There’s a difference between “I want to try this gym once” and “I want to bring my workout partner every week.” The first is what a free trial pass is for. The second is what an LA Fitness guest membership actually solves — instead of one three-day window, it’s an ongoing privilege attached to your existing plan that lets you bring the same person back again and again, either as something your tier already includes or as a small add-on if it doesn’t.
If you’ve been paying a guest fee every single time you bring your partner or a friend, there’s a decent chance you’re overpaying for something your membership could just include outright.
So What Is It, Exactly?
Guest membership isn’t a plan on its own. It rides on top of whatever membership you already have. Depending on your tier, one of three things is true:
- Your plan already includes it, no extra charge (this is common on Premier Multi-Region plans)
- Your plan doesn’t include it, but you can add it for a monthly fee
- Your plan is basic enough that guests are technically allowed, but only by paying per visit
The guest still has to sign a waiver and show ID every time, no matter which of these applies to you. What changes is whether you’re paying for that visit or not.
Which Plans Actually Include This
| Membership Type | Guest Privilege Included? | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| Basic/Single-Club | No | Per-visit guest fee usually applies |
| Multi-Club/Premium | Sometimes, in a limited way | A capped number of free guest visits |
| Premier Multi-Region | Yes | The most generous guest access of the standard tiers |
Worth asking about even if you’re not sure — a lot of clubs will let you bolt guest privileges onto a lower tier without pushing you into a full upgrade. It’s just not something the front desk always brings up unprompted.
As a rough price range: adding one guest tends to run somewhere between $5 and $20 a month, depending on whether you set it up when you first join versus adding it to an existing membership later — signing up for it at enrollment is usually the cheaper route. Bringing a second guest on the same visit typically adds a separate daily charge, often around $20. Exact numbers shift by club, so treat these as a planning range rather than a quote.
What Your Guest Can Actually Use
Bringing someone under guest privileges gets them onto the gym floor, not into every corner of the club. Cardio equipment, free weights, general strength machines, and group classes (assuming there’s room) are typically fair game. Personal training, reserved court time for things like racquetball or basketball leagues, and anything in a Signature Club’s premium areas are usually off the table unless your own membership covers those too.
Guest Membership vs. the One-Time Guest Pass
These two get confused constantly, so here’s the actual split:
Guest membership is for someone a member brings back repeatedly — it’s tied to the member’s account, ongoing, and either included or added on. The free guest pass is the opposite: a one-time, three-day trial meant for someone who isn’t a member at all and just wants to check the place out before deciding whether to sign up. No member needed, no add-on fee, just an online application and a photo ID.
If you’re trying to decide which one applies to you: are you a member wanting to bring the same person repeatedly? That’s guest membership. Are you someone who’s never had a membership here and just wants to test the waters for three days? That’s the guest pass.
The Rules That Come With It
A few things apply regardless of which tier you’re on:
- You have to be there. This is the one people miss most often — your guest can’t just show up on their own using your privileges. You need to be present for the entire visit, not just drop them off and leave.
- Age requirements generally sit around 16+ to come alone, or 13+ with a parent or guardian — though some clubs apply an 18+ standard instead, so it’s worth confirming locally rather than assuming
- ID and a signed waiver are required every single visit — this doesn’t get waived just because you’ve brought the same guest before
- Guest privileges are usually tied to the member’s home club, or whatever clubs their tier covers — not the entire chain nationwide
- Most clubs don’t cap how often you can bring a guest under an active privilege, though bringing more than one guest at a time on the same visit usually adds an extra daily fee per additional person
These come from Fitness International, LLC and apply chain-wide, though individual clubs sometimes tack on their own local conditions.
Getting Guest Privileges Added to Your Account
Start by checking what you already have — log into your account or just ask the front desk whether guest access is baked into your current plan. If it’s not, ask what the monthly add-on costs; it’s rarely the same number everywhere. Before your guest’s first visit, make sure they’ve got ID on them and know they’ll need to sign a waiver.
After that, it’s just a matter of checking in together at the desk each time so staff can log the visit against your account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my membership already include guest privileges?
Depends on your tier. Basic and single-club plans generally don’t. Premier and some Multi-Club plans often do, sometimes with a visit cap.
Can I bring someone for free?
If your tier includes guest privileges or you’ve added them on, yes. Otherwise you’re looking at a per-visit fee.
Do I need to stay with my guest the whole time?
Yes. This trips people up — you can’t send a guest in on your privileges and leave. You need to be there for the whole visit.
How much does it cost to add guest privileges?
Roughly $5–$20 a month for one guest, cheaper if you set it up when you first sign up rather than adding it later. A second guest on the same visit usually costs extra, often around $20 for that day.
Can the same guest come back more than once?
That’s really the whole point of guest membership over a trial pass — as long as your plan covers recurring guests, they can come as often as your privileges allow, with no monthly cap at most clubs.
Is there an age cutoff for guests?
Generally 16 to come alone, or 13+ with a parent or guardian — though some clubs use an 18+ rule instead, so it’s worth confirming with your specific location.
Isn’t this the same thing as the free 3-day trial?
No, and it trips people up a lot. The trial pass is for someone with no membership at all, good for three days, no strings attached. Guest membership is tied to an existing member’s account and works on repeat visits.
Can I use my guest privileges at a different LA Fitness location?
Usually only at the club (or clubs) your own plan covers — worth double-checking with your home club since this varies.
The Short Version
Testing the gym once? Grab the free trial pass. Bringing the same person regularly? Check whether your plan already covers that before you keep paying a guest fee every visit — and if it doesn’t, ask what adding the privilege actually costs. Most people never ask, and end up paying more over a year than the add-on would’ve cost them.
Independent Fitness Membership Researcher
Her role is as an independent researcher specializing in fitness memberships. She has several years of experience tracking membership costs and contacting individual clubs directly to ensure the accuracy of pricing information. Her research is focused on helping individuals make informed decisions before committing to long-term gym contracts. She works independently and has no official affiliation with any gym chain, ensuring that her information remains unbiased and objective.