This is one of the highlights of my trip. I had specifically planned a long transit duration to experience the Polaris Lounge in Los Angeles. I have heard so much about the Polaris and the lounge. While you won’t necessarily associate airlines from the US with quality products, the Polaris is a total game changer. I was amazed by the flagship SFO Polaris Lounge of United Airlines in their home hub. The lounge boasts à la carte dining with table service for business class passengers. The LAX facility is smaller than the SFO one but this calibre will still be much better than the Star Alliance Lounge in TBIT. Out of the entire network, the LAX Polaris Lounge is the smallest. I had a 3 hours transit time and certainly went to check it out.

Access Requirements

The lounge is classified as a premium business-class lounge. The access requirements are much stricter than the usual Star Alliance Gold Lounge. Access is available to United Polaris Business Class passengers, Long-haul First Class passengers on a Star Alliance airline with 1 guest, and Long-haul Business Class passengers on a Star Alliance airline. This is akin to the SKL in Singapore Changi Airport. Lounge access is not offered to Star Alliance Gold members, instead, you will be asked to go to the Star Alliance Lounge. The lounge is also offered to arriving guests but only if you are flying in Polaris Business Class. If you arrive on a SQ flight, you will not be able to access it. The lounge is open from 6.30am to 10.30pm daily. It is located in Terminal 7. Terminals in LAX are linked airside. For international flights, do cater more time as TBIT is quite a distance away.

Arrival & Location

The lounge is located in International Terminal 6. It is just a short walk away from Terminal 6 where my flight landed. It is at the far end. Only come here if you have sufficient time to do so. From here it will be quite a walk to TBIT. It is a good 30 minutes away. The Polaris Lounge can be found one level above the main terminal. I was warmly welcomed by the lounge attendant. I love the decor and how bright the place is. The lounge was quiet at this hour.

United Polaris Lounge LAX

This is the smallest lounge out of the Polaris network. You can find various types of seating all around the lounge. I love that the lounge comes with plenty of tarmac views. The huge window panels allow for plenty of natural light. There are these relaxing lounges in the centre of the lounge.

For those who want more privacy, those solo cubicle types of seats are available here too. These are great for both eating and working. They come with a relaxing couch, a side table and light.

Along those huge window panels, there are armchairs. These are perfect to lounge at if you prefer to soak in the views. What an amazing spot with a flute of champagne in hand.

The bar forms the centrepiece of the lounge. This will be the socialising spot. It is gorgeous and comes with plenty of high-top seating. They have a huge drinks menu on offer. I will share more about this later on.

Towards the right side of the lounge is the refreshment area. This is where you can find the buffet line up in a circular configuration as well as the dining room. I will share more about this later.

Quiet Suites

The lounge also comes with Quiet Suites or sleeping pods. They have a total of 2 suites. This is less than the SFO lounge. I did not get the chance to take a look at the lounge. Below is a picture from the SFO facility. Each of them comes with a daybed or reclining chair and a side table with a bottle of water. It is a good spot if you want to take a nap while waiting for your flight. Saks Fifth Avenue amenities are also available for guests’ enjoyment upon request.

Toilets and Showers

The Polaris toilets and showers are always kept in tip-top condition. I love that they are in individual rooms.

The shower suites are very spacious. This is available on a first come first serve basis. You might have to wait here. Additional amenities such as a Curling iron, Dental kit, Deodorant, Duvet, Hair dryer, Hair straightener, Sewing Kit, Shower cap and Vanity Kit are available upon request. I was a little puzzled as to why a hairdryer isn’t made permanent in the shower suites. The shower suites are lovely. I love the look of the place. It comes with a spacious luggage area, a toilet as well as a huge standing shower. It comes with both a rainforest shower head and a wall-mounted one. Water pressure and temperature control are excellent. I did wish that they had a handheld showerhead. That will make more sense and a lot more convenient. The Sunday Riley amenities are lovely. I enjoyed a nice shower before my long-haul flight.

Food and Drinks

This is one of the most outstanding aspects of the lounge. Can you imagine a la carte dining with a business-class lounge? Yes, you have it here! The main food and drink selections are on the right side of the lounge after the bar. There is also a small buffet selection for those who want a quicker bite. It is in a circular layout. There is a nice selection of hot dishes, salad bars, fruits, pastries and continental selections. The selection is not very good. I will let the pictures do the rest of the speaking. This will be a great grab-and-go spot if you’re in a rush since you need at least 45 minutes to dine in the dining room.

The dining room is where guests can enjoy table service and ala carte dining. This is awesome! I would come here early to enjoy a proper meal. This is super popular and be prepared to wait during peak times. Do come here once you arrive to put down your name. The place was empty when I arrived in the afternoon. It has less than 20 tables and could probably fit about 30 at a go.

Breakfast is served from morning till 11am. Lunch and dinner menu is offered from 11am till the rest of the day. You can check out the menu here.

Full restaurant service is offered here. I start the meal with a glass of champagne. They serve a very respectable Lanson brut. I got the Fish & Chips and Polaris Signature Burger.

To finish up the meal, I had the Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie and Blackberry Cobbler.

The food is quite disappointing. It is not up to the standard of what I expected and far from the delight of the SFO lounge. Perhaps, at the time of my visit, a lot of items were simply reheated. The fish and chips were stale. The cookie was excellent and the best. Drinks options are excellent and the menu is the same as the SFO lounge.

Conclusion

This is the lounge to be if you are departing from LAX on a Star Alliance flight. United Polaris Lounges are one of the best out there. Having ala carte dining in a business class lounge is a game changer. However, the lounge might not be that convenient for international flight passengers since most of them depart from TBIT which will be a 20-minute trek at the very least. I did feel that the food quality was not as good as the ones in the SFO! This is still by far the best Star Alliance facility here. Do check it out if you have additional time.