LAX - TBIT star alliance lounge access
 

Does anyone know if it is possible if I am allowed to gain access to the star alliance lounge at Tom Bradley Int'l (I am not booked on any flights) ? I have a friend flying in on a relatively short layover who is star alliance gold - he'll be in the lounge. Probably won't have time to leave the airport for a quick cup of coffee and catching up.


Any suggestions? I have a UA club membership, and premier status.

Thanks in advance!

OBG

LAX - TBIT star alliance lounge access
 

Alas the Lounge is post-security, and you can only access it if departing on a flight leaving fron the TBIT.

LAX - TBIT star alliance lounge access
 

Often with a club membership you can contact the lounge 24 hours+ in advance and get a security pass. They will do this if you need to book a boardroom for a meeting. Best to call the lounge and find out.

Buy a refundable ticket?

The lounge is a NZ lounge for star alliance, so UA club membership will not give you access there.

I've just been there for the first time: one of the best general *G/biz lounges in the network IMO. I love the "open air" balcony seating area over the shopping area. Just one odd thing there: it seems there is a very limited availability of restrooms for the size of the lounge (I found just 3 mens stalls). Directions to the lounge are not obvious IMO. From the central shopping area take the elevator up to 6th floor. Don't use the escalators, they end a level below the lounge.

I thought United Club membership gave you access to Star Alliance lounges? That's not the case?

This is incorrect. The Star Alliance lounge at TBIT is not an NZ lounge. It is a Star Alliance branded lounge, and United Club members explicitly have access to the lounge, when they are holding a boarding pass for same-day star alliance travel from LAX. It is this boarding pass part that is the issue for the OP.

Only with an onward BP on *A metal that day.

The OP can go to the UA Club in T6 or T7 without a ticket but that's it. The ticket counter can issue a gate pass even without a booked flight. If the agent balks the internal reference for them is GG CHECKPOINT; it used to be around line 53 but I believe it is in the mid 60s now.

Thanks for the info - I will give the TBIT *A lounge a call shortly to see if I can get a security pass sans outbound boarding pass.

But if any of you fly thru San Jose CR: I was on an AA flight, and happened to pass a (either a united, or *A lounge), walked in, showed my UA club card and my AA boarding pass - and was let in, no questions asked.

LAX - TBIT star alliance lounge access
 

The rules for accessing United/Copa Clubs as a Club member are different than accessing other star alliance lounges. If it was the Copa club in SJO, you were correctly admitted as a United Club member-regardless of who you were flying. If it was a partner club, you may have just lucked out.

No one has asked this question yet, where is your friend flying into LAX from ?

If your friend is coming from a domestic flight, he wouldn't be arriving in TBIT, from any terminals other than TBIT, he has to get landside (there is no airside walkway or shuttle or train connecting TBIT to any terminals) and go to TBIT and go thru another security check point before he can be airside TBIT. It is the same even if he is arriving int'l, he still has to go landside before he can go airside again.

So why not just meet him in the landside area instead ?

Similar question: I will be flying out of TBIT to FRA on LH and my gf is flying to EWR on UA (Terminal 7). Is there any way I can guest her even though TBIT is not her terminal? She will have a BP for *A flight. Any info would be greatly appreciated

Thanks so much

Most have reported that TSA in TBIT will not let a pax through security unless they hold a BP for a flight departing from TBIT. So it is unlikely your gf will be allowed through.

Not into TBIT lounge. However, if you are flying into LAX on UA and stay airside on arrival you might be able to visit the UA lounge and guest her subject to the rules (e.g. with non-UA *G guest privileges). The UA lounge may require to see your LH boarding pass or may accept a printed itinerary.

Officially even then she wouldn't be allowed as she is not on an international itinerary.

According to https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...ge/access.aspx a "United Star Alliance Gold member" must have a "Boarding pass for travel in conjunction with a Star Alliance international flight" (which you do), and the "c. Guest must meet the same Star Alliance itinerary requirements as the member..." (which she would not).

It's possible that the lounge staff would let her in regardless, but I certainly wouldn't count on it - especially given that your flight is from a different terminal.