The Star Alliance lounge at LAX is no longer limited to business and first class passengers and Star Gold elites on Star Alliance airline flights (and other airline eligible passengers such as Air Tahiti Nui passengers in business class). Instead, you can now pay for access to the lounge.
You can reserve a space and purchase a voucher on the Star Alliance website. LAX is the second Star Alliance lounge offering paid access. Buenos Aires (EZE) started offering a pay-in option in November.
Availability and pricing isn’t yet showing on the Star website for LAX, however the Buenos Aires lounge has a base price of $50 per person for access, with discounts up to 20% when you show you’re a member of a Star Alliance frequent flyer program.
When you book online you receive an email with a receipt and QR code for the date and time you’ve chosen to obtain access. In general I don’t see the lounge as being worth $50, though it’s possible to have $50 worth of booze and buffet food. The outdoor deck is really nice at LAX, though.
Going to get crowded…..
I think the price should be higher than $50. A visit to this premium lounge is worth more than a visit to an Admirals Club.
Does this mean no complimentary lounge access for Star Gold at these lounges anymore? Just the 20% discount?
Given the drop in international travel, I guess this is not surprising trying to get some additional revenue from empty/under-utilized space.
Now, about that Priority Pass LAX void…
I’ve never been particularly impressed with the Star Alliance Lounges in EZE or LAX. They’re attractive spaces but are severely lacking in the amenities. They don’t hold a candle to Polaris lounges, and I think that the LAX United Club – admittedly one of the nicest of the UC locations – is actually superior to the *A lounge in the TBIT at LAX
@ DOM – nothing premium about star alliance lounge LAX, it is just bigger in size compare to admirals club and slightly better food, but still pale compare to UA Polaris, AA flagship, and QF lounge LAX.
This is great, particularly since there’s no Priority Pass lounge in LAX International any more. I’m Star A Gold, but my wife and daughter are not. So I can guest one person in with my status and just buy a voucher (at 20% off) for my daughter.
@Sean no change to the existing eligibility, just adding a paid option for those outside of it
@Too Many
“Now, about that Priority Pass LAX void…”
No kidding. Or how about that Amex lounge void? Gotta love the ‘opening soon’ signs, 9 months later.
On another travel site it was reported as costing $65 with only a 5% discount for Star Alliance members. It was also reported you are allowed 3 hours only.
If that is the case it’s a lot less attractive.
Do we know if this buys every into the a la carte First Class dining room, or just the Business Class buffet part? That would make a real difference in value as well.
3 hours only!!??
You reading War & Peace?
At IAD, during the pandemic, you saw some good lounges join PP or Amex collection, such as AF and VS, and that was undoubtedly because they now had the capacity and saw an opportunity to make some money from a half-empty (or more) lounge. If and when international traffic returns to what it was like before, I am sure they will drop out of those programs again. In the meantime, good for those of us who are traveling to have more options.
I was in the lounge yesterday and it is already quite busy again on a Thursday evening with just *gold pax.