KOA-LAX lounge woes
 

Hi all,

I'm OW Emerald. I have managed to book myself and my gf the following itienary:

KOA-LAX (American Airlines), departs at 10:42PM. Lands at 6AM

LAX->DFW->Helsinki (American Airlines, Finnair). Departs at 10.30AM on the same day, so 4.5 hour layover, but have to go pick up bags and check in again.

We have a hiking excursion planned for that last day in Hawaii, aka just before heading to the airport in the evening.

I somehow thought there would be an OW lounge at KOA but there doesn't appear to be one. Without an access to a shower, this journey takes like 30 hours... after a long day of hiking before the traveling even begins. To make matters worse, I probably have to skip the LAX-HEL part and head to another US city for work, so it would only be my gf who's flying straight back according to the above itienary. She has no OW status. All flights are economy class.

Questions:

-Is there somewhere we can somehow shower at KOA, somehow?
-Assuming not, can we go to a lounge as we land at LAX?
-Assuming not, if I buy myself a different OW flight than my gf'x LAX-DFW leg at 10.30am (I need to commute to another city in the US), can we do our own check-ins but then go to a lounge together at LAX? So we'd be on different flights, but both would be OW flights, and I have OW emerald.

Thank you very much for your answers! Wasn't my finest hour when I booked this thing.

Maybe get a cheapish hotel for the night near the airport in KOA. Just glanced on Kayak, there are a couple of guest houses near that are under $100.

In LAX you should have access to the Flagship Lounge which has nice showers. I'm not following what you mean by you have to commute to a different city in the US. But as long as your status isn't from AA or AS then Emerald status will get you and a guest into the Flagship lounge (or Admirals Club, AS longe, or either QF lounge if they are open, but FL is definitely more convenient than the QF lounges).

I'm pretty sure there's no showers at KOA unless you want to sponge yourself off using the sinks in the bathrooms at KOA. Aside from the Flagship lounge in LAX that you should be able to get a shower in, you can also get a day pass at planet fitness and use their showers. Alternatively, you're on the big island, go for a quick dip in the ocean after your hike and use the showers at the beach to get the salt water off and then change.

- Getting a cheap hotel for the night near KOA would be wise so you can shower.
- Hawaii to LAX is a domestic flight. What you could do is guest her into the lounge after your KOA-LAX flight by showing your onward tickets, have her go shower, while you leave shortly after arriving to go pick up your bags. She could then meet you at baggage claim, you could both re-check the bags, pass through security, and then you could go to the lounge and shower as a product of your onward ticket.
- I believe you can guest her on separate tickets as well, but if you want to make sure that you both get access to the lounge and to shower, the above is the easiest way to ensure that happens.

Did this on Maui near OGG at the beach often b/4 boarding. Check out the beach shower situation and bring a beach towel(for the prying eyes).

AA policy gives their lounge access (including qualifying OW elites) to departing AND arriving customers so no need to buy another flight. You can check-in together at any AA LAX lounge showing your KOA-LAX boarding pass.

Re: shower back in Hawaii, in addition to the hotel or beach rinse-off options, also look into resort pass. Maybe you can stop in a spa to relax and shower, and that might even cost less than a hotel night.