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An 18,000+ point Delta Mileage Run: The planning of the MEGADelta run – Part 1
An 18,000+ point Delta Mileage Run: Positioning to LAX the start city – Part 2
An 18,000+ point Delta Mileage Run: A review of the SPG Sheraton LAX – Part 3
An 18,000+ point Delta Mileage Run: Skyteam Lounge hopping in LAX – Korean Air lounge LAX & more? – Part 4
An 18,000+ point Delta Mileage Run: The run to Sweden & embracing Delta coach travel – Part 5
An 18,000+ point Delta Mileage Run: The KLM coach experience & the run from Sweden – Part 6
An 18,000+ point Delta Mileage Run: Alaska Boardroom LAX vs Delta Skyclub & flight from LAX home – Part 7
An 18,000+ point Delta Mileage Run: Final thoughts, cost & more – Part 8
They say when life gives you lemons you make lemonade. Well when life gives you many hours before a mileage run from LAX, and any part of your itinerary includes an international flight and you are a GM+, why not make an adventure and go lounge hopping at the Tom Bradley International Terminal.
I was surprised to find out there is no TSA PreCheck at this brand spankin’ new terminal (they are still working on it btw). I reached out to my TSA rep and was told they would like to see it there but the airlines flying from the terminal have chosen not to participate. I was told, after 12 each day, they do offer “Managed Inclusion“. Not perfect but better.
Lars-Erik and my first stop, or attempted stop I should say, was the LAXSUL lounge since it was clearly listed as a Skyteam lounge (as you can see from the screen shot below – if they ever update the website). The directions said it was on the 4th floor. It is not; it is on the 6th floor right above the Korean Lounge on the 5th floor.
Unfortunately we were denied entry and were told it is NO part of Skyteam and not a member lounge and we had to leave (they would not even let me pop in for a few quick photos – humf!)!
I then reached out to Delta via twitter and was told the information on the Skyteam website was wrong (and not just about the location). Honestly looking in from the walkway we did not miss much other than the fact that it opened up well before the Korean one.
Since we had some time to kill before the Korean lounge opened (and I did not have Star GOLD status to get into that lounge on the same floor – oopsee) we took the time to goof off and admire the amazing video displays in the terminal. They really were/are stunning as you can see from the opening video in this post! Make time to just gaze at them from the 5th floor straight on – it is just kool!
Then the Korean lounge finally opened up and they said, get this, we cannot come in. Really – it does say Delta on the Skyteam sign you just put out? The rep told us we had to go to the Delta lounge. Now keep in mind both Lars-Erik and I are Skyteam elite+ members on a same day international flight, so…. YES we should be able to use this Skyteam lounge. The rep at last relented when we pressed her on the rules.
Once in, it is a neat lounge.
Open, and lots of room.
I am sure it fills up around flight time but being the first ones in it was empty.
There are 3 showers to enjoy should you need them.
They were nice sized (some really are not).
Food wise there was a good variety of choices and a solid step up above the Skyclubs offers. If you want to graze at the buffet, this is a better choice than the Skyclub (just bank enough time to get over to the Delta concourse).
There is also a very nice “outside” patio.
I say outside as it is outside the lounge but still inside the terminal but gives you a nice view!
Speaking of that it was about time to trundle over to T5. We were advised taking the shuttle would take longer than walking; walking would take about 7 minutes. This is exactly what it took. I guess if it is pouring rain or 110 out then shuttle but if not just walk it as we did.
For comparison we did pop into the Skyclub and the new and “enhanced” breakfast SkyGrub was laid out and being enjoyed by club members ( I was full still from the Sheraton & Korean fare)!
As we sat in the club I nervously was checking the Fly Delta App as I was bouncing between scoring an upgrade and missing by one – gosh I hate missing by one. But more on that later as I cover the run itself! – René
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That Korean Lounge is the same one we got to use when flying China Eastern to Shanghai in March. Agree it is quite nice, as us the terminal. All the public space is immense and the restaurants are fantastic.
Sorry I’m a little confused…. your flight was out of T5 but somehow you managed to clear security at TBIT so you could try out the Korean Air lounge? I’m surprised they let you through security at TBIT. Did you have any issues leaving the secure area of TBIT and how long did it take to clear security at T5?
@Atif – when you have a boarding pass you can go through security to any concourse not just the one your jet leaves from. I have TSA PreCheck so cleared T5 in 2 minutes.
Really?! Wow that is news to me! Is this a general TSA rule or is it airport specific? Would this work at JFK too? If you are on a int’l Delta flight out of T2 or T4 can you clear security at T1 to use any of the SkyTeam lounges there (AF/AZ/KE)? (Assuming of course that you are SkyTeam Elite Plus.)
@Atif – Works anywhere.
That happened to me at LOS where the Air France lounge attendants wouldn’t let me in even though the skyteam logo was clearly displayed on their sign. They directed me to the Air Nigeria lounge. Something to do with a contract. No one, not even Delta c/s could explain it to me.sure enough, Nigerian Air let me in. Can you explain it ? How would you know when you are/aren’t allowed into a skyteam lounge?