Lounges.... Admirals Club - LAX

This is by far one of my favorite clubs... of course, my opinion is biased, since I'm a member, right??

First, the floor to ceiling windows overlooks one of the best views available -- the alley between AA's terminal and the Bradley terminal. There's nothing quite as enjoyable as sipping a Diet Coke while watching a QF 747 load next to an Eva 777-300ER...

Second, it's in LAX, which is quickly becoming my preferred international gateway... Don't get me wrong -- I like going thru ORD, and am really looking forward to the prospect of finally being able to connect to LHR via DFW, but LAX is a better place to depart and arrive. If nothing else, there's rarely ever any ATC or weather to contend with...

The variety of snacks was also better here than in other locations. Cheese, crackers, finger sandwiches, cookies, and my favorite, Salty Death Mix.

Free wi-fi is nice, and so are the showers. Kids room? Great idea! They've also got one in the new DFW lounge, so it wasn't a matter of simply converting the former smoking lounge into a game room. The alternative is what I've experienced in Chicago -- kids running all over... Far better to keep them in a closed-in space. And did I mention Salty Death Mix? (named as such because it has about a gazillion grams of sodium and no nutritional value whatsoever... yet I still eat it by the cupfull...)

I'd been a freeloader with the Admirals Club up until last month. Since most of my travel was on full fare business class tickets, admittance to the Club was included.

But when AA announced free wifi, they only provided it to paid members, so I finally bit the bullet and bought a membership. And yes, I confirmed tonight... only one wifi connection can be made per membership number in the same location. So... my guest and spouse weren't able to connect using my number unless I was logged off...

The only downside to the Admirals Club vs. other lounges? Not much. I don't drink much, and rarely do before getting on an aircraft. Being able to get a couple dozen Diet Cokes is usually good enough to me. But the Admirals Club has a cash bar for beer, wine, and cocktails, so if you like to imbibe, your money might be better spent with the Crown Room or another club who has an open bar.