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First Class Lounge Comparison: Qantas vs American Airlines at LAX

July 13, 2017
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4 min read
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Before a recent first-class flight on American Airlines from Los Angeles (LAX) to Hong Kong (HKG), I got a chance to experience both the Qantas International First Class Lounge and the American Airlines International First Class Lounge, which will be revamped later this year as a Flagship Lounge. I figured I'd visit both and compare them since AA first-class passengers get access to both of these when traveling internationally. And as you'll see, there is a world of difference between these two lounges.

How to Get In

The following passengers can enter the Qantas International First Class Lounge:

The American Airlines International First Class Lounge, on the other hand, is accessible to:

  • AA and other Oneworld carriers’ first-class passengers traveling on qualifying international and transcontinental flights
  • AA ConciergeKey elites and Executive Platinums on qualifying international flights operated by AA or a Oneworld Airline, regardless of cabin
  • Non-AA Oneworld Emerald elites if you're departing on or connecting to any flight marketed by American or a Oneworld airline, regardless of cabin

The Qantas International First Class Lounge

Although it's a little out of the way — you'll have to head over to the Tom Bradley International Terminal — a trip to this lounge is definitely worth the time. I had a four-hour layover so I was really looking forward to checking it out. On my way over to the lounge from American's domestic flight terminal, though, I was held up by a screaming TSA woman — you can read about my harrowing experience in this AA first class flight review. I was eventually able to get through and under normal circumstances, it's about a 10-15 minute walk through the new TBIT connector tunnel.

First off, I have to say that the Qantas lounge was 1,000 times better then the American Airlines lounge I'd visited earlier.

There was a large bar, which offered plenty of drink options.

It's got an amazing menu and you've got to try the Hamachi Tartare with Peppers.

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I ordered a glass of Taittinger Rosé Champagne, which usually runs more than $65 per bottle.

The fried squid was simply perfect.

The Vegetarian Bibimbap was on point.

While the lounge is supposedly only open until 11:30pm, access is available until 12:15am because there’s a Cathay Pacific flight that leaves at 12:55am.

The American Airlines International First Class Lounge

Walking into the AA lounge, I had to use the stairs because the elevators were out of order, which you can see at 1:15 in my Snapchat story:

In fact, there was a lot of work going on while I was there.

Despite being so late, plenty of seating was available.

There is no table service or waiters — the "flagship" dining experience is currently a buffet.

The food, basically served in a conference room, features BBQ chicken, tofu, veggies and teriyaki pork.

Honestly, it was all pretty unappealing — there was a really heavy, creamy pasta that had probably been sitting out for hours.

American Airlines is basically in the process of redoing the Flagship First Dining in the Flagship Lounge and the food is supposed to be a heck of a lot better then what I experienced here. And, you know, having a bartender in an international lounge would be nice.

Overall Impression

The Qantas First Class Lounge beats American's first-class lounge experience hands down. AA's lounge is outdated, under construction and the food is uninspired. If you have to choose between the two lounges, definitely head to the Qantas lounge. It's chic and offers better dining, drinks and décor; the sit-down meal service is just the cherry on top. AA still has a long way to go if it wants to catch up to Qantas. Hopefully, once it relaunches its space as a Flagship Lounge with Flagship First Dining, it'll be a little closer.

Have you been to either of these lounges? Share your experience with us, below.

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at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 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.