We recently saw the opening of the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Los Angeles (LAX), which is the sixth lounge in the carrier’s network, and the fourth in the United States. Initially, the lounge wasn’t part of Priority Pass. That has changed, though with a major catch.
In this post:
Virgin Atlantic lounge LAX open to Priority Pass with top-off fee
The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX has joined the Priority Pass lounge network. Currently, access through Priority Pass is available between 8AM and 5PM, and between 8PM and 11PM. Access to the lounge is permitted up to three hours before scheduled departure.
This is the only Priority Pass lounge at LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal, so I imagine this will be popular with travelers. There’s a catch, though — in addition to needing a Priority Pass membership to access the lounge, you also have to pay a $35 per person top-off fee, payable directly to the lounge at the time of entry.
Interestingly, this is the first Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in the United States to charge a top-off fee for access through Priority Pass. However, there’s a positive aspect to this. Thanks to this top-off fee, those visiting the lounge through Priority Pass get access to all the typical lounge amenities, including a la carte dining, cocktails, and access to the cinema lounge, private work pods, and the wellness-focused Zen Den.
What do we make of this top-off fee policy?
All the other Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses in the United States belong to Priority Pass, though:
- Hours are extremely limited, and don’t at all overlap with when Virgin Atlantic flights depart
- The lounges are basically just a quiet place to sit, with a very limited selection of complimentary food and drinks (take a look at my recent review of the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Dulles)
In other words, Virgin Atlantic approaches these lounges differently depending on whether you’re accessing through Priority Pass, or through an airline ticket. In terms of maximizing revenue, that’s not an unreasonable approach to take, especially since Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses can be pretty great, in terms of the food and drinks. I wonder if this policy is intended to be specific to LAX, or if Virgin Atlantic and Priority Pass are testing the waters, and thinking of expanding this.
I’m sure people will have varying takes on this. Would you rather have access to a lounge through Priority Pass with no fee and a really lackluster selection of food and drinks, or would you rather pay $35, and get a proper meal, cocktails, etc.?
I imagine that perspectives on this will vary considerably. For me, I think it really depends on circumstances. In the morning, I just value a quiet place to sit and have a cup of coffee. Meanwhile in the evening, I’d gladly pay $35 for a proper meal and cocktail, since that’s less than you’ll pay for anything decent in the terminal.
However, since we’re talking about LAX and there aren’t many Priority Pass options, really the question just comes down to whether or not you’re willing to pay $35 for lounge access.
Bottom line
The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX has joined Priority Pass over select hours. However, unlike other Clubhouses in the United States, this lounge requires a top-off fee of $35. The good news is that guests will then get access to all the lounge’s amenities, including a la carte dining and cocktails.
What do you make of this unique Priority Pass addition?
I may be in the minority (along with/Ben), but I think this is great! VS lounges are some of my all-time favorites, but when my primary carrier (AS) joined one world, I started flying BA / AA / IB across the Atlantic rather than VS. Yes, I would gladly pay the $35. (Granted, I generally don't fly internationally out of LAX, so it's not going to cost me the $35 on multiple occasions.)
Now,...
I may be in the minority (along with/Ben), but I think this is great! VS lounges are some of my all-time favorites, but when my primary carrier (AS) joined one world, I started flying BA / AA / IB across the Atlantic rather than VS. Yes, I would gladly pay the $35. (Granted, I generally don't fly internationally out of LAX, so it's not going to cost me the $35 on multiple occasions.)
Now, it WOULD BE the start of something horrible, as @Mark suggests, if Priority Pass members had to pay an entrance fee and continued to receive only partial benefits. But as it is? Awesome.
This VS Clubhouse was not part of PP, so nothing is being taken away. This is an extra option to use a lounge not previously available. So there is no downside to PP members. Don't use if you think the value is not there. Last week at the LAX terminal I paid $32 for a breakfast consisting of powdered eggs, a frozen sausage patty and "from concentrate" OJ, before taxes and the automatic 20%, served...
This VS Clubhouse was not part of PP, so nothing is being taken away. This is an extra option to use a lounge not previously available. So there is no downside to PP members. Don't use if you think the value is not there. Last week at the LAX terminal I paid $32 for a breakfast consisting of powdered eggs, a frozen sausage patty and "from concentrate" OJ, before taxes and the automatic 20%, served on a paper plate with plastic fork and knife. The VS Clubhouse is an welcomed upgrade to the terrible and overpriced LAX terminal food options.
I agree that $35 is somewhat of a high starting point for a supplementary charge. However, it should be noted that nearly everyone reading this blog is getting their Priority Pass membership for free via a premium credit card affiliation.
LAX charges $18 for a breakfast sandwich, and pretty much all the sit down restaurants charge a mandatory 20% service charge. I’d gladly pay $35 to avoid the obscene money grab in the terminals.
So if VS lounge call it a $35 service charge.
Would you avoid this "obscene money grab" in the lounge?
Pret a Manger in TBIT is $11.20, as of last week. I'd rather spend that than $35.
Agree with many. Slippery slope.
And $35 copay sounds like a high starting point.
First they came for the restaurants and I didn't care because my airports have no restaurants I can use.
Then they came for the reservation fee, and I didn't speak out because I didn't need to use those lounges.
Then they came for a $35 charge, and I didn't care because I'm not using VS lounges.
Then they came for every Priority Pass visits and there is no one left to speak for us.
You are right! Lets speak up. I am flying to LA to protest outside of the VA lounge. Who is with me?
The deliberation for me is this vs the airline lounges in TBIT (*A, OW), which I almost always have access to when flying out of TBIT.
This is the start of something terrible. Soon we will have many PP lounges charging additional fees
I hope not. I suspect this is a supply-and-demand problem - LAX is just a Priority Pass desert and VS is here to hit you in the kidneys because of that scarcity.
This lounge is also quite small (it can only handle around 75 passengers), and with it being the only Priority Pass lounge in TBIT, I think that this is a good concept for me personally.
I'll gladly pay for it to try it out next time. Probably won't pay for it everytime, but if I'm looking for a good meal with excellent staff, I think its worth it! Otherwise I would just go to the Centurion lounge.
I'd pay $35 in a heartbeat to get into that lounge with the cocktails and a-la-carte food included. Cheaper than food and drink at one of the bars in the terminal.
I'm actually quite pro this. Priority pass lounges are absolute zoos. I'd happily pay to avoid the overcrowding and race to the bottom in terms of lounge provision
Curious how they will enforce having the PP guests out in time for the Virgin departures (ie will they have to vacate at 5pm?)
Overall I’m not so happy about this as a Virgin traveler.
Hey, Ben. Now that *select* SkyTeam lounges allow access to non-US elite members on domestic itineraries, what's your sense that this lounge (and Korean Air) might be added to the list? Separately, any update on the Chase Sapphire Lounge at LAX? Thanks.
@ Jack -- Since no Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses have been added to the list for domestic lounge access, I suspect that was a deliberate decision. Same for Korean Air. Of course that could evolve over time.
Sadly I haven't heard anything new about the Chase Sapphire Lounge LAX, but as soon as I do, I'll report back!
Thanks. I think the initial SkyTeam announcement said that they hope to expand the number of lounges. I did try the Air France lounge in the mid-field concourse -- "okay" at best and not worth the walk. I'll stick with the Delta lounge, which is far nicer.
It feels like the bigger question is what quality controls PP is going to have in place around this, and if PP membership is just going to devolve into an opportunity to pay further to enter a lounge.
@ Bgriff -- Indeed, that's the slippery slope here...
There are already a number of Colinson (parent company of PP) run lounges that charge roughly $10 to “reserve” a spot at lounges that often have a waitlist. And Plaza Premium has a “F” lounge at HKG that imposes a surcharge for PP. So I can definitely see this expanding…
That's a fair question. One difference worth noting is that this lounge comes with a la carte dining, which is more than the typical lounge. Would someone pay $35 to access the Qantas First Class Lounge or AA's Flagship First Dining? Some would say yes and others would say no.
Thanks for the scoop!
Guests allowed?
$35 per membership or per person?
@ Beachfan -- The fee is $35 per person, and guests are allowed, up to what's allowed by the Priority Pass membership type.
Ugh, I hope they restrict Priority Pass customers during high capacity times.
This isn't the biggest lounge out there and really should be there for all the VS Gold and Upper Class customers to use.
I'll probably anyways be using the D1 lounge mostly, but will check it out next month to see if the drinks or food are worth it.