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We have a long 8 hour layover in LAX early next year, having never departed or transited through LAX before, only arrived, what’s the recommendation on lounges?
Will be flying in from LHR and departing to HNL from T3
Flying business class AA, have BA Gold, Platinum card and the priority pass that comes with it.
Should we just beeline for the centurion lounge in TBIT? Is it difficult/long getting between terminals? Any recommendations appreciated!
- This topic was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .
8 hours is a looooooooong time. Airports are boring. The beach is 10 minutes away while Venice and Santa Monica are 20 minutes away….
Since you’re transiting international to domestic you’ll need to do immigration anyway so go get some fresh air. Done that a couple of times on long layovers.
If you really must, transit between terminals is straightforward by bus.
Wouldn’t recommend Venice Beach or Santa Monica unless you are looking to hang around with the homeless.
If it’s during daytime, I’d leave the airport and go to In-N-Out for burger and some plane spotting. Then return and have a few cocktails at QF First lounge at LAX (if it reopens by then, and assuming you’re flying One World. Not sure if there are any One World flights out of LAX T3 though).
Qantas has reopened their London lounge. unsure if they’re opening the LAX one yet or if it’s even in the right terminal (apparently you can visit other terminals but it’s not easy). But it did get really good reviews.
My main recommendation would be to take some time to go to Venice, Santa Monica, or Manhattan Beach. Depending on the time of day, find a nice spot for lunch or just have a walk around. No matter what you read about LA traffic, you will have plenty of time if you have eight hours between flights.
The Centurion Lounge in the international terminal (TBIT) is still closed and no one is quite sure why. There are a few theories on FT but no official word from Amex on either the reason for closure or an expected reopening date. There are no longer any Priority Pass lounges at LAX. You’ve said you’re departing to HNL from T3. T3 at LAX is a Delta terminal. If you meant T4 or T5, the AA terminals, you will find an Admirals Club in each. These are pretty basic lounges with many of the drinks options requiring extra payment, but BA Gold will get you in. BA Gold will also, assuming you’re flying to HNL on AA, get you into the Alaska Airlines lounge in T6 (similar to the Admirals Clubs) and the Oneworld business lounge in TBIT (more similar to a proper international lounge like BA’s Galleries Club). I believe the Oneworld one is operated by Qantas, although not branded as such. The wildcards are the Qantas First lounge (TBIT) and the AA Flagship lounge (T4), neither of which have re-opened yet.
Getting between some terminals is pretty easy because you can just walk between them when airside. For example, you can walk between T4 and TBIT airside. Otherwise, there are buses. There are maps out there somewhere that should show what’s accessible airside on foot and what will require a bus (landslide, I presume).
- This reply was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .
That will be a very long day!
If it’s a nice day weather wise then I would recommend taking the free shuttle to the curio H hotel at the airport and sit out on their roof top terrace.
When I flew AA to HNL last year there was very little in the terminal and the lounge was pretty bad
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