I stopped by the Alaska Airlines Lounge in Los Angeles (LAX) prior to my flight to Dallas and enjoyed lunch and coffee. It’s nice to see this lounge return to its pre-pandemic service model.
Alaska Airlines Lounge Los Angeles (LAX) Review
Access + Location + Hours
I do not have status or lounge membership with Alaska Airlines, but I was granted access to the Alaska Lounge because I was traveling on a paid first class ticket. With limited exceptions, Alaska Airlines is the only U.S. airlines that allows paid first class passengers lounge access.
This lounge is available to the following passengers:
- Alaska Airlines First Class Travelers (paid or award tickets only, not upgrades booked in “U” class)
- Emerald and Sapphire oneworld members when traveling to Mexico City, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia or Australia
The lounge is open daily from 5:00am to 9:00pm and loaded in Terminal 6, near gate 64. This used to be a Priority Pass Lounge, but is no longer part of the network, which is probably a good thing considering how crowded the lounge used to get (and the long waitlist to even get in for Priority Pass members):
Take the elevator upstairs to level 2, where you will be checked in.
Seating
The lounge is one large room with a seating area including couches and large padded chairs, long high-top tables, a dining area, and additional seating by the window.
I visited the lounge around 3:00pm, stayed for about 90 minutes, and the lounge never got crowded.
Coffee
While self-service coffee is available, my favorite feature of the lounge is the barista-made coffee at the bar. Even though its Starbucks, I enjoyed a couple strong cappuccinos with my lunch that hit the spot and are simply miles ahead of anything that comes from an automatic machine.
Food + Drink
The buffet has returned and looks like pre-pandemic times. Buffet selections included hot soup (chicken noodle), brown rice, a salad bar, and nacho bar. There was also pretzels, cookies, brownies, whole fruit, and the pancake machine was available.
I made myself a very tasty nacho plate with tortilla chips, chicken strips, black beans, corns, pico de gallo, guacamole, and cheese.
This really hit the spot!
If you’re looking for something more substantial, you can order hot dishes like chicken tenders, pizza, or a cheeseburger.
Meanwhile, at the bar beer, wine, and select spirits are free while other drinks and cocktails carry a charge (see here for a comparable menu).
A Coke Freestyle machine and coffee machine were self-serve (again, don’t forget the barista!):
No Tipping
This lounge maintains a no tipping policy, which I greatly appreciate.
Restrooms
Restrooms are located on the east side of the lounge and were clean. No showers are available.
CONCLUSION
I found this to be a great lounge to wait for my Alaska Airlines flight. Not only did I enjoy a tasty lunch and coffee, but the lounge provided a quiet and comfortable place to work. Lounge access is definitely a selling point in buying a first class ticket on Alaska Airlines.
It’s nice to see that their offerings are back to normal.
Thanks! Fixed error.
New furniture! Same lounge, but decent refresh.
You couldn’t pay me to go to the lax AS Lounge again. It’s always packed. Nice people working there but it’s LOUD and impossible to find seats that are socially distanced. Yeah yeah pancake machine blah blah free drinks. No, thank you. (Did you take those photos or were they provided to you?). Clean bathrooms and phone booths for privacy are nice.
Its way less packed now that they stopped accepting Priority Pass
Wasn’t packed at all during my visit.
Was there a few weeks ago. Nowhere to sit. Packed to the gills. You lucked out.
I’m in this lounge weekly – I haven’t seen it packed in a long time. It ebbs and flows, but the lack of PP visitors has helped a LOT.
I assume the Alaska lounge is still open with new surge? Also, does the lounge have a printer or capability to print? Need to print out 24-hour COVID results for international flight. Thank you for any input you can give.
You can email documents to agent at the front desk and they will print them.
Alaska abides by oneworld entry criteria. As such, if you are BA, CX, ect elite you should have access on domestic flights.
In theory, yes, but not according to Alaska’s website.
Hello. The lounge is open to Non-Ameriacn/Alaska Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire for domestic flights. If you scroll down a little at the bottom at the FAQ, it states:
“I am a oneworld Emerald or Sapphire via a oneworld member airline other than American or Alaska, do I need to be on an international itinerary to enter the lounge?
If you are a oneworld Emerald or Sapphire member that has been earned through an airline other than American or Alaska, you are not required to have an international itinerary. For valid entry, the qualifying frequent flier number must be in your reservation.”
I recommend you should update your post.
Thank you
The lounge is also open to all Alaska and American Airlines lounge paid membership holders.