United Polaris Lounge Review Los Angeles Introduction:
Prior to a recent trip to Australia, my partner and I had the opportunity to review the Polaris lounge in Los Angeles (LAX). This was our first time in the Polaris lounge at LAX, and I was excited to try it after having good experiences in United’s other Polaris lounges. Beyond Los Angeles, United also has Polaris lounges in Newark (EWR), Chicago (ORD), Houston (IAH), and San Fransisco (SFO). United will be opening its next Polaris lounge in Denver (DEN) but that is a few years away as of writing.
In this review, we’ll cover the LAX Polaris lounge location, access requirements, seating areas, food/bar, amenities, and service.
United Polaris Lounge LAX Review – Lounge Access Requirements
Prior to reviewing the Polaris lounge Los Angeles, let’s briefly cover the access requirements.
Overall, United’s Polaris lounges are only accessible to international business or first class passengers flying on United metal or other Star Alliance carriers. Valid international destinations include cities in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South America, and Oceania – so you wouldn’t be able to access if you’re just traveling to Canada or Mexico.
Unlike United Clubs, elite status cannot give you access to this lounge in combination with an international itinerary. While access is more restrictive, you can luckily access Polaris lounge with award tickets or tickets you have paid to upgrade to a premium cabin.
In regards to access, there is an important distinction to be aware of for those traveling on United metal vs another Star Alliance airline. If you are flying exclusively on United, you have access to Polaris lounges throughout your journey. For example, I flew from Los Angeles to San Fransisco to Sydney on United and could access the Polaris lounge in both LAX and SFO. If I flew this itinerary in the opposite direction, I could also access the lounges in both cities on arrival.
On the other hand, let’s say I traveled from Los Angeles to San Fransisco on United Airlines and then from San Fransisco to Auckland on Star Alliance carrier, Air New Zealand. In this case, I could only access the Polaris lounge in SFO and not LAX. This is due to a restriction that United places on Star Alliances itineraries. If your long haul international segment is on a Star Alliance airline, you only get access to the Polaris lounge at the point of departure for your international flight, even if your connecting domestic flight is on United. Moreover, if I flew this itinerary in the opposite direction (AKL-SFO-LAX), I could not access any Polaris lounges. Star Alliance flights are not eligible for on-arrival Polaris lounge access.
United Polaris Lounge Los Angeles Location
United’s Polaris lounge at LAX is located in Terminal 7 between Gates 73-75A. After security in Terminal 7, you’ll immediately see signs for the Polaris lounge, and it’s a short walk down the terminal hall to get there. Continue straight instead of turning right after security as that will take you to the United Club and not the Polaris lounge.
You’ll find the Polaris lounge located next to the Wolfgang Puck, and it’s open daily from 6:30 AM to 10:30 PM. The operating times are subject to change based on modifications to United’s scheduled departures, so I’d double check United’s lounge site just to confirm current operating hours.
The Los Angeles Polaris lounge is actually located one floor above the public terminal so you can take an elevator up to the lounge. Just press for floor 4 as you enter the elevator.
After taking the elevator, we were greeted by the friendly lounge staff. They will ask you to scan your boarding pass to confirm your eligibility to enter the lounge. Making your way past the front desk, you’ll find a departure board on your left and then can turn right to make your way into the main lounge space.
United Polaris Lounge Los Angeles Review – Main Seating Areas
As you enter the lounge, you’ll find the gorgeous main seating area and the bar. The thing that struck me most when I first walked in was how small the lounge is compared to other Polaris lounges I’ve been in.
The Polaris lounge in Los Angeles is the smallest lounge in United’s footprint at about 12,000 square meters. By comparison, United’s largest Polaris lounge in San Fransisco is more than double the size at 28,000 square meters. The smaller size makes sense for Los Angeles given that United’s daily international departures from LAX are fairly limited compared to its other hubs. As of writing, United’s international markets from LAX include Tokyo Haneda, Tokyo Narita, Hong Kong, London, Auckland, Melbourne, and Sydney.
The lounge was actually busiest when we arrived at about 10:00 AM due to the morning departures to Asia and was virtually empty when we departed mid-afternoon for San Fransisco. You can expect the lounge to be most busy from 6 PM when United has evening departures to London, Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland.
I like the variety of seating United employs in its Polaris lounges, and you’ll find about 140 seats available at the Los Angeles location. There are small tables available and a couch towards the center of the lounge for those looking to relax or have a quick bite to eat or drink.
My favorite type of seating in the Polaris lounge is the individual workstation seats which offer convenient power outlets, a table for a tablet or laptop, and individual lighting.
If you are seeking some additional privacy or need to make a phone call, there are designated phone rooms across from these workstation seats. In each room, you’ll have a table, lamp, chairs, and conveniently placed power outlets.
The room to the left is partially obstructed by a pole so you may prefer to use the room on the right hand side instead.
You’ll also find some seating along the windows which offer decent views for some plane spotting. Unfortunately, some of the views are partially obstructed by an adjacent rooftop.
As you enter the lounge, you’ll also find signage indicating what else is available, including the dining area, restrooms, shower suites, and nap rooms. We were pretty hungry when we arrived and headed toward the dining section after briefly checking out the main seating area.
Heading towards the dining area, you’ll find a service desk off to the right. I never found this to be staffed during our visit but perhaps the lounge staff utilizes it more so when flight disruptions are actively affecting customers. Later on in our lounge visit, I inquired about taking a different flight at the lounge check-in desk and the staff there were happy to assist us – so if you have an inquiry, don’t be afraid to seek out the front desk.
Near the dining buffet, you’ll find a unique circular layout with tables that overlook the public terminal area. I enjoyed doing some people-watching from the tables here. Towards the left, you’ll find additional seating available and a decorative wall of wine bottles.
If you are in the public terminal and look above and see this design you’ll know you’ve spotted the Polaris lounge.
Polaris Lounge Los Angeles Dining – Breakfast and Lunch/Dinner
As standard in United’s Polaris lounges, you’ll find both buffet-style dining and a la carte dining. Compared to my experiences in United’s other Polaris lounges, I found the buffet selection in Los Angeles to be more limited. We visited from 10 AM to about 2 PM and below is what was on offer during that window.
We found a well-stocked salad bar alongside a selection of cheeses, meats, subs, wraps, and some dessert options.
I do like the signs they place above all the items to describe what’s available.
Finally, there was also a limited selection of fruits and some sweet and salty snacks.
For drinks, there were mini fridges stocked with Coke products available along with self-serve cucumber water and iced tea. I did like the various flavors of Fanta on offer.
You’ll also find Dammann tea and illy coffee on offer. If you are after a coffee, I’d go straight to the bar area as they have an espresso machine available.
By comparison – at the Houston Polaris lounge I visited earlier this year, there were also self-serve breakfast items on offer including eggs, quiche, soups, pancakes, etc. This is likely again due to the fact that the LAX lounge has way fewer daily visitors compared to its other locations.
Unless you are on a time crunch before your flight or something catches your eye at the buffet, I’d recommend heading to the a la carte dining room. You’ll find the dining room just past the buffet along with a menu out front if you want to check what’s on offer. As shown, breakfast runs from 7:30 AM to 11:00 AM followed by the lunch/dinner menu.
The friendly lounge staff quickly greeted us and allowed us to pick where we wanted to sit. I counted about 10 tables with booth and chair style seating available. We selected one of the booth tables.
The dining room was empty when we first sat down to eat and a few other parties arrived during the course of our breakfast meal. I loved the design of the seating area and the sense of privacy you feel.
In addition to the menu out front, you’ll also be handed a personal food and drink menu. I love the personalized LAX branding on the menus and the fact that the food on offer is geared towards the local market so the food you find in the LAX lounge is different than the other Polaris lounges (a few menu items are consistent across all lounges such as the Polaris Signature Burger). Below are the pictures of the menu options for our visit.
I like that United offers a selection of light bites/small plates in addition to entrees depending on how hungry you happen to be. Given that United does not tend to have the best inflight catering, it’s certainly not a bad idea to just dine in the Polaris lounge and skip your inflight meal to get more sleep or work done.
Below are the dessert options available.
For breakfast, my partner and I started with coffee and the pressed juice drink which was delicious.
We then tried the breakfast tacos, chilaquiles, and pancakes. I was a big fan of the breakfast tacos while I found the nacho chips to be a bit too soggy. The pancakes were fresh, light, and fluffy.
In the afternoon, we were still fairly full from the breakfast, but we tried a few additional items. To start, we tried the salmon bruschetta which was just okay.
Finally, for dessert we had the chocolate chip skillet cookie and the mango panna cotta. Both were delicious.
Polaris Lounge Los Angeles Restrooms
Just past the dining room, you’ll find the restrooms and showers. I always enjoy looking at the sparkling night stars that United places above the restrooms in its Polaris lounges. Each restroom is a private unit with a green or red light on the outside indicating occupancy.
Each restroom is nicely designed. The restroom will either include a urinel and a toilet or just a toilet.
At the sink, you’ll find Therabody hand wash and lotion to go along with United’s new Therabody amenity kits that you’ll find onboard.
Polaris Lounge Shower Suites
I always like being able to take a shower prior to or after a long haul flight and luckily the Polaris lounge has six shower suites available. You’ll find them if you continue down the hall past the dining area and restrooms. There is a lounge attendant that will manage access to the showers. Depending on your time of visit there may be a bit of a wait to access a shower if they are all full. I’d recommend booking one as soon as you arrive in the lounge to ensure you have sufficient time prior to your flight.
I opted not to use the shower on this visit as I would shower at the SFO lounge later in the day but below is a picture of the SFO shower that will be similar to what you get in the LAX. In the shower suites, you’ll find Therabody amenities and a pair of slippers. You can request any additional amenities you might need such as a dental or shaving kit from the lounge attendant.
In the shower suite, you’ll also find a toilet and sink.
Polaris Lounge Los Angeles Private Rooms/Quiet Suites
In addition to requesting a shower room, you can also request a Quiet Suite in this area. These suites are a nice escape if you are looking for a quiet space to relax and/or try and catch some sleep. There are only two Quiet Suites available in the lounge so this is another item you may want to get on the waiting list for right away if you are interested.
Luckily, we were visiting during an unbusy period and could access them right away. The lounge staff may limit your time if there is a waiting list.
In each of the two suites, you’ll find a small day bed along with a Saks Fifth Avenue pillow and blanket. Next to the bed, you have a small desk with a sleep mask, water, chocolate, tissues, and a noise machine.
You can even control the lighting and temperature in your suite which is nice if you are trying to get the room just right for some sleep.
Finally, next to the table, you have some conveniently placed power outlets.
My favorite part of the Quiet Suites is the apron views. The windows are a bit far from the suites themselves, but occasionally I’d get up for a closer look at the planes passing by.
Polaris Lounge Los Angeles Bar
After enjoying the Quiet Suites for a bit, we headed back to the main seating area at the front of the lounge which also features a bar.
At the bar there is a menu you can ask for, but the bartender is happy to cater to what you are interested in. You’ll find a selection of signature cocktails, wines, rosé, spirits, and mocktails. I like that United has special items for each of its Polaris lounge locations just like it does for the dining room.
At the far end, you’ll also find an espresso machine available. While at the bar, I had a nice glass of rosé and my partner enjoyed the Everyone’s Mule.
If I have one complaint about the bar area, it is that the TV is pretty small which wasn’t the most ideal for some of the college football games I wanted to watch.
Polaris Lounge Los Angeles Review (LAX) – Pilot Debrief
The Polaris lounge (LAX) is one of the best airport lounges you’ll find in the United States and features top-notch amenities including a la carte dining, quiet suites, phone rooms, showers, and good views. While the space is certainly smaller than other Polaris lounges, the limited passenger traffic in this lounge makes it feel like one of the most private spaces you can access in LAX. I would definitely arrive early to enjoy the amenities available before your next eligible flight from LAX.
While no lounge is perfect, I only have minor complaints about the Polaris lounge Los Angeles including the more limited buffet (compared to other Polaris lounges), some of the airport views are obstructed, and the small TV at the bar.
