A number of weeks in the past, I wrote about how Virgin Atlantic has plans to open a brand new Clubhouse in america. On the time, this was based mostly on paperwork filed with the airport. Properly, the SkyTeam airline has now formally introduced these plans, so we’ve extra particulars.
Fundamentals of the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX TBIT
There are plans for a Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse to open at Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX). The 4,401 sq. foot lounge will likely be positioned in Tom Bradley Worldwide Terminal (TBIT), on degree six. Particularly, Virgin Atlantic will take over the house of the previous Etihad Lounge, which closed in the course of the pandemic, when Etihad discontinued flights to the airport.
We first came upon about this because of a Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) Board of Airport Commissioners assembly, which permitted these plans. For these curious in regards to the economics, Virgin Atlantic should spend round $2 million to refurbish the prevailing lounge house, at which level the lease will begin. The airline pays round $1.2 million per 12 months in lease, with an preliminary 5 12 months contract that may be prolonged by one other 5 years.
Virgin Atlantic states that the brand new Clubhouse will likely be opening in Q1 2025, although we don’t have any extra actual timeline particulars past that.
The lounge will function signature Virgin Atlantic touches, together with an expansive bar and social space with desk service for eating. There will even be a VIP Sales space dubbed “The Royal Field,” and versatile seating areas during which to work, dine, or join.
The lounge will even function Los Angeles particular art work, in addition to temper lighting, to provide visitors a style of the California sundown as they wind down. Different facilities will embody showers and altering amenities.
In relation to accessing the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX, the lounge will likely be open to the next passengers:
- Passengers touring in Higher Class on Virgin Atlantic, with the power to carry a visitor
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership Gold members touring internationally with Virgin Atlantic or Delta, with the power to carry a visitor
- Delta One passengers on a Delta worldwide flight
- SkyTeam Elite Plus members touring on Virgin Atlantic or Delta, with the power to carry a visitor
This would be the fourth Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse location in america, complementing places in New York (JFK), San Francisco (SFO), and Washington (IAD). Curiously, there was really a Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in Los Angeles again within the day, in Terminal 2. It opened in 2015, and closed in 2021, with plans to change into a part of an growth of the adjoining Delta Sky Membership.
Virgin Atlantic at the moment sends its premium passengers at LAX to the Star Alliance Lounge. A Delta One Lounge can be anticipated to open on the airport in late 2024, although that will likely be in Terminal 3 (which is a special terminal, nevertheless it’s linked airside).
My tackle the brand new Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX
I’m excited to listen to in regards to the new Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX, and have a couple of ideas.
For one, extra lounge capability is at all times factor, given how chronically overcrowded airport lounges are. That’s very true at LAX TBIT, since so many passengers are eligible for lounge entry. This lounge house has been sitting empty for a couple of years, so I’m blissful to see that there are plans for it as soon as once more.
Second, whereas the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX will probably be restricted to eligible premium passengers forward of Virgin Atlantic departures, I’d guess that this lounge will likely be open to Precedence Move members over different hours, as that’s the case with different Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse places in america. So this could add a a lot wanted Precedence Move choice within the terminal.
Lastly, Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses usually have a terrific comfortable product, with a la carte eating and nice cocktails. Nonetheless, let me simply acknowledge that the precise house the lounge is taking up leaves fairly a bit to be desired. It’s not a really huge lounge, and it lacks views. So I’m positive some Virgin Atlantic clients will miss gaining access to the Star Alliance Lounge, which at the very least has a terrace, is spacious, and has apron views.
Backside line
A Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse is predicted to open at LAX, in Tom Bradley Worldwide Terminal. Virgin Atlantic will likely be taking up the house of the previous Etihad Lounge, which is roughly 4,400 sq. ft, and on degree six. The brand new house is predicted to open in early 2025, and we now have a way of what to anticipate.
I’m blissful to see Virgin Atlantic making a lounge comeback at LAX, after the provider closed its earlier lounge a couple of years in the past.
What do you make of plans for the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX?
