My PriorityPass membership gave me access to The Loft Virgin America lounge at LAX whilst waiting for my USAirways flight to Philadelphia. Located on the mezzanine the lounge is relatively small but boasts superb views of the runway. The easiest way is to locate the lift or to carry your luggage up the stairs from the gate area.

The agent promptly took my card, swiped it, and asked me to sign their device. The lounge was fairly full with Virgin America passengers. It clears and refills as flights come and go. There were some delays on the day I was there so it was perhaps fuller than normal.

The area is broken in to a couple of different zones, near the windows and away from the windows. The seating is fairly comfortable and alcohol was free from the bar which was manned during my time there.

There is a limited selection of food items (pastries, toast, fruit, yoghurt) which are self service. Oddly the coffee machine is behind the bar so that you have to ask for one.

I mentioned the great runway views and during my 2 hour stay I watched two A380’s land immediately in front of the glass floor-to-ceiling windows.

The room is pretty well ‘designed’ and sometimes it is a little style-over-comfort. For example there are very few electrical outlets near the windows, leading to cables being draped everywhere and creating a trip hazard. However, for a short stay it was a pretty quiet place to be. (There are restrooms within the lounge.)

Terminal 3 is relatively small and very busy as these images testify: