Feb 17, 2024, 11:10 am
Private Suite @ LAX for UA
Sep 26, 2018, 4:44 pm
#92
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, UA Gold, Marriott LTT, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,539
OMAAT did a review of this in Nov 2017. It seems your room won't have a shower, but they do offer it.
https://onemileatatime.com/the-priva...te-lax-review/
The lounge also had a private bathroom. While the individual suites don’t have showers, The Private Suite facility does have a shower spa for members, so it is an amenity they offer.
Sep 26, 2018, 4:54 pm
#93
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Lake Oswego, OR
Programs: UA 1K 2MM, Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,202
I just received a trial offer to the Private Suite at LAX for a one way flight from PDX to LAX via SFO:
I think I'll pass and use my $375 for better purposes. On departure, I've been quite satisfied sitting on the outside terrace of the Star Alliance Lounge.
Enjoy this one-of-a-kind offer for a one-of-a-kind experience.
United® has partnered with The Private Suite to give you access to a new private terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), complete with private security screening, an intimate lounge and much more. We invite you to reserve this experience at an introductory rate of $375 one way or $700 roundtrip for your next United itinerary.
United® has partnered with The Private Suite to give you access to a new private terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), complete with private security screening, an intimate lounge and much more. We invite you to reserve this experience at an introductory rate of $375 one way or $700 roundtrip for your next United itinerary.
Sep 27, 2018, 1:11 am
#94
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: New York / Hawaii
Programs: UA Global Services, HH Diamond
Posts: 5,176
Also, anyone know how to get back/forth here with a rental car? I can't imagine the rental car companies won't pick up or drop you off here, but will the lounge staff drive you to / pick you up from one of the airport rental agencies?
Sep 27, 2018, 8:56 am
#96
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA 1K 1MMer & LT UC (when flying UA); Hyatt Credit Cardist; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold via UA 1K
Posts: 6,956
Sep 27, 2018, 9:06 am
#97
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,420
Yes I got the $375 offer on a $60 K fare LAX-SFO next week.
At that price, I could see giving this a shot under the right circumstances. The private car for tarmac boarding would be pretty cool. I assume you also get to avoid the horrendous LAX terminal loop.
At that price, I could see giving this a shot under the right circumstances. The private car for tarmac boarding would be pretty cool. I assume you also get to avoid the horrendous LAX terminal loop.
Sep 27, 2018, 9:37 am
#98
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA 1K 1MMer & LT UC (when flying UA); Hyatt Credit Cardist; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold via UA 1K
Posts: 6,956
Considering how long it took me to enter LAX last time I flew, you make an excellent point! This time I'll be arriving at a time where LAX is bound to be less congested (but still congested, of course), so the value of a quick and easy entry will be diminished.
Sep 27, 2018, 9:42 am
#99
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,420
Oct 10, 2018, 12:22 pm
#100
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
from $375 now? if they allowed on award flights it would get me to redeem on UA.
is UA leasing the common lounge area? booking direct gets private room, direct used to offer slightly less expensive common lounge area.
this is first paid offering like this in the US. getting approvals was a big deal. AA and DL may start 'upgrading' their services. AA/DL may also compete with UA over partnership. hopefully Signature also starts doing it in US. as noted its common outside US, including Signature at LGW. in most countries it is not really expensive, with exception of LHR and i think china.
the whole point is to avoid LAX entirely
is UA leasing the common lounge area? booking direct gets private room, direct used to offer slightly less expensive common lounge area.
this is first paid offering like this in the US. getting approvals was a big deal. AA and DL may start 'upgrading' their services. AA/DL may also compete with UA over partnership. hopefully Signature also starts doing it in US. as noted its common outside US, including Signature at LGW. in most countries it is not really expensive, with exception of LHR and i think china.
the whole point is to avoid LAX entirely
Oct 10, 2018, 12:47 pm
#101
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Aussie in ORD
Programs: Marriott Plat, Ua Gold, GE.. Sucker for punishment
Posts: 4,237
Just got an offer in an economy ticket (ORD-LAX-MEL-LAX=ORD). I'm waitlisted in a MP upgrade (will not clear of course).
$500 one way $950 return.
Ahh.. no. Funny they are offering this to economy passengers.
$500 one way $950 return.
Ahh.. no. Funny they are offering this to economy passengers.
Oct 26, 2018, 9:04 am
#103
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,393
from $375 now? if they allowed on award flights it would get me to redeem on UA.
is UA leasing the common lounge area? booking direct gets private room, direct used to offer slightly less expensive common lounge area.
this is first paid offering like this in the US. getting approvals was a big deal. AA and DL may start 'upgrading' their services. AA/DL may also compete with UA over partnership. hopefully Signature also starts doing it in US. as noted its common outside US, including Signature at LGW. in most countries it is not really expensive, with exception of LHR and i think china.
the whole point is to avoid LAX entirely
is UA leasing the common lounge area? booking direct gets private room, direct used to offer slightly less expensive common lounge area.
this is first paid offering like this in the US. getting approvals was a big deal. AA and DL may start 'upgrading' their services. AA/DL may also compete with UA over partnership. hopefully Signature also starts doing it in US. as noted its common outside US, including Signature at LGW. in most countries it is not really expensive, with exception of LHR and i think china.
the whole point is to avoid LAX entirely
I do not understand the logic of charging direct bookings close to 10x UA Y pax. My guess is UA prepaid for a bunch of these thinking they'd be a hit at the initial $1500 rate so we'll see them unloading their inventory and ending the relationship.
Nov 28, 2018, 1:33 pm
#104
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: New York / Hawaii
Programs: UA Global Services, HH Diamond
Posts: 5,176
Private Suite: Not So Private, Not Worth It
I gave the LAX Private Suite a try yesterday and my overall opinion is that if you have to pay for it, it isn't worth it. By entering their premises, you agree not to photograph/video or share any images in social media. So sadly, can't share any visuals from the experience.
I arrived (via Uber; had my driver call ahead to give them a heads-up we were coming), and after a brief check at the security gate/barrier, we were able to drive up to the front door, where 2 people greeted me. They took my 2 checked bags and my Passport. And then they escorted me to the UA lounge.
While members get their own suite to lounge in, United has a shared suite set-up here. I was joined with 7 other passengers in relatively small quarters. It reminds me of a small suite you'd have at a sporting arena: a mix of seating, 2 large screen TV's, and a wetbar. There was also a single bathroom in the suite, but no shower.
I was most disappointed by the lack of food. While there was a decent set of self-services beers, wines, and airplane-sized liquor bottles, "food" was limited to junk snacks like 2-packs of Milanos, pouches of potato chips, and the like. UA Club has a far better selection of food and snacks and pictures on the Private Suite site of sandwich platters, cold plates, and charcuterie are misleading. I arrived thinking I could have a light lunch, like I would at a UA club, but ended up eating a bag of crackers, some potato chips, 2 Hershey chocolate nuggets, and a pack of Milanos. Not quite a lunch of champions.
The UA shared suite has windows that look out onto the building, so no view.
Other guests were a mix of departing customers and arriving. Felt very awkward to be in such close quarters with strangers.
At boarding time, I was escorted through their TSA security gate where a TSA agent gave me a boarding pass with my bag tags and my passport back. Because I'm pre-check, they let me walk through an x-ray machine with my shoes on and didn't need to remove liquids from my bag. I was the only one departing at that time, so there was zero line.
Then I walked into my Mercedes for the 10 minute slow ride to the other side of the airport where my United flight was at. A Global Service agent was waiting for me at the door to the jet bridge and welcomed me on as 2 Private Suite staffers escorted me up the steps up the jetbridge to get on the plane. I arrived in the middle of boarding, but I was in F on a 752 and wasn't worried with overhead space.
When I landed at my destination, I was disappointed that Private Suite doesn't throw on the orange Elite flags on the bag tags. As such, my bags were on the belt towards the end of the delivery, with 1 bag being the absolute last thing to come down baggage claim.
I'm GS, so I've been driven around the tarmack plenty of times. It's a special treat for guests flying with me to enjoy. So the novelty of being driven to the plane here was lost on me. I suppose if someone wants the GS treatment of a ride to the plane without being GS, the Private Suite offering could be valuable to them. But once you do it once, I think the novelty will wear off on you too.
The offering of the shared lounge is worse than the UA club in terms of food, about the same on drink, and worse for seating/privacy. At least at LAX UA Club, I can lounge about outside if I wanted to, whereas that wasn't an option here. In the UA Club, it's a given you'll be around strangers. Here, it felt weird to be in a space about the size of a typical residential living room with a handful of strangers. And I'm usually quite extraverted.
Based on my experiences at EWR, ORD, and SFO Polaris Lounges, I imagine LAX will be just as good and will blow LAX Private Suite out of the water. So I don't see any value of using this lounge before departing on an international flight. And without a shower, I don't see any value of using it returning from an international flight; you still have to wait for UA to deliver bags + then you have to wait for Private Suite to pick up your bags and bring them to you.
Traffic around LAX is a bear, especially getting over to the UA terminal at peak times. For me, avoiding that traffic outside of the terminal isn't worth any large cost of access to the LAX Private Suite. Especially since things are fairly smooth for me inside, with a dedicated GS entrance. Maybe I'd pay $20 to avoid terminal traffic jams? But if Private Suite is a hundreds-of-dollars or more add-on, it just isn't worth it.
LAX Private Suite positions itself as a place to escape crowds, but ironically, in this set-up, I felt more crowded than I do in the terminal. I'm not sure what UA gets out of this deal; perhaps learnings to have their own offering in the future? If UA offered a service where you could use the GS lobby, get a cart to a Polaris lounge, and a ride from the lounge to your departing gate on the tarmack, I could see paying for that.
But for me, I just don't find value in the LAX Private Suite --especially if I had to pay for it.
I arrived (via Uber; had my driver call ahead to give them a heads-up we were coming), and after a brief check at the security gate/barrier, we were able to drive up to the front door, where 2 people greeted me. They took my 2 checked bags and my Passport. And then they escorted me to the UA lounge.
While members get their own suite to lounge in, United has a shared suite set-up here. I was joined with 7 other passengers in relatively small quarters. It reminds me of a small suite you'd have at a sporting arena: a mix of seating, 2 large screen TV's, and a wetbar. There was also a single bathroom in the suite, but no shower.
I was most disappointed by the lack of food. While there was a decent set of self-services beers, wines, and airplane-sized liquor bottles, "food" was limited to junk snacks like 2-packs of Milanos, pouches of potato chips, and the like. UA Club has a far better selection of food and snacks and pictures on the Private Suite site of sandwich platters, cold plates, and charcuterie are misleading. I arrived thinking I could have a light lunch, like I would at a UA club, but ended up eating a bag of crackers, some potato chips, 2 Hershey chocolate nuggets, and a pack of Milanos. Not quite a lunch of champions.
The UA shared suite has windows that look out onto the building, so no view.
Other guests were a mix of departing customers and arriving. Felt very awkward to be in such close quarters with strangers.
At boarding time, I was escorted through their TSA security gate where a TSA agent gave me a boarding pass with my bag tags and my passport back. Because I'm pre-check, they let me walk through an x-ray machine with my shoes on and didn't need to remove liquids from my bag. I was the only one departing at that time, so there was zero line.
Then I walked into my Mercedes for the 10 minute slow ride to the other side of the airport where my United flight was at. A Global Service agent was waiting for me at the door to the jet bridge and welcomed me on as 2 Private Suite staffers escorted me up the steps up the jetbridge to get on the plane. I arrived in the middle of boarding, but I was in F on a 752 and wasn't worried with overhead space.
When I landed at my destination, I was disappointed that Private Suite doesn't throw on the orange Elite flags on the bag tags. As such, my bags were on the belt towards the end of the delivery, with 1 bag being the absolute last thing to come down baggage claim.
I'm GS, so I've been driven around the tarmack plenty of times. It's a special treat for guests flying with me to enjoy. So the novelty of being driven to the plane here was lost on me. I suppose if someone wants the GS treatment of a ride to the plane without being GS, the Private Suite offering could be valuable to them. But once you do it once, I think the novelty will wear off on you too.
The offering of the shared lounge is worse than the UA club in terms of food, about the same on drink, and worse for seating/privacy. At least at LAX UA Club, I can lounge about outside if I wanted to, whereas that wasn't an option here. In the UA Club, it's a given you'll be around strangers. Here, it felt weird to be in a space about the size of a typical residential living room with a handful of strangers. And I'm usually quite extraverted.
Based on my experiences at EWR, ORD, and SFO Polaris Lounges, I imagine LAX will be just as good and will blow LAX Private Suite out of the water. So I don't see any value of using this lounge before departing on an international flight. And without a shower, I don't see any value of using it returning from an international flight; you still have to wait for UA to deliver bags + then you have to wait for Private Suite to pick up your bags and bring them to you.
Traffic around LAX is a bear, especially getting over to the UA terminal at peak times. For me, avoiding that traffic outside of the terminal isn't worth any large cost of access to the LAX Private Suite. Especially since things are fairly smooth for me inside, with a dedicated GS entrance. Maybe I'd pay $20 to avoid terminal traffic jams? But if Private Suite is a hundreds-of-dollars or more add-on, it just isn't worth it.
LAX Private Suite positions itself as a place to escape crowds, but ironically, in this set-up, I felt more crowded than I do in the terminal. I'm not sure what UA gets out of this deal; perhaps learnings to have their own offering in the future? If UA offered a service where you could use the GS lobby, get a cart to a Polaris lounge, and a ride from the lounge to your departing gate on the tarmack, I could see paying for that.
But for me, I just don't find value in the LAX Private Suite --especially if I had to pay for it.
Last edited by Weatherboy; Dec 2, 2018 at 4:32 pm
Nov 28, 2018, 2:12 pm
#105
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,004
I get dropped off at T1 and walk thru the parking structure to T7. Avoid the loop & get to walk. And keep $375 in my pocket.