Review: Qantas First Lounge Los Angeles (LAX)

In the miles and points world, you can stay at the Park Hyatt Paris Vendome, visit the Lufthansa First Class Terminal, and fly into the Qantas First Lounge at Los Angeles International Airport.

I was excited to check out the Qantas First Lounge after it reopened after more than two years. One of the best airline lounges in the United States is the lounge. The review is ready to begin.

Qantas First Lounge LAX location & hours

Tom Bradley International Terminal is the main international terminal at the airport. TBIT can be accessed from Terminals 4, 5,6, 7, and 8. The lounge is a short walk from Terminal 4 where most American Airlines flights leave from.

The lounge is on the fifth floor whereas the terminal is on the fourth floor.

If you walk past the standard oneworld Lounge on the fifth floor, you will see the Qantas First Lounge on the left.

Most of the oneworld departures out of the terminal are accessible from the Qantas First Lounge.

Qantas First Lounge LAX entry requirements

Oneworld's first class lounge is the Qantas First Lounge LAX. Oneworld lounge access policies are in line with this.

• The lounge can be accessed by oneworld Emerald members traveling in any cabin — those earning status through Alaska Mileage Plan or American AAdvantage can only use the lounge when traveling outside of North America, while those earning the status through any other oneworld program can use the lounge before any oneworld flight, even if it’s domestic
• The lounge can be accessed by any same day oneworld international first class passenger, including on airlines like American Airlines, British Airways, Japan Airlines, etc.

As a oneworld emerald member, I was able to access the lounge on my flight. I was surprised that it worked since the airline is only a oneworld connect member. The agent entered my A Advantage number after scanning my boarding pass. It's possible that your mileage is different.

Qantas First Lounge LAX seating & layout

The Qantas First Lounge in Los Angeles has seating for over 220 people, making it the largest international first class lounge in the world. The lounge is usually busy in the evening before Qantas flights.

The first half of the lounge is for relaxing and lounging and the second half is for eating.

There are a lot of red seats in the lounge. There are two rows of seats next to each other.

There are chairs with ottomans facing the interior of the terminal across from that.

There is a printer near the entrance. Two rooms have frosted windows.

There is a private room with a desk and four seats. They aren't made available to passengers so they're reserved for VVIPs.

The area past the red seats has more seats for lounging. The lounge at Qantas has stylish and high-end furniture that is unlike what you will find in other lounges.

The dining area has a row of seats by it.

The dining area of the lounge can hold up to 74 people at a time.

The bar has high-top seating and is 48 feet high.

Qantas First Lounge LAX food & drinks

The dining is what distinguishes the Qantas First Lounge. The lounge has great cocktails and wine as well as a menu inspired by NeilPerry. I had breakfast and lunch in the Qantas First Lounge when I visited Tom Bradley International Terminal.

The breakfast menu can be found below.

Coffee is a big part of the lounge. The flat whites of the coffee drinks are very good.

I drank an iced coffee in the morning.

The first thing I had to eat was the muesli with apples, cranberries, and nuts.

The smoked salmon, boiled egg, and jalapeo salsa were on the toast.

You can find the lunch and dinner menu at 12PM.

I decided to have a drink. While champagne isn't listed on the menu, the lounge serves Taittinger and other wines.

I decided to order the "Rose and Mary" with a variety of drinks.

I had to have the signature squid with green chili dipping sauce and aioli.

I wanted to try as much as I could for you, so I ordered the carrot and miso soup.

The main course was the seared Baja bass.

I had the ice cream with fruit and nuts. As far as ice cream sundaes are concerned, it wasn't too decadent.

I had a great coffee later in the day.

The food and drinks in the Qantas First Lounge are excellent. It is rare to find restaurant quality at airports.

The lounge does not have a lot of self-serving food and drinks. There is a station with a coffee machine, tea and cookies in the area. It is possible to get a barista-made coffee at the bar.

There is a station with some snacks and wine.

Qantas First Lounge LAX showers & bathrooms

There are toilets near the main lounging area. Each of the gender neutral toilets has a private area.

The shower suites can be found in the back of the lounge. Each one has a shower, sink, and toilet.

There are a lot of things to choose from. Someone is on hand to help with clothing steaming, shirt pressing, and shoe shining.

Qantas First Lounge LAX service

The staff in the Qantas First Lounge are all trained by the same company. The service is friendly and helpful.

Depending on the time of day or who serves you, service can range from very good to a little sloppy. It doesn't seem like there are enough people in this lounge. It is to be expected with the current labor situation.

The server doesn't make as many passes in other parts of the lounge as they would in the dining area due to the fact that many people would enjoy a coffee or cocktail. You might have to flag someone down if you don't sit in the dining area.

What could be improved about the Qantas First Lounge LAX

The Qantas First Lounge in Los Angeles is as good as any lounge in the US. Let me tell you where I think there's room for improvement.

• There aren’t enough outlets, both around the dining tables, and even around the lounge seating; I get it can be tough to add these after the fact, but access to outlets comes at a premium here
• I’d love to see some sort of a setup in the lounge that’s good for working, with office desks or cubicles; the lounge is huge and the general seating rarely fills up, so it seems like that could be done pretty easily
• The lounge has no real views, and lacks natural light; unfortunately this is the case at many lounges at TBIT (it’s not Qantas’ fault), though the oneworld and Qantas Lounges are the two in the terminal that have the least natural light
• I get it’s not really part of the Qantas First Lounge “concept,” but it would be nice if there were a slightly more substantial selection of self-serve food & drinks, for those who may just want something to nibble on, without having a full meal; alternatively, it would be nice if there were a much shorter snack menu, for people who may not be interested in a meal

I think this is a great lounge, but I think it would be better if I were in charge.

Bottom line

The Qantas First Lounge in Los Angeles is as good as any lounge in the US. Excellent food and drinks are offered at the lounge which is stylish and modern.

The lounge access perks offered to oneworld Emerald members are some of the things that make me want to stay loyal to American.

The lounge is just as good as it was the day it opened, and there are some areas that need to be improved.

What was it like to visit the Qantas First Lounge in Los Angeles?