United Airlines Polaris Los Angeles lounge opens

United Airlines has opened a new Polaris style lounge at Los Angeles Airport. It has a dining room with waiter service and a great bar, showers and daybeds.

The new United Airlines Business Class lounge at Los Angeles is now fully open. At some 1,200 square yards it isn't overly large, and it only seats 140 passengers, however it boast some features which are novel, at least for US style Business Class lounges, with at seat dining.

The Polaris lounge itself sits on the terminal's upper floor, above the food court, on the location of the previous First Class lounge (above gates 72 and 73). It has a superb view, with floor to ceiling windows, ideal for viewing the sunset in the evenings.

The centre of the lounge has a rotunda, with a buffet and dining room on one side, and a large seating area with a bar on the other.

However it is the a la carte menu and waiter service dining which makes this lounge stand out above the rest. There are only eight tables in the dining room, but ten more have been added in the lobby to ensure there is enough space for every passenger.

The menus include the normal Polaris burger, plus fish and chips, tacos and churros.

If you're in a hurry there is also a buffet, with small bowls, deli meats, and a large number of deserts.

The bar is great, with plenty of seats at the bar, draft beer, and a cocktail menu. The wine list highlights Californian wineries. There are walls of wine in a display cabinet too, giving a distinctly upmarket feel.

If you need to work, there are 12 Polaris workspace chairs, similar to the Cathay Pacific Solarus chairs, and a design touch now also adopted by Singapore Airlines. The Polaris chairs have a reading light, power socket, and a comfy chair.

The lounge has very fast free wifi. Every seat in the main part of the lounge has two mains power sockets (but US style only) plus two USB ports. In total there are 272 power outlets and 120 USB ports.

To keep noise down, there are two private telephone booths too, with a desk and chair.

Further around, six showers have Cowshed shower products and Saks Fifth Avenue towelling, and feature rainfall showers. For a long stopover, there are two 'Quiet Suite' nap rooms.

Access to the Los Angeles Polaris lounge is only granted if you are on a long haul flight in Business Class with United or a Star Alliance airline. Long haul excludes Canada, Mexico, Central America.

Economy class United passengers only get access to the recently revamped United Club in Terminal 7.

It's quite a trek from the main Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) where most long haul Star Alliance airlines leave from, but it possible to walk there via the underground walkway link.