What Is It Like to Fly Through the PS Private Terminal at LAX

There’s no faster way to kill the holiday spirit than to transit through a swamped LAX terminal during the December travel rush. So I was thrilled to have the chance to avoid the chaotic airport environment altogether ahead of my most recent travels: a bleisure trip with my family to The Brando, Marlon Brando’s storied private atoll of Tetiaroa in the islands of Tahiti.

To kick off my trip in the luxurious style befitting this bucket-list adventure, I traveled with my family through the PS private terminal at LAX.

Photo: Courtesy of PS

For the uninitiated, this is a privately operated terminal consisting of tricked-out private suites and a private security screening area, so travelers can board commercial flights from LAX without the indignities and inconveniences associated with the traditional airport environment. Here’s what it’s like to transit through the PS private terminal.

Check-In

I arrived with my family by Uber Black about three hours before our scheduled flight time (enough time to have a meal and enjoy the offerings). The team whisked our rolling luggage away on a bell cart.

Photo: Courtesy of Alesandra Dubin

An attendant walked us to our private suite, similar to a five-star hotel suite but without a bed. From our suite, we handed over our passports to the staff, who handled our check-in and bag-check seamlessly without needing us to interact directly with an airline representative.

Photo: Courtesy of Alesandra Dubin

We made ourselves comfortable in the well-appointed space, which features an oversized marble bathroom, wet bar, ample room for lounging, and a massive picture window offering dead-on views of aircraft in motion. Shortly after we got settled, our suite attendant visited to return our passports and boarding passes.

Food & Beverage

Ahead of our midnight departure, it was time for a late dinner. We ordered from the menu: hanger steak with asparagus puree for my husband, a pasta Cacio e Pepe for me, and avocado toasts for the kids, plus a charcuterie share plate to start.

Photo: Courtesy of Alesandra Dubin

Kicking off the meal was the PS signature offering: flutes of bubbly alongside private-labeled caviar service. All dishes were tasty, satisfying, and elegantly presented.

Photo: Courtesy of Alesandra Dubin

We ended the meal with coconut panna cotta with lychee and yuzu, plus an array of fresh-baked cookies for dessert. (Food and beverages are included in the suite price; I only signed the tab to add gratuity.)

Amenities

PS is like a five-star hotel with impeccable service; they have thought of everything when it comes to amenities. Each time I travel through, I make sure to take advantage of all the included extras. I always appreciate it later when I inevitably need these additional items during my trip.

Photo: Courtesy of Alesandra Dubin

In the large marble bathroom, scented with a glowing candle, the cabinets contained a variety of toiletries and products for personal comfort, including OTC medicines, a brush and comb, and hand sanitizer from the high-end brand Touchland.

Photo: Courtesy of Alesandra Dubin

In the lounge area and throughout the suite, there was a selection of products available for guests to take. This included items such as eye masks, neck pillows, an international power adapter, and a considerate assortment of cables for Apple products, including chargers and a headphone splitter.

Photo: Courtesy of Alesandra Dubin

On the bar and in the fridge underneath were a wide selection of drinks and alcoholic beverages — meant to be consumed on-site. As well the bar held an array of artisanal dry snacks and fruits alongside a box labeled “Plane Snacks,” which encouraged guests to take their selection of goodies to go.

We even grabbed a couple of extra goodies for the kids, which were available on request from the menu: a pair of airplane-themed activity books and a portable card game.

Departure

After a long day, my family started to fade as we got close to the midnight departure time, and our flight was delayed by about an hour. The PS team kept us abreast of any updates to our flight schedule while dozing off comfortably in armchairs and daybeds.

At last, it was time to board. The team visited our suite to collect our belongings and take us directly to the private check-in room, where we were the only travelers.

Photo: Courtesy of Alesandra Dubin

A screener quickly scanned our bags, which the attendant collected and placed in the Chevy Suburban that would take us via private-access roads on a few-minute drive that would deliver us directly on the tarmac.

From there, the team took us upstairs by elevator to meet the rest of the passengers on our Air France commercial flight to Tahiti (PPT).

Verdict

Transiting through PS at LAX in the midst of high season is a suitably private, discrete, and ultra-luxurious kickoff for our celebrity-favorite destination ahead.