Market Data 
Virgin Atlantic is set to open its newest Clubhouse this Friday at Los Angeles International Airport, and the luxurious vibe and unique amenities like a private workout space showed what attracts premium business travelers to the airline.
On Wednesday, Business Insider got an early look at the airport lounge, which marks the sixth Clubhouse for the British airline, with other locations in New York, Washington, DC, and the flagship at London Heathrow.
Cofounded by English business tycoon Richard Branson, Virgin is a smaller airline known in part for its Upper Class offering — essentially its version of first class. Upper Class also grants access to the Clubhouses. The LAX Clubhouse can also be used by Virgin’s Flying Club Gold members and Delta One passengers flying internationally.
While some airline lounges feel almost interchangeable — you wouldn’t know what airline it belonged to, let alone what city you were in, without the sign on the front — Virgin’s LAX Clubhouse had the brand’s signature moody, upscale vibe and plenty of LA-specific details sprinkled in.
When you walk in, you’re met by a space that looks much more like a trendy LA restaurant than an airport lounge. There’s a U-shaped bar centering the space, along with velvet armchairs at the dining tables and throughout the lounge areas. Lara Fleat, Virgin’s design manager, said the space was designed to encourage connection between passengers and staff, like the communal high-top seating.
Glen Nielsen, Virgin’s regional manager of Clubhouse experience for North America, said the LAX location was the first time the brand really leaned into capturing the essence of the location.
For Los Angeles, that means a focus on health and wellness, along with some Hollywood-style luxury. The menu at the Clubhouse, which can be ordered via table service throughout the space or on your phone, includes California-esque fare like poke and fish tacos. There’s also a self-serve station with items like a Mediterranean quinoa salad or hummus and veggies.
To the right of the bar area is a lounge that almost looks like a home theater, with comfy seats facing a large screen and Bluetooth headsets available to anyone who wants to tune in to whatever is on — a big tennis tournament or a Hollywood awards show, for example.
The area is littered with subtle shoutouts to LA, from the red carpet to the riffs on iconic movie quotes etched onto side tables, like “We’ll have what she’s having” and “You had us at hello.”
There are also private spaces adding to the upscale, exclusive feel. One semi-private lounge space is reserved for VIPs — which could mean a celebrity or one of Virgin’s Top 200 flyers — and can be booked in advance. It comes with its own secret menu that includes a fancy champagne cocktail served with a bubble on top that pops and releases smoke.
Nielsen said that when designing the space they looked at what wasn’t working in their existing lounges and found customers, many of whom are corporate travelers, wanted two things: more power and more business areas. In LA, there are several closed-off work pods, almost like fancy phone booths with a chair and desk, where business travelers can hop in to take meetings with some privacy. There are also outlets and wireless charging docks throughout the lounge.
But perhaps one of the more unique features of the Clubhouse was a first-come, first-serve private room called the “Zen Den.” The small space is equipped with weights and a large mirror that includes a screen featuring virtual workout or meditation classes led by Forme Studio. The small space also has a full vanity, with room to change after a shower in the lounger or to wind down in privacy before a long-haul flight.
“We really thought hard about what people are doing before a ten-hour flight,” Fleat said.
All in all, the interior of the Virgin Clubhouse felt like a world away from the rest of LAX.
