LAX is a hard airport to wander. Its terminals sit in a horseshoe, some are connected airside and some are not, and several lounges are closed or under construction. If you have a long wait before a flight home to the Midwest, knowing which lounge you can actually use in your terminal saves a lot of walking. Here is the picture as of October 2026, based on the lounge operators’ pages and recent reporting.
The main lounges at a glance
| Terminal | Lounge | Main ways in |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Bradley International (TBIT) | Amex Centurion Lounge (6 a.m. to 10 p.m.) | Amex Platinum and Business Platinum, Centurion; Delta Reserve cards on a same-day Delta flight |
| TBIT | Star Alliance, oneworld, Qantas, Korean Air, Emirates, Air France and other airline lounges | Mostly premium-cabin tickets or elite status on that alliance |
| Terminal 2 | Delta One Lounge (temporary, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.) | Delta One and eligible premium international tickets |
| Terminal 3 | Delta One Lounge and Delta Sky Club, near gate 34 | Delta One tickets; Sky Club members, eligible Medallions and Amex cards |
| Terminal 4 | American Admirals Club and Flagship Lounge | Admirals Club members, eligible Citi cards, day pass; Flagship by ticket or top status |
| Terminal 6 | Alaska Lounge, Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge | Alaska Lounge membership, eligible tickets/status, $65 day pass |
| Terminal 7 | United Club and United Polaris Lounge | United Club membership, cards or day pass; Polaris by ticket only |
Credit card lounges
Amex Centurion Lounge (TBIT)
This is the big credit card lounge at LAX. Amex says it is the first left after security in the Tom Bradley International Terminal, open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. You don’t need to fly internationally to use it. Amex says you can walk airside from Terminals 4 through 8 using the connector, and from Terminal 1 through Terminals 2 and 3 on the airside bridge.
Watch the newer rules. Since July 8, 2026, guests must be on the same flight itinerary as the cardholder, and on a layover you can enter only within five hours of your next departure. Guest fees remain $50 per adult and $30 per child for Platinum and Delta Reserve cardholders, unless a Platinum cardholder has spent $75,000 on the card in a calendar year.
Chase Sapphire Lounge (coming, not open)
Chase has a Sapphire Lounge planned in TBIT near gate 148. As of late August 2026, Thrifty Traveler reported no opening date had been announced. One guide had expected it around September 2026, but we found no confirmation that it opened. Don’t count on it for a winter trip until Chase announces it.
Priority Pass
LAX is weak for Priority Pass. The guides we checked list no traditional full-service Priority Pass lounge. The options are Be Relax spas (Terminal 1 and TBIT) and Gameway gaming lounges (Terminals 3 and 6), and coverage of these depends on your card. Amex Platinum’s Priority Pass membership has covered lounges only, not spas or similar spaces, since 2019, so it won’t help here. Guides disagree on whether the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse accepts Priority Pass, so check the app before you go.
Airline lounges
- Delta (Terminals 2 and 3): The original Delta One Lounge opened in Terminal 3 in 2024. A second, temporary Delta One Lounge opened in Terminal 2 on June 30, 2026, in the former Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse space, with a full renovation planned later. Delta One lounges sell no day passes. The Terminal 3 Sky Club is open; the Terminal 2 Sky Club closed in 2024, and Delta plans a new one in 2027. Amex Platinum holders get 10 Sky Club visits a year on a same-day Delta flight (not basic economy), or unlimited after $75,000 in calendar-year spend. Delta’s new Delta One onboard service also launches at LAX first; see our Delta One overhaul post.
- American (Terminal 4): The Admirals Club is in Terminal 4, with a day pass listed at $79 or 7,900 AAdvantage miles. The Flagship Lounge is for eligible premium-cabin tickets and top-tier status. Upgraded Points also lists a temporary Admirals Club in TBIT and one at the regional terminal.
- Alaska (Terminal 6): Alaska sells single-entry passes for $65, valid only at the lounge where you buy them, on a same-day ticket on Alaska, Hawaiian, a oneworld airline or a listed partner, and only when space allows.
- United (Terminal 7): The United Club sells day passes (about $59, according to two guides; check United’s site for the current price). The Polaris Lounge is for eligible international business-class tickets only, with no paid entry.
Practical tips
- Check your terminal before you choose a lounge. Walking from Terminal 7 to TBIT airside is possible but takes time.
- Terminal 5 is being rebuilt, and Upgraded Points reports no lounges there for now.
- Centurion Lounges often limit entry when crowded. Have a backup plan at busy times.
- Hours and access rules at LAX have changed a lot in 2026. Check the lounge’s own page or app on the day you fly.
At LAX, the Centurion Lounge is the strongest card-based lounge option, and Membership Rewards points also transfer to airlines and hotels for the trip itself. You can compare current offers and apply with our American Express referral link.
Disclosure: This is our personal American Express referral link. If you’re approved through it, we may earn referral rewards, at no extra cost to you. You can always apply directly on American Express’s website. See our Advertising & Referral Disclosure.
Our take
If you fly out of LAX a few times a year and don’t have airline status, the Centurion Lounge is the most useful lounge to have access to, because you can reach it airside from most terminals. The new same-flight guest rule makes it less friendly for groups, though, and guest fees add up fast for families.
Priority Pass holders get little at LAX right now, and the Chase Sapphire Lounge still isn’t open. If you’re loyal to one airline, its own lounge in your terminal is often the easier choice. And for a short wait, a quiet gate may beat a crowded lounge.
Sources
- American Express: The Centurion Lounge, LAX
- Lounge Nerd: Centurion Lounge rule changes 2026
- Upgraded Points: Amex Platinum lounge access history
- Upgraded Points: LAX airport lounges
- Supapoints: Every airport lounge at LAX
- One Mile at a Time: Second Delta One Lounge at LAX
- One Mile at a Time: Chase Sapphire Lounge LAX details
- Thrifty Traveler: Chase Sapphire lounges
- Alaska Airlines: Lounge passes
Prices, points rates, schedules and entry rules change often; confirm details with the airline, hotel or organizer before you book. Points Capital is not a financial advisor.
