Lounges in LAX
 

Burning some miles to make a trip GIG-HNL-GIG. GIG-GRU-LAX in F RG and LAX-HNL in F UA.

Questions are: what's the best lounge in LAX (we arrive in Tom Bradley Terminal and leave from Terminal 7) to get a good shower, if any? We have a 3:25h layover on our way in, and over 8h on our way back. Am I limited to UA and RG lounges or any *A lounge will be ok?

Thanks a lot
FR

Do you have Silver or Gold status on any Star Alliance airlines?

[This message has been edited by zvezda (edited 05-17-2003).]

I am gold with RG, that's all.

FR

At LAX you will not have access to any of the lounges in the TB Int'l terminal after arrival.

This means you will have to use the UA lounge. As a Star Gold (=RG Gold) you'll have acces to UA's Red CArpet Club in terminal 7 (entrance to your left when you enter the gate area).

Actually it will be safer to recheck your bags, check in for your UA flight, take the shuttle to (or walk to) terminal 7 and clear security, as this may take some time and it will be better to be closer to your departure gate.

UA RCC in LAX is your average RCC, quite busy at peak times, but usually ok. I have never seen a shower (but never really looked for one as I usually start my trips in LA), so correct me if I'm wrong.

[This message has been edited by Greg45 (edited 05-17-2003).]

With *G on RG and an F ticket you should be able to use most if not all of the *A lounges at LAX on your return trip. You might do a little tour to compare them.

You will definitely have to clear US immigration and customs with your bags at LAX, even if they are tagged all the way through to HNL. There should be a belt where you can recheck the bags for the UA flight once you leave the INS area. You'll then move landside to take a shuttle to UA. If RG is doing their job, someone will contact you upon arrival and order the STAR Shuttle to take you over to T7, rather than having to use the regular airport shuttles. [This is a benefit for STARGolds flying C/J or F.]

As noted, you are unliketly to be able to use any of the Bradley Terminal lounges as an arriving passenger. Most likely all the STAR-affiliated ones will be closed, since they only open within hours of the departure of TG and SQ flights. MX does not operate its own lounge, and the official STARGold lounge here is the RG one, which is open limited hours. There are no official Arrivals Lounges at LAX for STARGold. If you are flying RG First, they may have arrangements with a local airport hotel.

The RCC will have very limited facilities, and few I have visted in the USA have showers.

Not sure if this is right, but as each terminal is seperate, i don't think you'll be able to for example go into T2 and use the NZ or AC lounges if you aren't flying out of that terminal on the day? The same would go for TB.

Thanks a lot for your kind answers, it's been quite helpful.

UA's website indicates that there's an United First International Lounge at LAX, any idea if it can be used on my way back, even though I'll be flying RG? Anyone knows where is it located?

Thanks again
FR

Actually, there is an MX Frecuenta lounge in the TB Int'l Terminal. It's located next door to all of the other *A lounges (ANA, LH and RG if I remember correctly) on the 4th floor... Shareholder is right about access though - they only seem to be open around respective departure times.

You could also try the AC or the NZ lounges over in T2, but it's a looong hike to T7 (UA) and they may not let you in.

Check out the Global Lounge Project - it's a nice little tool to survey lounges around the world.

A little bit of topic, but then a piece of advice :

Were I on your shoes I'd check with Varig as they usually offer a hotel day pass for full C and F passengers arriving at LAX. This would solve your -shower- problems, but then you only have 3 hours which is not enough to use this perk. No deal.

You're using a *A award so another option would be flying UA F on your USA-bound which would allow you to use their UA Arrivals product inside the airport and would allow you to arrive in HNL at the same time as the RG flight.

Give a try at GIG-RG-GRU-UA-ORD *Arrivals* and ORD-SFO/LAX/DEN-HNL where you can even arrive earlier or later than your initial schedule depending which connection you prefer.

Personally, I prefer to have a shower and a nice breakfast after 12 hours rather than feeling discomfortable. Plus LAX Tom Bradley immigration can be a zoo when compared to ORD immigration, much more organized.

On your return 8 hours between flights seem too long yet not long enough to go far from the airport. Doing a lounge tour might be interesting but then it'd take kind of 2 to 3 hours maximum; afterwards one gets bored so IMHO it's a bad choice. If possible enjoy an amble at Venice beach, which is near the airport and would fit in your time frame - and you're already used to sun and beaches from Rio and HNL http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif .

Let's know the outcome and whether you've additional doubts.

Safe travels !

[This message has been edited by pb9997 (edited 05-19-2003).]

The RG lounge is one of the absolute worst lounges I have been to anywhere in the world, ever. There are several other *A lounges that I should have checked out in that terminal, but didn't.