At last, an LAX lounge for the little people

[Click here for a photo tour of the new ReLAX lounge]

Rejoice, coach passengers. The sleek, comfy ReLAX Lounge, which I toured on opening day, Dec. 4, at Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX, offers some sorely needed perks — at a price, of course. For $25, or half the typical cost of a one-day pass at airline lounges, you can pretend you’re a pampered premium-class flier.

This fee buys you three hours of free WiFi, Internet, beverages, snacks, fresh fruit, big-screen TV viewing and more. Through nearly floor-to-ceiling windows, you can gawk at jets taxiing between runways and, often, giant Airbus A380s, which park outside during turnarounds. The upholstered armchairs, many covered in white leather, are divine. (Alas, no couches.)

Is it worth it? If you’re a heavy Internet user or a long-haul passenger with a hefty layover, I’d say yes. Just don’t count on the free food, which is pretty basic, for dinner. Here’s a scorecard:

The pluses: Anyone, from any LAX terminal, can use the lounge. You get a light-filled, spacious 4,200 square feet of comfortable seating (for 130 people) and chic styling. Also included are 10 Internet stations, several charging stations and machines for photocopying and faxing (free for domestic sends).

At LAX, where Internet kiosks charge 25 cents a minute, or $15 an hour, free Web access is a big plus. WiFi is less so since it costs only $9.95 for 24 hours in the rest of the airport.

Nonalcoholic beverages and snacks are free. The coffee is decent, for machine coffee.

A nice luxury: For $1 per minute, you can buy massages in massage chairs. Because the lounge is outside security, friends and family can join you if they pay the $25 fee.

The minuses: For a real meal, you need to buy food, expected to be available soon, or bring in your own from home or other airport concessions. Prices will be reasonable. Much of it is standard airport fare, such as sandwiches and salads. But bento boxes are made locally, and at $10 for a salmon box, they’re a good deal.

No alcohol is served, although it may be in the future. The lounge’s operator, Airport Terminal Management in Inglewood, is working on a liquor permit to sell beer and wine, said marketing director Walter Vergara.

Customer feedback: “Very stylish,” said Brian Avery (above), a schoolteacher from Brisbane, Australia, who was the lounge’s first customer. On a lengthy layover en route to Mexico City, Avery said the lounge was worth the money. “By the time you get a coffee and a nibble and the Internet, it’s a good value, ” he said.

The 411: Look for the lounge next to the Daily Grill on the mezzanine level of the Tom Bradley terminal, It cost $25 for three hours; children may be less. (Details are being worked out.) Although you may hear you must be 21 to enter, that won’t be so until the lounge gets its liquor permit, which could take months. Open daily 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. (310) 590-7581; or visit the website.

— Jane Engle, assistant Los Angeles Times Travel editor

[Photos: Jane Engle]

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This entry was posted on Thursday, December 4, 2008 at 5:51 pm by Jane Engle and is filed under Airline travel, Business Travel, California, Frequent Flier, Global, Los Angeles, Luxury Travel, News, Tips & Advice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.