LAX First Class/Business Class Star Alliance Lounge

This is a trip report I'm really excited to write about. It is my first time flying international first class and I am absolutely thrilled that it is with ANA. Here's a breakdown of what it will entail.

Ch 1: LAX First Class/Business Class Star Alliance Lounge
Ch 2: NH5 LAX-NRT The First ANA First Square Experience
Ch 3: Seven Nights at the Conrad Tokyo
Ch 4: NRT ANA Suite Lounge Satellite 5
Ch 5: NH6 NRT-LAX The Second ANA First Square (JA732A)

A View of the ANA F Cabin (Boeing 777-300ER)

Let's go to Tokyo!



After check-in at the First Class ticket counter BT and I were escorted to through security check-in by airport staff directly to the Star Alliance First Class Lounge. If you know us, we could have gotten ourselves through security just fine but BT wanted me to have the full on experience. We had plenty of time to spare since we got to the airport early just to enjoy ourselves. It's a vacation, why not! The first class lounge entrance is actually to the right and in a corner away from the main entrance. This lounge is significantly smaller than the business class side and includes some VIP rooms. You can argue that it is to maintain the exclusivity of the lounge. You can access the business class side through a door and regain entry via a keypad code.

Being that this side of the lounge is smaller the food spread is smaller and frankly underwhelming (more on that later). There are large comfortable chairs in various seating areas with power/USB ports and a small dining table area. Other amenities include free wifi and the use of the lounge iPads so that you can look like a boss. My favorite part was that the lounge was quiet. Not all airport lounges are quiet especially when they get crowded. There are no airport announcements here either.

The staff was excellent and made sure we had everything we needed and checked in with us at just the right amount so as to not be bothersome but still attentive.
 "Champagne? Yes right away."
 I thought it was really cute that they spent a large portion of their time wiping down the cups individually by hand. At least you know they are really clean.

Star Alliance First Class Lounge seating

Breakfast was just getting started at the lounge and we were both hungry so we sat down at the tables for some breakfast. Or so we thought...

Dining Area

First Class Lounge Menu

We both ordered "Make your own Omelet" We all know what size to expect of an omelette right? Well you can imagine our surprise when this micro-omelette arrived after what seemed like an eternity...

Make your own Omelet

Maybe I'm just used to gigantic American portions but this was probably 1.5 eggs worth of egg here. Despite its diminutive size the taste was great since it was made fresh for you. I was left wondering if I should have ordered more but the menus were taken away and I wasn't in the mood to wait forever for another tiny morsel. So I hoped on over to the food spread...

Breads, Fruits, Cheese, Crackers

Cakes, Trail Mixes, Goldfish!

Drinks

...And I continued to be slightly hungry. I knew that I would have a lot of food on the plane (I did eat myself silly on the flight) so I was fine with it. Perhaps that explains the micro-omelette. I imagine most first class passengers will get a lot of food to eat on the plane so why waste the stomach space on lounge food? 

The drink selection is quite nice but it is way too early for a drink.  So we went over to the business class side of the lounge to check it out. (Okay fine I did have one glass of champagne.)

LAX Star Alliance Business Class Lounge

This side of the lounge was much larger and included a wider variety of foods. I assume that because any Star Alliance gold member, regardless of class of travel, can go in to the lounge they have to be able to accommodate all of these extra passengers. In contrast, only a first class ticket will get you in to the first class lounge.

Even though it was morning the pho noodle bar to the right was up and running along. It looked pretty delicious but I didn't want to be stuffed before my flight.

Pho Noodle Bar

Pho Noodle Bar

In front of the wall of wine bottles (literally!) were the Western breakfast options including breakfast sausages, eggs, oatmeal, cereals, and my favorite cheese and scrambled egg English muffins. I couldn't resist grabbing one of those and it was just the perfect size for me to feel better on. I love eggs and I love cheese!

Western breakfast options

Assorted Pastries and Fruits

We also walked around seeing the other parts of the business class lounge (and we made sure not to disturb others with our photo taking so not all of the seating areas were photographed). The walls were decorated with photographs of the greater Los Angeles area throughout which I thought was a nice tribute to the airport's namesake. 

Seating

Seating

Seating

A part of the lounge opens out on to an indoor patio that overlooks the central core of the new Tom Bradley International Terminal which opened in September 2013. It gives an excellent view of all the shops below. I think it is a great space to relax before you get cramped in to a plane if that is not your gig. It's such an improvement over the old international terminal too. 

View of TBIT Central Core

If you are still somehow feeling claustrophobic there's always the outdoor patio.

Star Alliance Lounge Outdoor Patio

The outdoor space is complete with outdoor furniture, a waterfall, tabletop fireplaces, wide open sky, and perhaps an #avgeek favorite: views of the eastern gates of northside TBIT and the eastern side of Terminal 3. Since it was still a little bit chilly no one was sitting outside but I can see how on a warm day or night this space would be a lot of fun to hang out at. I would love to see this place at night too (maybe I need to take NH1006).

Outdoor patio

There are also showers at this lounge but we didn't use them since we showered prior to coming to the airport. Perhaps when I take NH1006!

We went back to the first class lounge and just relaxed until our escort to the plane.

Have a seat!

Next up: NH5 LAX-NRT The First ANA First Square Experience