New LAX Tom Bradley International Terminal

I recently took a trip to Southeast Asia for a conference and flew out of the new Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) at LAX. I've seen pictures online and saw the news coverage when it opened, but somewhere in me either I didn't believe the hype or something. Boy was I pleasantly surprised. The old TBIT structure still exists and you still go through the horrible security, then through the old halls and into greatness once you enter the new building. I have access to the Star Alliance Lounge so I went there first. It is a few levels up and this was the view before entering.

This is the view of the lounge just outside its entrance. It is a really nice facility that has a really open feeling. This is the "outdoor" part, but there really is an outside patio too. I don't really like taking photos of airline lounges because I feel weird especially when it is packed with people, and this time it was pretty full. So I don't have any pictures of the inside of the lounge, but it is quite nice and rivals some of the nicer ones I've been to in Asia.

This is the view from the actual outdoor patio. They have music playing and it really has the feeling of a rooftop bar or restaurant except that I was the only person out there. The old TBIT building is visible here and eventually will be removed because there are already gates built right behind it that connect to the new part.

After some breakfast pastries and coffee I wanted to walk around and see the rest of the terminal since I was about to embark on a 20+ hour journey. The atmosphere is so nice and airy. There are a bunch of restaurants and shops, it's like being in a real international airport.

These columns are so cool and they change patterns and pictures every few seconds. They are located on either side of the main hall with food and shops on the way to the gates.

Here's an Asiana 747-400 getting ready to go back to Seoul. This gate is located at the very south end of the terminal.

This Korean Air A380-800 is also getting ready to go back to Seoul. It was parked at a gate that was more near the center of the terminal. Just about every gate on that side can hold an A380.

I can't wait to fly out of this terminal again, and I think I would now go out of my way to choose an airline that flies out of this terminal at LAX.