Los Angeles International Airport (LAX IATA) is the primary airport servingLos Angeles. LAX—as the airport is more commonly known—is on theWest Side of Los Angeles in the suburb ofWestchester. The airport is one of the busiest in the world, and is a major point of entry to the USA for flights fromAsia andOceania. 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. SeeLAXisHappening.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.
The USA does not allowsterile transit so all passengers arriving on international flights must go through customs and immigration formalities. SeeUnited_States#Get_in for details.
LAX serves dozens of airlines offering flights to numerous cities across the country and around the world. Clickhere for a list of airlines serving LAX.
| Terminal 1 (Gates 8-19B) Southwest Airlines international departures and all domestic flights; their international arrivals are at TBIT (Terminal B). It is also being used byJetBlue while Terminal 5 is closed for reconstruction. 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,Frontier,Sun Country Airlines, andVivaAerobus, which all operate from TBIT, as does Southwest international flights. Passengers traveling with these airlines check in at Terminal 1/1.5 and then they are bused over to Terminal B/TBIT to access their flights. |
| Terminal 2 (Gates 21-28) Delta Airlines,Westjet, Condor, Norse and Virgin Atlantic. Also the temporary home ofSpirit Airlines until the new Terminal 5 is completed. Passengers checking in for Condor, Norse and Virgin Atlantic will be bused over from Terminal 2 to Terminal B/TBIT to access their flights. |
| Terminal 3 (Gates 30-39) Delta Air Lines andAeroméxico. Aeromexico passengers check in at Terminal 3 where they will be bused to the aircraft at Terminal B after clearing security. Terminal 3 underwent an extensive redevelopment that was completed in 2023. |
| Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT/Terminal B) (Gates 130-159 and 201-225) Most international flights on all other foreign flag carriers, international arrivals for Southwest Airlines, and domestic flights for Allegiant and Sun Country have temporarily relocated to TBIT while their check-in are at Terminal 1/1.5. Some domestic flights for American Airlines are also at TBIT while the reconstruction of Terminal 5 goes on. The terminal contains two buildings: the original TBIT (opened 1984) and the newMidfield 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. See also:view full list of airlines at Los Angeles International Airport. |
| Terminal 4 (Gates 40-49) American Airlines. |
| Terminal 5 (Gates 50-59) Closed for renovations, expected to re-open in 2028. Normally is used by American Airlines, JetBlue, and Spirit Airlines. |
| Terminal 6 (Gates 60-69) Alaska Airlines (arrivals from Mexico come into TBIT after 7PM),Hawaiian Airlines,Air Canada, andSouthern Airways. |
| Terminal 7 (Gates 70-88) United Airlines. |
| 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 flightsdo 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, thelower 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 transport to LAX, long abysmal, is finally getting a long-awaited shakeup. The33.950128-118.3784392LAX/Metro Transit Center
station serves the C and K Lines of theMetro Rail, although you'll need to change to get anywhere near downtown Los Angeles, 16 miles (25 km) away. Check theLA Metro Trip Planner which tells you which bus(es) and/or trains to take to get to your final destination.
The Transit Center also has direct buses to nearby areas inTorrance,Santa Monica, UCLA inWestwood,Norwalk,Redondo Beach andManhattan Beach:
Click here to access Metro's bus schedules:
To get to the Transit Center, you need to take a shuttle bus, which stop at thePINK 'LAX Shuttles' signs at the inner curb in front of each of the LAX terminals. The LAX Automated People Mover is expected to replace the shuttle in June 2026.
A more direct service is theLAX FlyAway bus, which takes you from theBLUE 'LAX FlyAway' signs at the inner curb in front of each of the terminals. Two routes:
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 theORANGE 'Shared Ride Vans' signs at the outer curb in front of each of the LAX terminals:
There areno 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 theAmtrak Pacific Surfliner Train orGreyhound; or take a taxi from the downtown Union Station to the Fashion District (infamous Skid Row) forLimousine Express (260 E 6th Ave) to CBX (Tijuana Airport from the U.S. side) orTufesa (611 Maple Ave), for a bus from downtown Los Angeles to Tijuana via San Ysidro. Skid Row (Fashion District) is an unsafe area so a taxi is recommended.
All taxis and Uber, Lyft (including Lyft Lux) and Opoli vehicles now pick up passengers from the newLAX-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 theGREEN 'LAX-it' 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. Do not accept rides from touts; the shuttle ride may save you over $100!
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 theBLACK 'Passenger Pickup' 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.
Waymo driverless vehicles do not serve LAX directly, but instead pick up and drop off passengers at the LAX/Metro Transit Center.
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 theRED 'Hotel & Private Parking' 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.
Mostrental car companies have locations along Aviation Boulevard north of Century Boulevard and along Century Blvd. Shuttle buses are available from under thePURPLE 'Rental Cars' 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 thePINK 'LAX Shuttles' 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. (SeeFlyLAX 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 thePINK 'LAX Shuttles' 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).
All terminals are connected to each other with 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, though 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, 2, 3, TBIT and 4, and Terminals 6 to 8 are near the security screening areas.
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.
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.
(updated May 2020) (updated May 2020) (updated May 2020)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 surroundingWestchester andEl Segundo areas or east of I-405 inInglewood and lined up along Sepulveda. A number of them do offer a free shuttle or for a fare to and from theRED 'Hotel & Private Parking' 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. (updated Jan 2022)
| Routes through Los Angeles International Airport |
| Redondo Beach← | S   E | →South Central→Los Angeles |
| Santa Monica←Venice← | N  S | →El Segundo→Manhattan Beach |
END← Jct in Lennox← | W  E | → Jct inSouth Central→Jct inNorwalk |
| West Los Angeles←Culver City← | N  S | →Torrance→Santa Ana |
| Thishuge airport travel guide toLos Angeles International Airportis ausable article. It has information onflights andground transportation as well as some complete entries for food and beverage options at the airport. An adventurous person could use this article, but pleasefeel free to improve itby editing the page. |
