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First Look: American Airlines' Brand New LAX Terminal 5 Admirals Club

Aug. 27, 2017
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3 min read
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First Look: American Airlines' Brand New LAX Terminal 5 Admirals Club
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American Airlines is in the middle of a big remodel in Los Angeles (LAX). And, like anyone who's tried to live in a house while it's being remodeled knows, sometimes it's not pretty. But, the hope is that it'll all be worth it in the end.

That's how things have been going with American Airlines' LAX Admirals Club lounges. After taking over the LAX Terminal 5 lounge from Delta, AA has been redoing the lounge to make it its own. Meanwhile, AA's Terminal 4 lounge has been closed bit-by-bit as the airline has tried to remodel it without closing it completely. This made for some embarrassing lounge experiences, especially when stacked up against Qantas' world-class LAX first class lounge.

AA decided enough was enough and announced it would close the T4 lounge completely in order to speed along renovations, on September 5. The only question was if AA was going to be able to finish and open the new T5 lounge before this date. Sunday morning we got our answer: yes.

American Airlines opened its brand new Terminal 5 Admirals Club Sunday morning at 5am Pacific Time. TPG reader Peter G had the honor of being the first guest in the new lounge, and he emailed us about it:



The new lounge offers the updated furniture and amenities of the recently-renovated lounge in PHX (new seats, more power outlets, touchscreen soda fountain, new espresso maker, etc...) on a larger scale. It's about the size of the flagship lounge in JFK or the Terminal C lounge in CLT. I was also surprised to see they have showers available.

Here are his photos from the experience:

Some of the seating areas seem like they could be found anywhere in any of AA's updated Admirals Clubs:

Other seating areas have a distinct feel to them, such as this airy seating area with a nice aviation theme:

And this is the sharp new look of the new Admirals Club dining area. However, one thing Peter G. noted is that the lounge is still waiting on a liquor license, so the bar is going to be dry until AA gets that sorted out:

Note that you might not find the lounge very easily. Peter G. noted that "there aren't any signs up yet pointing to the lounge, just one inconspicuously set outside the elevator." This is intentional as this lounge opening is a "soft opening" while final tweaks are being done to the lounge.

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(All photos provided by TPG reader Peter G.)

What do you think of the new lounge?

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Why We Chose It

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  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.