- Introduction: Two Trips To The Southern Hemisphere
- Review: Copa Airlines Business Class 737 (MIA-PTY)
- Review: Crowne Plaza Panama Airport
- New Panama Airport Terminal 2: Impressive(ish)
- Review: Copa Club Panama Airport Terminal 2
- Review: Copa Business Class 737-800 (PTY-LIM)
- Review: Sumaq Lounge Lima Airport (LIM)
- Review: Priority Pass Restaurants Lima Airport
- Review: LATAM Business Class 767 (LIM-MIA)
- Review: Hyatt House & Hyatt Place LAX
- Review: Qantas First Lounge Los Angeles (LAX)
- Review: Oneworld Lounge Los Angeles (LAX)
- Review: Alaska Lounge Los Angeles (LAX)
- Review: Amex Centurion Lounge Los Angeles (LAX)
- Gorgeous: LAX Midfield Satellite Concourse
- Review: Fiji Airways Business Class A350 (LAX-NAN)
- Review: Fiji Airways Lounge Nadi Airport (NAN)
- Review: Fiji Airways Business Class A330 (NAN-AKL)
- Review: Park Hyatt Auckland, New Zealand
- Review: Air New Zealand Lounge Auckland (AKL)
- Review: Strata Lounge Auckland (AKL)
- Review: Air New Zealand Business Class 787-9 (AKL-LAX)
In the miles & points world, visiting the Qantas First Lounge LAX is kind of a rite of passage, along with staying at the Park Hyatt Paris Vendome, visiting the Lufthansa First Class Terminal, and flying Qatar Airways Qsuites. 😉
The Qantas First Lounge LAX recently reopened after being closed for more than two years, so I was excited to be able to check it out. The lounge is every bit as good as I remember it, and is one of the best airline lounges in the United States. Let’s get right into the review.
In this post:
Qantas First Lounge LAX location & hours
The Qantas First Lounge LAX is located in Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT), which is the primary international terminal at the airport. TBIT is accessible airside via connectors from Terminals 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. It’s a very short walk from Terminal 4, which is where most American Airlines flights departs from (and that’s useful, because some American Airlines passengers will have access to this lounge).
Once you’re in the center portion of TBIT, you’ll want to take either the escalators or elevators up a level (the terminal is on the fourth floor, while the lounge is on the fifth floor),
Once on the fifth floor, just walk past the standard oneworld Lounge for business class passengers, and then you’ll see the entrance to the Qantas First Lounge on the left.
The Qantas First Lounge LAX is currently open daily from 6:30AM until 12AM, covering virtually all of the oneworld departures out of the terminal.
Qantas First Lounge LAX entry requirements
The Qantas First Lounge LAX is a standard oneworld Emerald and oneworld first class lounge. In line with oneworld lounge access policies:
- The lounge can be accessed by oneworld Emerald members traveling in any cabin — those earning status through Alaska Mileage Plan or American AAdvantage can only use the lounge when traveling outside of North America, while those earning the status through any other oneworld program can use the lounge before any oneworld flight, even if it’s domestic
- The lounge can be accessed by any same day oneworld international first class passenger, including on airlines like American Airlines, British Airways, Japan Airlines, etc.
Interestingly I was able to access the lounge as a oneworld Emerald member traveling on Fiji Airways. I was surprised that worked since Fiji Airways is only a oneworld Connect member and not a full oneworld member. But the agent scanned my boarding pass and entered my AAdvantage number, and that worked. Your mileage may vary.
If you’re flying oneworld business class or have oneworld Sapphire status, you can use the adjacent oneworld lounge, which you can read my review of.
Qantas First Lounge LAX seating & layout
The Qantas First Lounge LAX is huge for an international first class lounge — it’s roughly 17,500 square feet, with seating for over 220 people. Most of the day the lounge gets nowhere close to full, though it’s usually busiest in the evenings before Qantas departures.
The lounge consists of one large room, though it’s broken up into several zones, with the first half of the lounge being for relaxing and lounging, and the second half of the lounge being for dining.
Inside the entrance to the lounge are dozens of red seats facing one another. There are two long rows of seats, and then clusters of four seats next to that.
Across from that are some cream colored leather seats, as well as chairs with ottomans facing the interior of the terminal.
Also near the entrance is a small sitting area, where there’s a printer. You’ll also see doors to two rooms with frosted windows.
Each of these is a private room with a desk and a sitting area with four seats. Presumably these are reserved for VVIPs (celebs, etc.), as they’re not otherwise made available to passengers.
Past the sitting area with red seats is yet another sitting area with more seats for lounging. Qantas really does a great job with interior design, in my opinion, as the lounge has legitimately stylish and high-end furniture, unlike what you’ll find in so many other lounges.
There’s also a single row of seats along the interior wall by the dining area.
The last part of the lounge is the massive dining area, which has dozens of tables that can seat up to 74 guests at a time.
There’s also a 48-foot bar with some high-top seating.
Qantas First Lounge LAX food & drinks
What really sets the Qantas First Lounge LAX apart is the dining. The lounge features table service, with all kinds of great cocktails and wine, plus a menu inspired by Neil Perry. I made the Qantas First Lounge my base for the day (as I explored Tom Bradley International Terminal, including the Midfield Satellite Concourse), so I had both breakfast and lunch here.
Below is the breakfast menu.
As you’d expect for a lounge belonging to an Australian airline, coffee is a big focus. All coffee drinks are barista made, and the flat whites are excellent.
I also enjoyed an iced coffee later in the morning.
To eat, I first had the bircher muesli with apple, cranberry, and nuts.
Then I had the avocado on seeded toast with smoked salmon, boiled egg, and jalapeño salsa.
Below is the lunch and dinner menu, which is available starting at 12PM.
I decided to start off with a glass of champagne. While champagne isn’t listed on the menu (unlike other wine), the lounge serves Taittinger as well as Moet Rose.
Later on I decided to order the “Rose & Mary,” with rosemary tequila, pineapple, agave, and lime.
To eat I of course had to have the signature salt and pepper squid with green chili dipping sauce and aioli.
In the interest of trying as much as possible for you, dear readers, I also ordered the carrot and miso soup with sesame tofu.
For the main course I selected the seared Baja bass with herb salad.
For dessert I had the ice cream sundae with peach, strawberry salad, and pistachios. At least it wasn’t too indulgent as far as ice cream sundaes go.
Lastly, later in the day I had a delicious latte.
The food and drinks in the Qantas First Lounge are very, very good. They’re restaurant quality, and it’s not often you’ll find that at airports.
The lounge doesn’t have much in the way of self-serve food and drinks. In the area for lounging there’s one station that has a coffee machine, a tea selection, and some cookies. Remember you can get a barista-made coffee at the bar, so please don’t get coffee here. 😉
Then there’s another station with some self-serve wine and snack mix.
Qantas First Lounge LAX showers & bathrooms
The Qantas First Lounge has bathrooms near the main lounging area. There are a few separate gender neutral toilets, each of which is private, which is a nice feature.
Then in the very back of the lounge past the dining area are the shower suites. These are very nice, and each features a shower, a sink, and a toilet.
There are also a variety of essential toiletries available. On top of that, there’s someone on hand to help with suit steaming, shirt pressing, and shoe shining.
Qantas First Lounge LAX service
The staff in the Qantas First Lounge LAX are trained by Sofitel, and all wear stylish uniforms and Sofitel name tags. Service is very friendly and well intentioned across the board.
That being said, I’d say service ranges from very good to a little sloppy, depending on the time of day or who ends up serving you. When this lounge is busy, it doesn’t seem like there are quite enough staff. But unfortunately with the current labor situation, I think that’s to be expected.
I should also mention that while service is typically pretty attentive in the dining area, the servers don’t make quite as many passes in other parts of the lounge, even though presumably many people there would enjoy a coffee or cocktail. So if you don’t sit in the dining area, you may have to flag someone down.
What could be improved about the Qantas First Lounge LAX
The Qantas First Lounge LAX is as good as lounges get in the United States. However, just to be balanced, let me share where I think there’s room for improvement:
- There aren’t enough outlets, both around the dining tables, and even around the lounge seating; I get it can be tough to add these after the fact, but access to outlets comes at a premium here
- I’d love to see some sort of a setup in the lounge that’s good for working, with office desks or cubicles; the lounge is huge and the general seating rarely fills up, so it seems like that could be done pretty easily
- The lounge has no real views, and lacks natural light; unfortunately this is the case at many lounges at TBIT (it’s not Qantas’ fault), though the oneworld and Qantas Lounges are the two in the terminal that have the least natural light
- I get it’s not really part of the Qantas First Lounge “concept,” but it would be nice if there were a slightly more substantial selection of self-serve food & drinks, for those who may just want something to nibble on, without having a full meal; alternatively, it would be nice if there were a snack menu with finger food, for people who may not be interested in a meal
I’m really nitpicking here, because I think this is a fantastic lounge, but those are the things that I’d improve if I were in charge.
Bottom line
The Qantas First Lounge LAX is as impressive as lounges in the United States get, and visiting is such a treat. The lounge offers stylish and modern decor, friendly service, and a restaurant-style dining experience, with excellent food and drinks.
The amazing lounge access perks offered to oneworld Emerald members are one of the main things that make me want to maintain some loyalty to American, since these are awesome experiences.
While there are some minor areas for improvement, in the grand scheme of things this is a phenomenal lounge, and it’s still just as good as the day it opened.
If you’ve visited the Qantas First Lounge LAX, what was your experience like?
Also got in to the lounge flying Fiji as an AA Emerald on 4/21/23z
Glad your experience was good. Pre-pandemic, my visit there was way less than First Class as all of the staff (bartenders, dining room staff) disappeared for a good 45 mins after opening. Was so bad that I went to the Oneworld lounge next door instead. Being Australian, I'm wary for the treatment for us ethnic passengers as well.
Recently visited this lounge. Love the ambience and enjoyed the selection of drinks. Several of us were confused however as they were serving breakfast only at noon. The server said lunch starts at 12:45PM.
I'm OW Emerald (AA ExP) and had an international flight on AA leaving after midnight. The computer scanning my boarding pass would not let me into the lounge as it was tagged for the next day!!! The lounge assistant was friendly enough to let me in the lounge as a courtesy, but explained that AA flights leaving after midnight are no longer given access and need to go to the T4 Admirals Club. In all...
I'm OW Emerald (AA ExP) and had an international flight on AA leaving after midnight. The computer scanning my boarding pass would not let me into the lounge as it was tagged for the next day!!! The lounge assistant was friendly enough to let me in the lounge as a courtesy, but explained that AA flights leaving after midnight are no longer given access and need to go to the T4 Admirals Club. In all my years as OW Emerald, I've never had this happen before, so this might be a new thing. She stated if I was flying any other OW airline, entry would be allowed, but not AA as she mentioned AA wants passengers to now use the AA lounge, even if they are leaving out of TBIT.
Another note, the hours posted here are inaccurate. The lounge closes roughly at 11pm and food service stops roughly at 10pm. This is as of late October 2022.
Thanks, my RTW LAX SYD QF 1st got switched out for a DreamLiner on my day alone But email promises First Lounge So nice.
Not sure what the big deal is. It looks like an airport lounge. Nothing special. The food looks like regular dishes you see all over the world these days. I agree with you regarding outlets and food. However, as you said it is difficult to deal with the outlets after the fact. Your comment about the barista is quite funny because whether you use the machine or they do, it's the same thing. Sure it...
Not sure what the big deal is. It looks like an airport lounge. Nothing special. The food looks like regular dishes you see all over the world these days. I agree with you regarding outlets and food. However, as you said it is difficult to deal with the outlets after the fact. Your comment about the barista is quite funny because whether you use the machine or they do, it's the same thing. Sure it seems much better than some, but on the other hand the quality at some is at a new low.
Although the menu looks good, it looks mass-market. I'd much rather be in the *A F class lounge.
Are they still selling lounge access for $150 USD?
So you can get access to this lounge as an AA Plat Pro or AS MVPG75K flying LAX-SJD?
That IS an international flight.
Should be an entertaining fight with the lounge dragon.
;)
I assume your "iced coffee" is the US version, in Australia it contains a scoop of iced cream & is topped with whipped cream. The equivalent here of what you had is an iced latte
Gorgeous lounge with great food, but I agree the service is hit or miss! On a weekday afternoon with only about 4 other people in the lounge in total, it took nearly an hour for our lunch to be served, and when we kept asking for our food (we had to leave), we were told "oh the kitchen took a break but will be back soon." Sounds like the service may be better in the...
Gorgeous lounge with great food, but I agree the service is hit or miss! On a weekday afternoon with only about 4 other people in the lounge in total, it took nearly an hour for our lunch to be served, and when we kept asking for our food (we had to leave), we were told "oh the kitchen took a break but will be back soon." Sounds like the service may be better in the evening when there are more people around. Otherwise don't expect to be noticed even in the dining area!
Other than the food, I found the lounge pretty mediocre. Furnishings are dated, bathrooms/showers very sterile and overall uninspiring experience (aside from staff).
I’m sure I’ll receive remarks for expressing an opinion but I thought that was the objective of reviews.
@Michael
No, Michael. You're not alone in your opinion. The food is very good; but in every other way, it's akin to a business class lounge (albeit a decent one). The uninspiring furnishings are a late 90s/early 00's formulation, which explains the dated look (courtesy of the over-rated designer Marc Newson). Overall, it just lacks that indefinable 'WOW" factor elevating first class above business.
It’s furnished with a selection of classic design pieces from Knoll, Bertoia, Plattner, Saarinen. In what way is that “a 90/early00’s formulation?”
I'm rather pleased that the bathrooms are "sterile". That's much better than the alterantive!
I think the qf lounge is horribly overrated (noting I’ve only been once). Food was fine to good. Really basic bland shower suites. Surprised @Ben gave them a thumbs up.
No views of the tarmac.
Furniture looks dated.
I’d rate this lounge 3.5 as first class lounges go. Despite being packed I’d prob prefer quite a few amex lounge experiences to it.
I’d also prefer the American flagship lounges in ord and Dallas (for eg) even though they aren’t “F”.
This QF First lounge @ LAX is far less impressive than the Virgin Clubhouse @ LHR.
QF first lounges are definitely excellent and the top of the pile for airport lounges by a long way so any comments really are just first world nitpicking! That said, I wish QF would get rid of Neil Perry and the food would improve instantly. Feels like we QF customers have been complaining about this for so long but nothing ever changes. Although I do notice the infamous corn fritters for breakfast seem to be...
QF first lounges are definitely excellent and the top of the pile for airport lounges by a long way so any comments really are just first world nitpicking! That said, I wish QF would get rid of Neil Perry and the food would improve instantly. Feels like we QF customers have been complaining about this for so long but nothing ever changes. Although I do notice the infamous corn fritters for breakfast seem to be missing from your breakfast menu & the sundae has replaced the Pavlova - sacrilege, shock, horror!
Its probably time to have Marc Newsom rejig the design of these lounges - he's definitely better than this these days. The new designer of the Singapore lounge has done a great job. I'm looking forward to trying the AA Flagship Lounge in DFW in a couple of weeks but I suspect QF will still be at the top.
Unfortunately the inflight QF food and service does not match the first lounge which was always annoying but now that we are paying more than double for our fares post covid, the sub par performance feels even more like AJ continues to gouge us and play us for suckers.
The staff in all QF lounges is employed by Sofitel not QF and it is actually Sofitel who has the contract for lounge delivery be it Canberra or LAX. QF has done its very best to outsource as much of its business as possible over the last decade. In the Australian first lounges & also Singapore, they definitely have some 'snacks' things such as cheeses, crackers, nuts etc although its not huge. The point is that because of the timing of these long haul flights to Australia, (generally late at night from Asia & the US) most people want to eat, hit the plane and sleep which is why they offer the full meals in the lounge to give customers that option.
I think Ben you will also find that those small rooms can be booked by anyone for meetings or conference calls etc.
:) I think having an opinion isn’t necessarily nitpicking
I recently accessed the Qantas First Lounge in the beginning of October 2022. I agree with your overall assessment of this lounge.
One thing I found strange was the difficulty of finding eligibility access as a OneWorld Emerald. I was flying Fiji Airways as an Alaska Emerald. I called multiple times to Alaska, Qantas, and Fiji Airways. None have me a definitive answer with Fiji telling me I could ask at checkin.
As...
I recently accessed the Qantas First Lounge in the beginning of October 2022. I agree with your overall assessment of this lounge.
One thing I found strange was the difficulty of finding eligibility access as a OneWorld Emerald. I was flying Fiji Airways as an Alaska Emerald. I called multiple times to Alaska, Qantas, and Fiji Airways. None have me a definitive answer with Fiji telling me I could ask at checkin.
As it turned out, we were able to enter. Oddly, a friend of mine traveling on the same Fiji flight, who is Emerald through AA, was denied access. He was told since AA has a Flagship lounge in Terminal 4, they could not enter. So either the checkin staff was wrong or you got lucky. It highlights the poor understanding by OneWorld airline staff of enter requirements for OneWorld elites especially with nuances for OneWorld Connect member airlines.
Inferior to Sydney & Melbourne First Class dining
quality & execution
Baking was awful (2 experiences there)
Many visits in Mel & Sydney over the years
Neil Perry can do much better
Seems like he gave up on his brilliant classics sadly
His Melbourne Restaurant Rockpool menu seems uninspired now.And that’s coming from someone who loves his food.
He help put Qantas on the map as a great...
Inferior to Sydney & Melbourne First Class dining
quality & execution
Baking was awful (2 experiences there)
Many visits in Mel & Sydney over the years
Neil Perry can do much better
Seems like he gave up on his brilliant classics sadly
His Melbourne Restaurant Rockpool menu seems uninspired now.And that’s coming from someone who loves his food.
He help put Qantas on the map as a great airline serving excellent food
I fly on the A 380 soon again and will try the lounges again and see where they are at
For myself I don’t care if it’s a dark dungeon as long as the food and beverage are good!
Sorry to say but you admit "nitpicking" and you're right What's the point of mentioning the view or natural light when nothing can be done about that. You say its not qantas' fault, so why raise it? As to power outlets at the dining tables, you're not supposed to be sitting there for hours on end.
Um who cares whose fault it is? It’s a fact
Qantas Club get in?
You can’t be serious.
You can use the Biz lounge next door.
I’d also add that there was a recent media report here in Australia about a couple with complimentary Qantas Flounge access passes who were denied entry at LAX because that lounge is not available for freebie entry. Sad. Very sad.
I’m sure this lounge gets very crowded in the evenings, infested with OneWorld emeralds of all stripes like in Sydney and Melbourne, thus...
You can’t be serious.
You can use the Biz lounge next door.
I’d also add that there was a recent media report here in Australia about a couple with complimentary Qantas Flounge access passes who were denied entry at LAX because that lounge is not available for freebie entry. Sad. Very sad.
I’m sure this lounge gets very crowded in the evenings, infested with OneWorld emeralds of all stripes like in Sydney and Melbourne, thus diluting the experience for those of us who actually fork-over for the big beds at the front of the 380.
zzz mate get over it
"alternatively, it would be nice if there were a much shorter snack menu, for people who may not be interested in a meal"
That doesn't make sense; wouldn't it be better to have a longer snack menu?
Also, nobody is required to have a full meal, people can just nibble on an appetizer or two...
Agree - very nice lounge. But that carpet makes me dizzy looking at it. The pattern is blurred (by design) and it makes your brain think your vision is blurred.
There is a separate section within the dining zone for those who are actually flying First where the service is up a notch or three. Or at least there was just before Covid. Staff were lovely, knowledgeable and super attentive.
The Marc Newson design is always a joy.
I’d assume if you were desperate for QF buffet good (I’m not) and you have access to the Flounge you’d have access to the J lounge next door…..
Do you know what the policy is re: Transcon F passengers on American entering the lounge. The fine print used to allow you to access when going from LAX - JFK in F though I had a lot of trouble getting the agents there to consistently honor that without a lot of fuss. Any idea how they are currently handling? With no Flagship Dining in LAX that could be a great hack to get some baseline F&B service before the flight.
I have zero experience with this lounge (nor will I ever), but I have to say that, without a doubt, that is the most appealing airport food I have ever seen in a lounge (setting aside CDG's La Première, that is, for the purists).
Visited the lounge just before the pandemic. Food, beverage, service were fantastic. Alas, it was essentially one giant room and was LOUD. Nowhere to escape from the noise. IMO a wonderful place to enjoy a meal, have a shower and drink a fantastic selection of wines and spirits but not a relaxing place.
Haven't visited this lounge but it is on my list, I have been lucky enough to go to the QF F lounges in both Sydney and Melbourne when travelling with my dad who is QF platinum. They are both amazing, Singapore looks spectacular to! Great review Ben!
Sin is basically a small restaurant with a couple of small relaxing areas. The food as good not great. Certainly much much better food than the PP lounge next door though.
Many the food is amazing. But the the dining room looks like any company canteen, so uninspiring and dated. The seating area looks sterile and not cozy, can think of many other lounges that I would rather visit.
I was lucky to visit two days after it reopened. I thought the food was great! I (when possible) always use the shower so I can feel fresh before I depart. Of all the showers I used that itinerary this one was my least favorite. But like you, nitpicking.
I could tell they were training some new staff. Not everyone returned. I spent time taking with the bartender. She was very friendly as was...
I was lucky to visit two days after it reopened. I thought the food was great! I (when possible) always use the shower so I can feel fresh before I depart. Of all the showers I used that itinerary this one was my least favorite. But like you, nitpicking.
I could tell they were training some new staff. Not everyone returned. I spent time taking with the bartender. She was very friendly as was the Australian gentleman who welcomed me into the lounge. I took a walk down to the one world lounge and that place was busy and meh. Quickly went back and enjoyed the peace.
The food is good. Other than the food, the space is a large, uninspiring, dated, standard issue, one each lounge. It is in desperate need of a remodel. Other than the food, I'd actually choose AA's Flagship Lounge at LAX over the Qantas lounge. Sadly, Flagship First Dining will not return to LAX. The new Delta lounges and the to-be-introduced AA lounges have a far nicer feel to them, albeit without table service.
I think the qf lounge is horribly overrated (noting I’ve only been once). Food was fine to good. Really basic bland shower suites. Surprised @Ben gave them a thumbs up.
No views of the tarmac.
Furniture looks dated.
I’d rate this lounge 3.5 as first class lounges go. Despite being packed I’d prob prefer quite a few amex lounge experiences to it.
I’d also prefer the American flagship lounges in ord and Dallas (for eg) even though they aren’t “F”.