Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Lounge Opens at LAX—Here’s What It’s Like Inside

Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic just opened its Clubhouse lounge in the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and as the only airline with a founder who has a star on the Walk of Fame, it’s fully leaning into its Hollywood image.

From the red carpet entry to the Ruby Room cinema, where guests can select a velvet seat and a film to watch via Bluetooth headset, the vibe is every bit A-list. Beyond the cinema lies The Royal Box, a small space for VIPs with mood lighting and a secret menu. Even the work stations are decked out with records and memorabilia reminiscent of Virgin Records’ star-studded recording studios.

“LA is really special to us; we consider it like a second home,” Corneel Koster, Virgin’s chief customer and operating officer, told Travel + Leisure at the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, pointing out that the airline launched its first LA route 35 years ago. “This new LA clubhouse is very much an homage to the City of Angels.”

There’s a very LA-friendly focus on wellness, which is best experienced in the Zen Den, a room where Branson himself greets guests on a Forme Studio smart fitness mirror. A menu of short exercises, stretches, and guided meditations to target “mind, body, and spirit” aim to put guests in the optimal headspace for a relaxing journey, and weights, blocks, and yoga mats are available for the assist. For those who make time for a post-workout and pre-flight shower, herbal products from LA’s own Flamingo Estate await.

Related: Virgin Atlantic Just Released Round-trip Europe Flights For As Low As $390

With overnight flights between LAX and London Heathrow Airport (LHR) in mind, the lounge lighting shifts throughout the day to help adjust travelers’ circadian rhythms, and the bar’s ceiling displays the rich colors of a California sunset each evening, right on cue.

In another nod to Hollywood, actor Alan Cumming narrates a bedtime story to help travelers relax. “I feel honored and agog at the idea of lending my voice to a story that will soothe and delight passengers as they’re sipping a cocktail or a cuppa, tucking themselves in and being lulled to dreamland in the skies on Virgin Atlantic flights going all over the world,” the actor said in a release, adding that his favorite place to sleep is onboard a long-haul flight and his travel drink of choice is a vodka martini.

Of course, the lounge has a signature drink of its own, the Twisted Angel, a gin and Aperol concoction which, like most of the space, is “unapologetically red,” as Koster put it. There are also inventive non-alcoholic beverages on the menu, including cans of Trip, a British brand of magnesium and botanical-infused drinks meant to calm and relax.

London-favorite items on the food menu include fish and chips and chicken tikka masala, served beside LA specials such as a California roll, tofu pho, tuna poke bowl, and California fig salad. Food and drink can be ordered via QR code and delivered to guests in any seat in the house.

In addition to those flying Virgin Atlantic upper class and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club gold tier members, Delta One travelers flying international can access the lounge. Guests are also able to use the exclusive Delta One check-in area at terminal 3 arrivals, which includes concierge check-in service and expedited security—perhaps the most celeb-worthy perk of all.