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Star Alliance First Class Lounge Los Angeles Airport LAX Review

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I was excited to fly First Class on Lufthansa’s 747-800 from Los Angeles to Frankfurt. And while I like to spend a few hours in a First Class lounge before a long haul flight, this time I got there almost 6 hours before my flight. Keep reading for my Star Alliance First Class Lounge Los Angeles Airport LAX review.

Getting There

Amtrak to LAX Union Station. TravelingWellForLess.com

Because traffic getting to LAX can be a nightmare, I took Amtrak. You can read my post about taking Amtrak from Oceanside to Union Station. And how to get from Union Station to LAX.

Lufthansa First Class check-in is at C in the Tom Bradley Terminal at LAX. TravelingWellForLess.com

Clearly marked check-in lines for First Class, Business Class, and economy

When I arrived at 1pm the Lufthansa check-in desks at “C” were already open. If you’re checking in for First Class, you’ll go to desks C36 and C37. Business Class check-in desks are C38 to C40. And coach check-in are at C41 to C45.

Lufthansa First Class. TravelingWellForLess.com

Just a little excited to be flying Lufthansa First Class.

The lovely woman who helped me could tell I was excited. The ear-to-ear grin must have given me away. She asked if I wanted to be escorted to the lounge.

Normally I decline help, but I figured, Why not. Let’s get the full treatment. After all, who knows when I was going to fly First Class on Lufthansa again. So I accepted her escort through security and to the Star Alliance First Class Lounge.

Star Alliance First Class Lounge Los Angeles Airport LAX Review

Star Alliance First Class Lounge Los Angeles LAX Airport. TravelingWellForLess.com

Coveted access

There wasn’t any special treatment or advantage to being escorted through security. But because I had arrived at an in-between hour getting through security was fast. Maybe 10 minutes total, if that.

The Star Alliance lounges are on the six floor. The entrance to the Star Alliance Business Class lounge is slightly to the right as you exit the elevator and to the right of the escalator.

The Star Alliance First Class Lounge Los Angeles Airport LAX is on the left after getting off the escalator and to the right if you rode the elevator.

Seating in the Star Alliance First Class Lounge LAX

Limited seat in the Star Alliance First Class Lounge LAX. TravelingWellForLess.com

Few seats help keep the “integrity” of the First Class lounge

The Star Alliance First Class lounge Los Angeles Airport LAX is an intimate setting. Which in non-real estate lingo means tiny.

There are 19 seats plus a small couch in the lounge. So it’s extremely small in terms of a First Class lounge. Especially if you compare it to Cathay Pacific’s The Pier First Class lounge.

Who Has Access to the First Class Lounge?

Only First Class passengers have access to the First Class lounge. You can bring a guest if they are on the same flight. But you can not bring a guest if they are on a different flight.

I witnessed both of these rules in play during my visit. The First Class passenger in 3K on my flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt brought her father/spouse? who was in Business Class or coach into the lounge. But the passenger in 3A could not bring in his daughter (hmm) who was flying on Cathay Pacific into the lounge.

VIP Rooms at Star Alliance First Class Lounge LAX

VIP room at the Star Alliance First Class Lounge Los Angeles Airport LAX. TravelingWellForLess.com

If you’re special you can use one of two VIP rooms at the Star Alliance First Class Lounge LAX

There are two VIP rooms within the exclusive Star Alliance First Class lounge. The doors seamlessly blend into the wall on the right. The first room is larger than the second room. The furniture in both rooms are the same but the layouts are mirror opposites.

I’m not sure who gets access to these rooms. Certainly not someone on an award ticket. LOL.

When I arrived one of the rooms was being used by someone flying to Munich. I’m really good at recognizing people, but didn’t recognize the folks in that room. (They had come out to get food and use the facilities.) Which you would think, if they have a special VIP room, all they should have to do is to ring a bell and the food brought to them.

Star Alliance Lounge First Class Menu

Additional items are available from a made to order menu in the Star Alliance First Class Lounge Los Angeles Airport. TravelingWellForLess.com

You can enjoy the (limited) buffet or order from the First Class menu. Because I arrived at about 1pm, I decided to order from the brunch menu.

For brunch, your options are Lox Flatbread, Omelette, or a Quinoa and Grapefruit Salad. I’m not really an omelet girl so I ordered eggs. Or so I thought I did…

Apparently, the omelettes are made from an egg mix versus freshly cracked eggs. It was dry and lacked flavor. 🙁

First Class Lounge Dining Area

Separate dining area in the Star Alliance First Class lounge Los Angeles airport LAX. TravelingWellForLess.com

The separate dining room adds a little touch of elegance.

You can eat at your seat. Or sit at one of the four, two-top tables in the dining area.

A Caesar salad with prawns (or without) is one of the items you can order from the First Class menu in the Star Alliance First Class Lounge at Los Angeles Airport. TravelingWellForLess.com

A light, healthy start before boarding

As I still had several hours before my flight, I ordered the Prawn Caesar Salad (without the prawns).

The salad was supposed to include kale but it was mysteriously missing. Probably the best because while I love kale, it doesn’t love me. And with a long flight ahead, I didn’t want to be “that person” if you get my drift. 🙂

Star Alliance First Class Lounge Buffet

The buffet in the Star Alliance First Class Lounge at LAX is limited. But you can order from a menu or go to the Business Class lounge next door. TravelingWellForLess.com

Not a lot of buffet choices.

The buffet in the Star Alliance First Class lounge is rather limited.

You have a choice of cheese and crackers, fruit, yogurt parfaits, dried fruits, nuts, hummus, macaroons, a hot dish (when I was there it was Cha su bao), Sun chips, and Pita chips. Plus a selection of coffee, tea, soda, wine, beer, and champagne.

There’s a larger buffet in the Star Alliance Business Class lounge. Stay tuned for a follow-up post on the Star Alliance Business Class Lounge at LAX.

An interesting side fact: every four hours the staff replaces all perishable buffet items in the First Class lounge.

Conclusion

The Star Alliance First Class Lounge Los Angeles Airport LAX is after security on level six in the Tom Bradley Terminal.  Both the First Class Lounge and the Star Alliance Business Class lounge are on the same floor.

The First Class Lounge is for the exclusive use of First Class guests. But as a First Class passenger you can bring a guest IF they are on the same flight.

And if you’re a VIP there are two private rooms within the lounge that seat five. Each has their own TV and plenty of room despite the lack of seats.

The buffet is limited but you can order additional items from the First Class menu. Or you can pop over to the Star Alliance Business Class lounge next door.

I liked the quiet and exclusivity of the lounge. And there were plenty of outlets to charge your electronics. Having to go next door for a wider selection of food and showers wasn’t too inconvenient.

What was your favorite part of the Star Alliance First Class Lounge Los Angeles Airport LAX?

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A quiet retreat within LAX awaits First Class passengers. Click on this pin to read Star Alliance First Class Lounge Los Angeles Airport LAX review. TravelingWellForLess.com

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Tennen

Friday 11th of November 2016

Thank you for the great review! I'd love to read your Amtrak post, but couldn't find it... Anyway, this is a few months late, but in case someone else comes across this, I should clarify one point. The Star Alliance guest policy only requires that the guest departs on a Star Alliance flight from that airport - same flight is NOT necessary. The guest of that other passenger was flying on Cathay Pacific, which is part of oneworld. That's why they were denied.

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