LAX Polaris Lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ...
Mar 6, 2019, 3:10 pm
#151
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: LH M&M, BA EC, DL SM
Posts: 5,731
Will be through here for a couple of hours next week on the way to LHR (GPU's successfully applied, miracles do happen!). Looking forward to it. Guessing it will be pretty empty in the afternoon as other than LHR I think there's just the two flights down under at 2230ish, and the morning flights to NRT and PVG. Don't think there are any UA afternoon inbounds either.
Mar 12, 2019, 11:17 pm
#152
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: Delta Gold, UA Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 275
Great!
I really like walking and usually walk/run an average of 5-10 miles a day. We will be dropped at the airport around noon to 1 p.m. after breakfast with relatives and the flight does not leave until 5:20. Will check the TSA wait times for TBIT and T7 online after we get rid of the bag and then chose the quicker version, I guess.
Mar 13, 2019, 3:58 pm
#153
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA 1K & 2MM, Bonvoy Titanium & LTP, HH Gold, Accor Silver, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 2,350
Got in an hour earlier than expected, so reached the lounge around 2:30pm or so. As far as I caused a 50% increase in the passenger population, and we each have a handful of staff to work with us. Chatted to a couple and they said sometimes they get 10-20 people in for the London flight, but it's usually only busy for the two night flights to Australia. Lounge looks fantastic, and still feels super new. And the green light on the bathroom doors is such a positive improvement.
As I type this and munch on the olive-artichoke amuse bouche in the dining room, someone else has invaded my territory and made me feel a little less special.
If the meal holds up, I'll definitely be considering the LAX route to LHR in the future - eat well in peace in the lounge and then sleep the whole way. As long as I get the 787 bulkhead, of course.
As I type this and munch on the olive-artichoke amuse bouche in the dining room, someone else has invaded my territory and made me feel a little less special.
If the meal holds up, I'll definitely be considering the LAX route to LHR in the future - eat well in peace in the lounge and then sleep the whole way. As long as I get the 787 bulkhead, of course.
Mar 13, 2019, 4:07 pm
#154
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,025
Got in an hour earlier than expected, so reached the lounge around 2:30pm or so. As far as I caused a 50% increase in the passenger population, and we each have a handful of staff to work with us. Chatted to a couple and they said sometimes they get 10-20 people in for the London flight...
Mar 13, 2019, 6:21 pm
#155
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA 1K & 2MM, Bonvoy Titanium & LTP, HH Gold, Accor Silver, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 2,350
Exactly 4 weeks from today I'm doing HNL-LAX-LHR with 3:30-5:45pm reserved for the Polaris lounge. Looking forward to trying out the "street tacos" if they're still on the menu. Aiming to skip the entrée on the flight and have just appetizer/salad/dessert. And I got 6D lined up to LHR...
I'm in 1A today - just switched from my preferred 6A for a ridiculous reason - to make sure the ice-cream and cheese cuts didn't impact my on-board dessert consumption :-)
lounge update: the first negative part of the experience. There are 30-40 people in here at 5:15pm, and unfortunately a handful of them are just obnoxiously loud. One or two on the phone could do with looking at the "Phone Booth" right in front of their eyes...
All that said and done, having been to SFO, LAX, and ORD Polaris lounges now, this feels like the winner on food, service, and general ambiance (comment above notwithstanding).
Oh, and the poached pear was really solid if you like that sort of thing for dessert. Fruits are healthy, right?
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Mar 17, 2019 at 11:40 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
Mar 13, 2019, 7:19 pm
#157
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: LAX
Programs: 1k by marriage
Posts: 16
Doing LAX-SFO-PPT on Polaris in June. Tempted to do both LAX and SFO Polaris lounge, although we have a full 3 hours at SFO. Maybe a mimosa and pancake at LAX, get that vacation belly started early.
Mar 14, 2019, 2:44 am
#158
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: LH M&M, BA EC, DL SM
Posts: 5,731
Hope they keep up the standard, unlike so many lounges that start out great and then soon begin to cut corners ...
Mar 14, 2019, 6:50 am
#159
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: SFO
Programs: United 1MM GS, Marriott Platinum Elite, Hilton Diamond, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 283
I really liked the tempura mushrooms in the dining room and the Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches from the buffet. IMO LAX has the best food of any Polaris Lounge. I think only the GFL at LHR is better in the whole system.
Mar 14, 2019, 10:23 pm
#160
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: Delta Gold, UA Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 275
In the lounge now for my first visit. Even after reading through this thread, my expectations were exceeded. To repeat what others have stated:
Wondering how long I can stay before walking to TBIT for my SQ flight.
- Food is terrific. I had the Pier salad and avocado/burrata tower. Both were delicious. Eyeing some of the buffet desserts now.
- Service is incredible. Everyone is friendly, positive, proactive and thoughtful.
- Shower suites are great.
- Wine selection is lovely, but cocktails are even better. Really impressed.
- Views of the gates/apron/tarmac are really cool
Wondering how long I can stay before walking to TBIT for my SQ flight.
Mar 15, 2019, 1:13 am
#162
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: LH M&M, BA EC, DL SM
Posts: 5,731
Since you flew SQ: did you also use the *A lounge at TBIT and, if so, how does it compare to the Polaris lounge.
Mar 15, 2019, 4:04 am
#163
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA 1K & 2MM, Bonvoy Titanium & LTP, HH Gold, Accor Silver, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 2,350
I'd definitely go with the Polaris lounge over the *A F section. No complaints about the latter, but this Polaris lounge was a notch above for me.
Mar 15, 2019, 9:30 am
#164
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,025
Mar 16, 2019, 12:04 pm
#165
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: LH M&M, BA EC, DL SM
Posts: 5,731
Food at the *A F dining room is fairly mediocre and view is non-existent, unless one walks over to the business class part and patio, so if the food at the Polaris lounge is just half as good as you said, it will definitely by a winner.
That's what I feared, too. Many lounges start out great and then gradually go downhill ...
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Mar 17, 2019 at 11:42 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member