Quick Answer
LAX has more lounges than any U.S. airport outside the major hub triumvirate, but quality varies wildly. The three worth a detour: Qantas First (TBIT, oneworld first-class only), United Polaris (Terminal 7, Polaris ticket only), and the Centurion Lounge in TBIT (Amex Platinum). Chase lists its Sapphire Lounge by The Club at LAX as coming soon, so Sapphire Reserve holders have no Chase lounge there yet.
This guide ranks every lounge accessible at LAX, with access mechanics, realistic wait times, and the cards that make each option work.
How LAX Terminals Are Laid Out (and Why It Matters)
LAX has nine terminals: Terminals 1 through 8 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT, sometimes called Terminal B). Post-security connections between terminals exist for most pairings, but they involve buses, long walks, or both. Before you pick a lounge, confirm two things: which terminal your flight departs from, and whether the lounge you want is reachable airside without re-clearing security.
Quick reference for the major lounge clusters:
- TBIT: Qantas First, Qantas International Business, Star Alliance Lounge, Oneworld Lounge (Cathay/JAL), Centurion Lounge, Korean Air KAL Lounge.
- Terminal 7/8: United Polaris, United Club.
- Terminal 4/5: American Airlines Flagship Lounge, Admirals Club, Delta Sky Club (T2/T3 after the recent move).
- Terminal 6: Alaska Lounge.
- Terminal 1: Southwest does not operate a lounge; this is the only major terminal without quality lounge access.
The connector between Terminals 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 is open airside, so American and United flyers have more options than they realize. TBIT connects airside to Terminals 4 and 5 via underground walkways. Plan your lounge choice based on your gate, not just your airline.
Premium Tier: The Three Lounges Worth a Detour
Qantas First Lounge (TBIT)
The best lounge at LAX, and one of the best in North America. Designed by Marc Newson, with a Neil Perry restaurant menu, full table service, hot food made to order, and a spa offering complimentary massages and facials.
Access: Qantas First passengers, oneworld Emerald status holders flying any oneworld international flight in any cabin, and select Qantas Business passengers on specific routes. American Airlines Executive Platinum (oneworld Emerald) gets in when flying internationally on a oneworld carrier.
Reality check: This is not accessible with any credit card. It is purely a status and ticket play. If you have the access, build extra airport time around it.
United Polaris Lounge (Terminal 7)
The U.S. flagship lounge tier done right. Sit-down restaurant with proper menus, daybeds, showers with Soho House toiletries, and an espresso bar. The food is genuinely good rather than airline-buffet good.
Access: Same-day United Polaris business class ticket on an international flight, or Star Alliance partner business class on a qualifying international itinerary. United domestic first does not qualify. Star Alliance Gold status does not qualify.
Reality check: Polaris access does not extend to the standard United Club. You need the Polaris ticket.
Centurion Lounge (TBIT)
The flagship Amex Centurion location on the West Coast, expanded in 2024 to roughly double its original footprint. Two-story space, full bar, hot food stations, family room, and a wellness area.
Access: Amex Platinum cardholders (personal or business), Centurion Card, and Delta Reserve cardholders flying Delta same-day. Guest policies tightened in 2023: Platinum holders pay $50 per adult guest unless they hit $75,000 in annual spend.
Reality check: Capacity is the issue. Saturday afternoons and Sunday evenings, the queue runs 30 to 90 minutes. Arrive at LAX three hours early if Centurion is your plan.
Excellent Airline Lounges
American Airlines Flagship Lounge (Terminal 4)
Premium tier for AA's long-haul cabin and top-status flyers. Full bar with proper bartenders, hot food stations, and shower suites. Flagship First Dining (the separately accessed sit-down restaurant) is subject to current operations; AA has rotated this in and out of service over the past two years, so confirm status before arrival if it is the deciding factor.
Access: Flagship First/Business ticket on a qualifying international or transcontinental flight, oneworld Emerald or Sapphire on qualifying flights, ConciergeKey. AAdvantage Executive Platinum on a domestic flight does not qualify.
Delta Sky Club (Terminals 2 and 3)
Delta moved Sky Club operations during the LAX terminal consolidation. The current Sky Club is a solid airline lounge, not destination dining, but it does the job: drinks, snacks, decent seating.
Access: Same-day Delta first/business class ticket, Delta One ticket, Delta Reserve cardholder (with a same-day Delta flight, after the 2023 policy change that added the flight requirement), Amex Platinum on a same-day Delta flight only, SkyTeam Elite Plus.
The Amex Platinum and Delta Reserve rule changes in 2023 cut Sky Club crowding, but they also mean the card-access play is narrower than it used to be. If you mostly fly non-Delta, the Delta Reserve is harder to justify. See our Amex Platinum vs Delta Reserve breakdown for the math.
Good Value: Solid Lounges With Practical Access
Star Alliance Lounge (TBIT)
Outdoor terrace overlooking the runway, hot food, full bar. One of the more pleasant TBIT spaces, and almost never as crowded as the Centurion next door.
Access: Star Alliance international business class ticket departing LAX, Star Alliance Gold flying internationally on a Star carrier. United domestic flights do not qualify.
Air France-KLM Lounge (TBIT)
Smaller, quieter, and the food is better than its reputation suggests. SkyTeam Elite Plus or business class on a SkyTeam international flight gets you in. Delta domestic flights do not qualify.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse (TBIT)
The smallest of the premium-feeling lounges, but a genuine standout for design and service. Hot food made to order, full bar, and rarely crowded because access is limited to Virgin Upper Class and qualifying partner business class passengers, plus Priority Pass members who pay an additional fee.
Limited but Useful
Alaska Lounge (Terminal 6)
Recently renovated, with Alaska's signature pancake machine and a barista bar that's better than most airline lounges. Small but pleasant.
Access: Alaska Lounge+ membership (around $695/year), Alaska MVP Gold 75K, Alaska or oneworld international business class on a qualifying flight. The Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature card from Bank of America takes $100 off an annual Alaska Lounge+ membership bought with the card.
This is the best option in Terminal 6 by a wide margin. If you're connecting through LAX on Alaska, this is your lounge.
Korean Air KAL Lounge (TBIT)
Functional rather than impressive. Priority Pass does not list it at LAX, so confirm access with Korean Air before you go.
The Chase Sapphire Lounge Is Coming to LAX
Chase lists a Sapphire Lounge by The Club at LAX as coming soon. It is not open, so it is not ranked here. Chase publishes no opening date, so confirm on Chase before you book around it.
Until it opens, Sapphire Reserve holders can use Priority Pass Select at LAX, covered below.
Priority Pass at LAX: The Reality Check
Priority Pass at LAX is limited. It lists the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in TBIT as its lounge, with an additional fee, plus spa and play-space venues.
What Priority Pass lists: The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in TBIT (additional fee applies), Be Relax Spa in TBIT and Terminal 1, and Gameway play spaces in Terminals 3 and 6. Priority Pass lists no LAX restaurants.
The fee: The Clubhouse charges an additional fee on top of your Priority Pass membership, so confirm the current price on Priority Pass before you go.
For Priority Pass strategy across the major issuer cards, see our best credit cards for Priority Pass comparison.
Credit Card Access Strategies
Three cards do most of the work for LAX lounge access:
Amex Platinum: Centurion Lounge (TBIT), Delta Sky Club when flying Delta same-day, Priority Pass Select. Best card for TBIT departures and SkyTeam flyers.
Chase Sapphire Reserve: Priority Pass Select. Chase's Sapphire Lounge at LAX is coming soon, so today the card's LAX value is Priority Pass Select, which lists one fee-based lounge there. Pairs well with the rest of the Chase ecosystem; if you're building one, the Chase Quadfecta strategy covers the points multiplier setup.
Capital One Venture X: Capital One Lounge access (none at LAX yet, but the network is expanding), plus Priority Pass select, where guests cost $35 per visit each. We've covered the Capital One lounge network in our Capital One Lounge guide. The card itself (Capital One Venture X) is the best pure-value lounge card for LAX flyers who aren't loyal to a single airline.
For Amex Platinum holders specifically, the Amex travel insurance coverage layered on top of Platinum benefits is often the deciding factor over the Sapphire Reserve.
Day Pass Options
If you don't have lounge access through a card or ticket, day passes are available at:
- Delta Sky Club: $50 for SkyMiles members on a same-day Delta flight.
- United Club: $59 for MileagePlus members on a same-day United flight.
- Alaska Lounge: $60 day pass on a same-day Alaska flight.
- Star Alliance Lounge: Not available for purchase.
- Centurion Lounge, Qantas First, United Polaris: No day passes. Card or ticket only.
Day passes make sense for a long delay or a red-eye where you need a shower and a meal. For a typical 90-minute layover, the math rarely works.
Terminal-by-Terminal Quick Guide
Terminal 1 (Southwest): No quality lounge. Closest options are bus connections, not worth it for a short layover.
Terminal 2/3 (Delta, JetBlue): Delta Sky Club. JetBlue passengers without status are out of luck.
Terminal 4 (American): Flagship Lounge (for those who qualify), Admirals Club. Connector to T5 through T8 and TBIT is airside.
Terminal 5 (American partners, some Delta): Admirals Club via T4 connection.
Terminal 6 (Alaska, some American): Alaska Lounge. Connector to T7/T8 and back to TBIT.
Terminal 7/8 (United): United Polaris (for Polaris ticket holders), United Club.
TBIT (International): The full premium roster: Qantas First, Star Alliance, Centurion, Air France-KLM, Virgin Atlantic, Korean Air. The deepest concentration of quality lounges at LAX.
Lounge Hopping Strategy
Because the airside connectors at LAX work in most directions, lounge hopping is more realistic here than at most U.S. airports. Two strategies that work:
The TBIT crawl: If you have Centurion access, you can sample Centurion for cocktails, walk to the Star Alliance Lounge for the outdoor terrace, then head to KAL Lounge for a quiet workspace if your ticket gets you in. All within a 10-minute walk.
The connector play: Departing from Terminal 4 or 5 on American? Walk to TBIT via the underground connector and use Centurion instead of the Admirals Club. The walk is 12 to 15 minutes.
The catch: if you have a tight connection, lounge hopping eats your time. Plan it only when you have 2+ hours airside.
Maximizing Tips
- Arrive at LAX three hours early if you're targeting Centurion or any TBIT lounge on a Friday evening or Sunday afternoon. TSA lines at LAX are long and lounge queues compound that.
- Use the Centurion Lounge app to check capacity and queue estimates before you walk over.
- If you're checked in on Delta but holding an Amex Platinum, Sky Club entry requires that same-day Delta ticket.
- Showers at Polaris, Centurion, and the AA Flagship are first-come, first-served on busy days. Ask the desk to put you on the list the moment you check in.
Common Mistakes
Booking the wrong terminal. Checking your boarding pass and assuming Terminal 4 because you're flying American, when you're actually departing from TBIT on a codeshare, burns lounge time on a connector walk.
Counting on day passes for premium lounges. Centurion, Polaris, and Qantas First do not sell day passes. If you don't have access, you're not getting in.
Treating Priority Pass as flagship access. Priority Pass at LAX is meant to bridge a gap, not deliver the experience of a Centurion or Polaris. Manage expectations and check what Priority Pass lists at LAX before you count on it.
Skipping the Amex Platinum guest fee. Bringing two adults into Centurion without hitting the $75K spend threshold costs $100 in guest fees. Factor that into your card math.
Bottom Line
LAX is one of the better U.S. airports for lounge access if you have the right card and the right ticket. The premium tier (Qantas First, United Polaris, and Centurion) is genuinely competitive with international hubs. The middle tier of airline lounges does the job for status flyers. Priority Pass offers little at LAX.
If you fly internationally from LAX more than a few times a year, an Amex Platinum is the strongest card for LAX lounge access today. If you're a domestic flyer, the math is harder; pick the card that aligns with the airline you fly most. And if you're flying through TBIT on a weekend, build in extra time: the lounges are excellent, but the queues are real.
Updated October 21, 2026: LAX lounges.
