm flying economy. Just as AA EXP's can use the BA First lounge. But how many people make that long walk between the two terminals for lounge access? Just a tiny handful I would guess.

It's great that they are adding this lounge to TBIT, but I just think that most people, especially us frequent flyers, will give it a pass and remain with the free-flowing Champagne lounges the airlines offer.

garykung

It will be full of those DYKWIA Hollywood stars...

This is definitely a lounge I will skip for sure...

krazykanuck

I saw a post that it will be near the existing QF F lounge but on another level. I tried to put a link to the LAX Facebook page where they posted a picture but FT won't allow it for some reason.

As for getting there from an international flight, I mean it's no different than any other US airport go through customs, re-clear security if you have a connecting flight, then go to lounge like usual. You couldn't go hang out there without an onward flight to reclear security.

Hawaiian717

International arrivals at TBIT are routed to a walkway on an upper level above the main concourse level that feeds directly into customs and immigration. In order to access the lounge, you would need to proceed through customs and immigration then go back through TSA security into the terminal, which would only be possible if you had a connecting flight out of LAX.

Domestic arrivals at TBIT are routed into the main departure concourse, so you would be able to access the lounge upon arrival without any difficulty, though if you had checked bags they would be going around the baggage carousel unattended.

Since the US does not have exit passport checks, there is no need for LAX to separate departing international passengers from domestic departing and arriving passengers.

jhartvu

Sure, but there are lots of domestic frequent flyers who'd be willing to walk to an Amex lounge from, say, T4, who wouldn't have status-based access to an airline lounge. I'm sure there will be OWEs transiting through TBIT, but the AA EXPs on a purely domestic itinerary aren't going to have access to any OW lounges at all (and for the record, the QF F lounge is *the* lounge for a OWE at LAX). If the choice is an overcrowded Admirals Club in T4 or an overcrowded Centurion Lounge in TBIT, I'm going to walk to the Amex lounge every time. At least the food is better!

jhartvu

Perfect--that'll be one more seat available for the rest of us.

bzcat

Save the humble brag... most frequent flyers at LAX are not BA Gold. AA elites (which is the vast majority of frequent flyers we are talking about) get nothing when we fly domestic. Not even AA EXP.

This lounge is going to be really convenient for AA elites with Amex card who don't have ANY lounge access when they fly domestic except to JFK on F and J ticket. When I fly to JFK, I sometime walk to the OW lounge instead of AA lounge because OW has free food and I can eat breakfast there. It takes about 2 minutes of walking from the T4 TSA. We don't know yet where the Amex lounge will be located but assuming it is in the same general vicinity as KE or OW lounge, it is not going to be a long walk at all.

Plus as I mentioned, TBIT actually has and will have a lot more domestic AA (and DL, B6 etc) departures in the future.

I probably won't use the Amex lounge if I'm flying on UA out of T7 but 100% for sure if I'm flying AA out of T4 or TBIT.

tangfish

I would've been happy to read this news, had the new Centurion Lounge been planned for Terminal 3.

kennycrudup

Eastbay1K

You did really mean "WN flyers left in the overcrowded uncomfortable cramped steambath at T1," didn't you? Cold, T1 is not.

Kacee

Let them eat cake.

I'm guessing you've never been to the SkyTeam/KE lounge at TBIT.

C17PSGR

That's an embarrassingly bad lounge! I'm shocked that SkyTeam would permit a lounge at a premier international airport where the only food is ramen in a cup!