Los Angeles International Airport (IATA: LAX) is the primary airport serving Los Angeles. LAX—as the airport is more commonly known—is on the West Side of Los Angeles in the suburb of Westchester. The airport is one of the busiest in the world, and is a major point of entry to the USA for flights from Asia and Oceania. According to some statistics it has more origin/destination passengers (i.e. passengers not just transferring from one flight to another) than any other airport in the world.
LAX is a massive airport, with nine terminals built in different eras in a variety of architectural styles, of which the common element is that they all seem cramped on the inside (that is, relative to the size and importance of the airport). Some terminals have been renovated and look relatively modern, while others are definitely showing their age. Most were built before the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) implemented modern security checkpoints, which means the checkpoints were shoehorned into the existing buildings with very awkward results. There is ongoing construction to modernize or upgrade several terminals and infrastructure which can result in changes to the locations of airline check-in desks, airline gate assignments, and bus/shuttle stops. Expect delays getting to and from the airport. See LAXisHappening.com or follow on Twitter for construction updates and for any such changes. Check with the airline you are flying with to determine the check-in location for your flight especially with international flights as they are subject to change.
Airline and flight terminal assignments may change. Check with your airline for the latest departure information so you know which terminal your flight will depart from. All passengers going through the airport must wear a face mask before entering the terminals. For more information, see the LAX COVID-19 website.
LAX serves dozens of airlines offering flights to numerous cities across the country and around the world.
Terminal 1 (Gates 8-19B)
Southwest Airlines international departures and all domestic flights; their international arrivals are at TBIT (Terminal B). It underwent an extensive renovation that was completed in 2018. An annex, Terminal 1.5, was opened in 2021 and contains check-in space for Air Transat, Allegiant Air, Breeze, Cayman Airways, Norse, Sun Country Airlines, and VivaAerobus, which all operate from TBIT, as does Southwest international flights. Passengers check in at Terminal 1/1.5 and than they are bussed over to Terminal B/TBIT to access their flights.
Terminal 2 (Gates 21-28)
Delta Air Lines and partner airlines Aeroméxico and WestJet.
Terminal 3 (Gates 30-39)
Delta Air Lines. Closed in 2020 for redevelopment; the terminal partially reopened in 2022, with a full reopening set for 2023.
Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT/Terminal B) (Gates 130-159 and 201-225)
Most international flights on all other foreign flag carriers, international flights for Southwest Airlines, and domestic flights for Allegiant, Sun Country and Hawaiian Airlines have temporarily relocated to TBIT. Check in for Allegiant, Southwest (international) and Sun Country are at Terminal 1/1.5 and at Terminal B for Hawaiian Air. Contains two buildings: the original TBIT (opened 1984) and the new Midfield Satellite Concourse (MSC), which opened in 2021. The buildings are connected by an underground tunnel, and the MSC has a direct bus connection with Terminal 1.5.
Terminal 4 (Gates 40-49)
Terminal 5 (Gates 50-59)
Air Canada, American Airlines, JetBlue, and Spirit Airlines.
Terminal 6 (Gates 60-69)
Alaska Airlines (arrivals from Mexico come into TBIT after 7PM), Air Canada, Boutique Air, and Southern Airways.
Terminal 7 (Gates 70-88)
Terminal 8 (Gates 70-88)
Smaller jets, and used by United Airlines/United Express as an extension of Terminal 7. Terminal 8 is not accessed from the roadway and only accessed from Terminal 7 from the public side.
Many international flights do not use Tom Bradley International Terminal. To avoid missing flights, always determine in advance which terminal your international flight will be flying in or out of, especially if you are connecting through LAX. Most of the time, the first digit of your gate number determines what terminal you depart from. Gate 9 is an exception, being located in terminal 1. If your gate number has three digits excluding letters, you are going to the TBIT.
Arrive at the airport at least 1½-2 hours before your flight (2-3 hours if traveling internationally) as check in procedures and lines for security can be long and time-consuming.
The upper level of the airport structure is used for drop-offs (departures) while the lower level is used for pick-ups (arrivals). The lower level roadway is divided into an inner and outer roadway, with private vehicles using the outer (right-hand side) roadway and commercial vehicles (including shuttles), circling the inner (left-hand side) roadway and stopping at islands that divide the two roadways.
When departing the airport, the lower level roadway outside of each terminal is divided into zones indicating the transportation options available. The different pickup zones are clearly marked by brightly colored signs corresponding to the type of transportation you are looking for:
The green, blue and pink zones use the inner lower level roadway, while the black, purple and orange zones use the outer roadway. The red zones have been moved to the upper level roadway.
Public transportation connections for the airport are not good. LAX is 16 miles (25 km) from downtown Los Angeles. To connect with the city's rail system, take the free shuttle bus (the "G" or "Green Line" shuttle) from the airport terminals to the Aviation/LAX station, where you can board the Metro Rail system. Or get on the "Lot C" or "C" shuttle to the LAX City Bus Center, where you can board buses to the nearby areas in Torrance, Santa Monica, UCLA in Westwood, Norwalk, Redondo Beach and Manhattan Beach. The shuttles pick up from the <span style="color:magenta">PINK 'LAX Shuttles'</span> signs at the inner curb in front of each of the LAX terminals. See the below as to what transit options are available:
LAX City Bus Center 📍 at the south side of the former Parking Lot C on West 96th Street & Skyway/Vicksburg Avenue:
Aviation/LAX Station 📍(nearest Metro Rail station) further south at Aviation Blvd and Century Freeway (I-105):
A more direct service is the LAX FlyAway bus, which takes you from the <span style="color:Blue">BLUE 'LAX FlyAway'</span> signs at the inner curb in front of each of the terminals. Two routes:
- [Union Station](Los_Angeles#By_train) in [Downtown Los Angeles](Los_Angeles/Downtown) (Patsaouras Transit Plaza at the east portals to the station, on the opposite side of the tracks from the historic Union Station), every 30 minutes 5am to 1am. Union Station is the largest transportation hub in Southern California, and transit in any direction can be found from there. Take a taxi from the downtown Union Station to the [Greyhound terminal](https://www.greyhound.com/en-us/bus-station-892001) or to another [bus terminal](Los_Angeles#By_bus) nearby or in 'skid row' (east of downtown L.A.).
- [Van Nuys](Van_Nuys) (7610 Woodley Ave at the NE corner of Woodley Ave and Saticoy, next to the Van Nuys Airport), every 30 minutes, runs 24 hours.
The fare is $8-10 depending on destination and can only be paid by credit or debit card (all major cards accepted), or the Los Angeles TAP card. No cash is accepted. From the FlyAway stop in the above places there are bus, rideshare and taxis connections to your final destination which may be a quicker and less expensive option than a taxi or public transportation from LAX
Click here for the trip planner program which tells you which bus(es) to take to get to your final destination. Nearby hotels and hostels do send their own shuttles to the terminals to pick up and drop off guests so no need to use public transportation to get there. Their shuttles pick up from under the <span style="color:red">RED 'Hotel & Private Parking'</span> signs at the curb on the upper level in front of each terminal.
The long distance buses and vans to the adjacent Ventura, Santa Barbara, Kern, North Los Angeles (Lancaster & Antelope Valley) and Orange Counties pick up and drop off from under the <span style="color:orange">ORANGE 'Shared Ride Vans'</span> signs at the outer curb in front of each of the LAX terminals:
There are no shuttles from LAX to San Diego or Tijuana. To continue to San Diego take the LAX Flyaway bus (see above) to the downtown Union Station and transfer to the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner Train or take a taxi from the downtown Union Station to the Greyhound terminal at the downtown Union Station and continue by bus to San Diego. Take the Intercalifornias or Tufesa bus from downtown Los Angeles to Tijuana via San Ysidro. Alternatively take the Flyaway bus going to Long Beach and transfer to a taxi or bus (dead link: January 2023) (Rt #1,51,52) from the downtown Long Beach bus station to the Greyhound station at 1498 E Long Beach Blvd (at 15th & Long Beach Blvd) for the onward connection to San Diego.
All taxis and Uber, Lyft (including Lyft Lux) and Opoli vehicles now pick up passengers from the new LAX-it lot beside Terminal 1. LAX-it was only implemented in October 2019, and the new pick-up system still has its fair share of teething issues, although the process has become smoother than when it was first implemented. Arriving passengers can either walk to the LAX-it lot, or take shuttle buses from the <span style="color:green">GREEN 'LAX-it'</span> signs at the inner curb in front of each of the LAX terminals. Unlike other shuttles serving the airport, LAX-it shuttles serve only designated terminals, so make sure to board the right shuttle.
When requesting for an Uber, Lyft or Opoli, you will receive a code which, after arriving in the zone for the ridesharing service booked, you will need to show to the driver in order to be picked up. Taxis may be hailed normally from the taxi rank in the LAX-it lot, and there is a separate rank as well for UberPool and Lyft Line vehicles. Unlike other vehicles which may only pick up passengers at LAX-it, UberBlack and Lyft Lux Black vehicles may continue to pick up passengers direct from the terminals at the <span style="color:black">BLACK 'Passenger Pickup'</span> signs at the outer curb in front of each terminal, and vehicles entering LAX may continue to drop off passengers directly at the terminals.
Taxis to Downtown cost $45 and take 30 min in good traffic but can be far slower (and more expensive) in rush hour. Taxis to Santa Monica cost $35, while those to Disneyland cost $70. UberX and Lyft prices are competitive with that of regular taxis.
Many area hotels and private parking lots run frequent shuttles between their establishment and the terminals. All shuttles pick up and drop off from under the <span style="color:red">RED 'Hotel & Private Parking'</span> signs at the curb on the upper level in front of each terminal.
Being that you are in Southern California, renting a car may be your best option for getting about. If you rent a car, there are around 10 companies with very frequent shuttle buses picking up on the lower level around all terminals and going to large offsite lots. If you want to compare prices, you will need to do so using the telephones in the arrivals area or on the internet in advance of arriving. There are no details from the shuttle drivers or negotiable prices. Signing up to one of the car rental club schemes can get the shuttle bus to drop you at your car, thus saving substantial time.
Most traffic enters the airport from (West) Century Boulevard exit of the 405, due to heavy traffic and road works the last mile of Century can take up to 5 minutes to drive. You can also enter and exit the airport from Hwy 1 and connect with the I-105 freeway (just to the south), which is usually less congested than the other nearby freeways. The airport operates a long-term parking lot outside of the main airport that is accessible by shuttle bus. Private companies including hotels offer many additional options and include everything from open-air lots to garage parking with car washes. For those waiting to pick up passengers there is a cell-phone waiting lot adjacent to the LAX City Bus Center where you can wait in your car for up to two hours.
Most rental car companies have locations along Aviation Boulevard north of Century Boulevard and along Century Blvd. Shuttle buses are available from under the <span style="color:purple">PURPLE 'Rental Cars'</span> signs along the outer curb, in front of the airport terminals (about 10-20 minutes ride). For rental companies that cannot serve the airport directly, take the "Metro Connector" shuttle buses from the <span style="color:magenta">PINK 'LAX Shuttles'</span> signs along the inner curb to the Remote Rental Car Depot at Century and Airport Boulevards, where there you'll meet the car rental company's representative. Expect up to 20 minutes to take a shuttle through traffic. (See FlyLAX website for a list of available rental car companies)
This being Los Angeles, there are plenty of choices for luxury and exotic rentals in addition to the usual national and regional chains:
There are a couple of gas stations on Aviation Blvd, although stations a little further away may be cheaper.
There is a free shuttle bus connecting the terminals landside. The "Airline Connections" or "A" shuttle bus loops around all the terminals; it stops at the <span style="color:magenta">PINK 'LAX Shuttles'</span> signs on the inner lower level roadway. If you are transferring between directly adjacent terminals, walking is nearly always quicker than the shuttle.
American Airlines operates an airside shuttle bus between Terminal 5 (Gate 52) and the remote American Eagle Terminal (east of Terminal 8), while Delta Air Lines operates an airside shuttle bus between Terminal 2 (Gate 21A), Terminal 3 (Gate 35B) and TBIT (Gate 133) which is open to all passengers, whether flying on Delta or not.
Terminals 4-8 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal, as well as Terminals 1 and 2, are linked by walkways on the secure side, so you can pass between them without having to go through security again. The walk takes about 3-5 minutes between each terminal, and most walkways don't have moving sidewalks. The walkway connecting Terminals 4-6 is underground, accessed from the midpoint of each terminal (respectively near gate 44, between gates 53B and 55A, and between gates 64A-B). The walkways between Terminals 1 and 2, 6 to 8, and between Terminal 4 and TBIT are near the security screening areas. Including shuttle buses, it is possible to walk from Terminal 1 all the way to Terminal 8 without having to exit the airport's secure area.
Before security, it is possible to walk from one terminal to another along the sidewalk of either the upper or lower level. A streetside sidewalk connects all the terminals. It is no more than a 10-minute walk between any two adjacent terminals (with the obvious exception of 1 and 8).
Restaurant options at LAX are extremely hit-or-miss, though there is locally based and high-end dining available. A lot depends on which terminal you're in; some terminals have more choices than others, and restaurants before security are very limited. You can always visit another terminal, if you're landside, but you're in for a bit of a hike, which can be annoying if you're dragging luggage with you.
Air side has several branches of local restaurants such as Ink Sack, Petrossian, and Umami Burger. 800 Degrees in the Time Tower food court area make reasonably good and fresh pizza. There are no landside restaurants.
LAX is one of the most expensive – and for restaurants and retailers, the most profitable – airport locations in the U.S. They're hoping that you'll have forgotten to buy souvenirs before your departure, or that you'll be so bored that you won't mind paying 15 to 20 percent more than what the same stores charge outside the airport just to have something to do.
As in many other large airports, a WiFi network is available in the terminals, so you can get online with your laptop, tablet or smartphone. The network name is LAX Free WiFi. You can choose between a slower version of it (free, after an advertisement) and a faster premium version provided by Boingo ($4.95/1 hour, $7.95/day). As with other airports, those with lounge access get to enjoy free WiFi sponsored by the lounge's operator. The international terminal has payphones and cell phone rentals.
The stretch of West Century Boulevard leading into the airport from I-405 is lined with hotels. Additionally, you can find many airport hotels south of the airport in the surrounding Westchester and El Segundo areas or east of I-405 in Inglewood and lined up along Sepulveda. A number of them do offer a free shuttle or for a fare to and from the <span style="color:red">RED 'Hotel & Private Parking'</span> signs at the curb on the upper level in front of each terminal.
Hyatt Regency, 6225 W. Century Blvd. Los Angeles, CA, +1 424-702-1234. Closest hotel to LAX. Walking distance to terminal, with shuttle service available. Free wifi, room service, restaurant, bar, pool, business center, fitness center, and cafe. Paid parking. 2022-01-01
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