United Club LAX: Better Than Your Average United Lounge

~ Chris Wada

We’re on a personal quest to visit and document each airport lounge at LAX. Next up is the United Club LAX, which is better than most United Clubs.

Entrance to the United Club LAX

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Location of the United Club LAX

You’ll find the United Club LAX just past security in Terminal 7. After going up the short escalator past security, you’ll see the main hallway in front of you. If you’re interested in the United Polaris Lounge at LAX, you would continue halfway down this hallway. However, if you’re like us and want to go visit the United Club, don’t head down this hallway. Instead, take a right before going down and you’ll immediately see the United Club in front of you.

It’s listed as right in front of Gate 71A, but the large lettering of the lounge means you won’t miss it.

Access rules

There are several ways to access a United Club:

  • Purchasing a membership:
    • An Individual membership ($750) that only providers access for you
    • An All Access membership ($1,100-$1,400) that includes access for two adult guests or one adult plus dependent children under 18
  • Having the United Club credit card ($695) that includes access for one adult plus dependent children under 18
    • Spending $50,000 on the United Club credit card unlocks All Access membership
  • Fly in Star Alliance first class (includes access for one guest)
  • Fly in an eligible United or Star Alliance business class flight (no guest access)
    • United Polaris class
    • United Business class on an international flight or a premium transcontinental flight
    • Star Alliance business class
  • Star Alliance Gold status
    • If earned via United MileagePlus, need to travel on a same-day international flight
    • If earned via a different Star Alliance program, any United or Star Alliance flight is eligible
  • Use a one-time pass to the United Club (subject to capacity controls)

Note that entry on arrival is allowed only for those with membership, have the United Club credit card, or flying in an eligible United flight (not for those on other Star Alliance flights).

Right up the escalator, sometimes you’ll find some decorations to take a picture in front of. Since we were here the weekend before Thanksgiving, there was a cute pumpkin display that the kids liked.

Seating at the United Club LAX

Let me start by saying that you might be confused by the time of day in these pictures. I’ve had some of these pictures just sitting in my phone unused for months, back when we took an early-morning flight. So, before you get alarmed about day-turning-into-night and vice versa, it’s not a sign of the Apocalypse.

With that out of the way, since the lounge sits above the main terminal, it actually is quite large. That’s great given all the flights that depart from Terminals 7 and 8 under the United flag. When you first enter, you’ll see several long tables with communal seating for eight.

Enter towards the back and you’ll find plenty of tables that seat four and comfortable seats for two. There’s also an area hidden away around the corner in the back that offers a similar seating layout.

Or, if you’d like, there is some seating by the bar, which has some cute fireworks-styled lighting and TVs. If you’re into watching sports, this is probably the place you’ll be.

Want proof it can get crowded in here? Here’s what it looks like on a Friday afternoon. While early-morning departures can be an oasis, the same can’t be said about flights later in the day.

One more thing–there’s actually an outdoor section at the back of the lounge. There is some seating and it gives an opportunity to get some fresh air, but there’s otherwise not much to do outside. It would be nice if the bar extended outside but sadly that’s not the case.

United Club LAX food

Since we’ve had the privilege of visiting here at multiple times of the day, we can easily report out on what those meals look like. Let’s start with the first course of the day.

Breakfast

All food will be on display along the long wall near the bar. Well, not all food, as there are some light snacks elsewhere, but if you’re looking for something more substantial to eat, this is where you’ll go.

We’ll stick to letting the pictures do most of the talking. I’m glad that the Los Angeles location puts a lot more effort into both the quality and quantity of the food comparing to the San Francisco locations. We’re suspecting that’s because while LAX is a hub for United, it’s also a hub for most other airlines. They can’t just assume people will fly United because they’re the only ticket in town.

Bagels and bread
Toppings
Eggs and breakfast burritos
Fresh fruit
An “oatmeal bar” with oatmeal, sausage, and vegetables — not sure who puts sausage in their oatmeal
Yogurt bar

Afternoon/dinner service

The choices at dinner are similarly thoughtful, with a variety of hot and cold items that actually hold good flavor. Again, we’re a fan of the choices compared to other United Clubs, and that belief holds for all meal services.

Grilled chicken penne and vegetable minestrone
Rice bowl with chicken, rice, and garbanzo beans
Toppings
Ham sandwiches, roasted pepper flatbread, and salads
Cheese and crackers
Cookies and brownies

Drinks

There is a nice variety of drinks for both those wanting alcohol and those who don’t. First up is the illy coffee in the dispensers (along with some light snacks).

During the morning service, you’ll also find juices over in this area. If you need juice later on in the day, stop by and ask the bartender what they have on hand. They often use juices as a mixer for alcoholic drinks.

Also in this area is the Coca-Cola machine where you can add in your choice of sugary flavor. Personally, I think soda is sweet enough as it is, but to each their own. And next to it is a coffee machine if you don’t want the pre-brewed stuff.

Up at the bar, some drinks are complimentary and some will cost you money. Typically, I tend to just go with the free options, which are shown in the picture below. For beers, this can include Coors Lite, Blue Moon, Sam Adams, and Modelo, but I’ve also seen Michelob Ultra on tap for free too.

If you’re willing to pay, there are more choices on tap, including 805 Firestone Walker, Stella Artois, and others, and some in cans/bottles too.

Recommendation: Yes, if you have access

I wouldn’t necessarily say you should go out of your way to get a United Club membership for access to this or any of United’s lounges unless you plan on flying them a lot. (Or, maybe you got a nice sign-up bonus on their credit card). If you have the access, by all means come here, but we wouldn’t advocate dropping a lot of money on getting access unless you’re getting a lot of value out of it.

Now, with that out of the way, I will say that the United Club LAX is much better than other United Clubs we’ve been to. Admittedly, we haven’t been to as many United Club lounges as we have Delta Sky Clubs or American Admirals Clubs, but from what we’ve seen of this one, we can safely say it’s above average. The food and drink selection is good for a United Club and there is enough seating to the point where even when it’s busy, we haven’t seen too many restrictions for one-time passes.

Which United Club location is your favorite?

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