First Look: American Airlines' Brand New LAX Terminal 5 Admirals Club
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.
(All photos provided by TPG reader Peter G.)
What do you think of the new lounge?
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
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 $8,000 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.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.