Los Angeles · Los Angeles County
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
The primary international gateway to Los Angeles and Southern California, with nine terminals and service to destinations worldwide.
Information verified .Details change — confirm current details on the official LAX website.
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Airport Overview
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is the busiest airport on the U.S. West Coast and one of the busiest in the world, handling tens of millions of passengers each year. It sits about 18 miles southwest of Downtown Los Angeles, close to the coast in the Westchester neighborhood.
LAX has nine passenger terminals — Terminals 1 through 8 plus the Tom Bradley International Terminal — arranged in the U-shaped Central Terminal Area (CTA) and linked by post-security walkways as well as free landside shuttles. Eight are in use today: Terminal 5 closed in late 2025 for the Terminals 4–5 rebuild and LAWA lists an anticipated 2028 reopening, so several airlines changed terminals. The airport's other big projects — the Automated People Mover (APM) train and the consolidated rental car center — are built but not yet carrying passengers.
Because of its size and persistent traffic in the horseshoe, LAX rewards travelers who plan ahead — knowing your terminal, where rideshare pickups happen, and how much time to budget makes a big difference.
Serves: Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Downtown LA, South Bay
Terminals
Terminal 1
Several Terminal 1 carriers check in here but are bused to the Tom Bradley West Gates, where their flights actually depart and arrive.
- JetBlue
- Southwest Airlines
- Frontier (check-in)
- Sun Country (check-in)
- Viva Aerobus (check-in)
- Cayman Airways (check-in)
Terminal 2
Gates 20–28 are now part of Delta’s Terminal 3 complex and are entered through Terminal 3. Airlines that check in at T2 either clear security in T3 or are bused to Tom Bradley.
- Delta Air Lines (gates 20–28)
- Virgin Atlantic (check-in)
- WestJet (check-in)
- Norse Atlantic (check-in)
- LATAM (check-in)
Terminal 3
Delta’s LAX home for check-in, security and most departures. Aeroméxico checks in here, then takes an airside bus to Tom Bradley.
- Delta Air Lines
- Aeroméxico (check-in)
- WestJet (gates)
Terminal 4
British Airways and Japan Airlines check in at Terminal 4 but depart from and arrive at Tom Bradley.
- American Airlines
- American Eagle
- British Airways (check-in)
- Japan Airlines (check-in)
Terminal 5
Terminal 5 closed in late 2025 for the $1.6 billion Terminals 4–5 modernization; LAWA lists an anticipated reopening in 2028. Its airlines relocated — JetBlue to T1 and American consolidated in T4.
- Closed — under reconstruction
Terminal 6
Hawaiian still operates under its own brand at LAX, but since the Alaska merger its flights are sold and numbered under Alaska’s “AS” code.
- Alaska Airlines
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Air Canada
- Breeze Airways
- Horizon Air
- Porter Airlines
- Southern Airways Express
Terminal 7
- United Airlines
Terminal 8
- United Airlines
Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT / B)
Primary hub for international arrivals and departures — about 45 carriers check in here, and several airlines that check in at other terminals depart from its gates.
- 45+ international carriers
- Air France
- British Airways
- Emirates
- Qantas
- Japan Airlines
- Korean Air
- Singapore Airlines
- Lufthansa
- Cathay Pacific
- Qatar Airways
- Turkish Airlines
Airlines by Terminal
| Airline | Terminal |
|---|---|
| Aeroméxico | Terminal 3 (check-in) · departs TBIT |
| Air Canada | Terminal 6 |
| Alaska Airlines | Terminal 6 |
| American Airlines | Terminal 4 |
| American Eagle | Terminal 4 |
| Breeze Airways | Terminal 6 |
| British Airways | Terminal 4 (check-in) · departs TBIT |
| Delta Air Lines | Terminal 3 (check-in) · gates in T2 & T3 |
| Frontier Airlines | Terminal 1 (check-in) · departs TBIT |
| Hawaiian Airlines | Terminal 6 |
| International carriers — Air France, KLM, Emirates, Qantas, All Nippon Airways, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, and 30+ more | Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) |
| Japan Airlines | Terminal 4 (check-in) · departs TBIT |
| JetBlue | Terminal 1 |
| LATAM Airlines | Terminal 2 (check-in) · arrives TBIT |
| Norse Atlantic Airways | Terminal 2 (check-in) · departs TBIT West Gates |
| Porter Airlines | Terminal 6 |
| Southwest Airlines | Terminal 1 |
| Sun Country Airlines | Terminal 1 (check-in) · departs TBIT |
| United Airlines | Terminals 7 & 8 |
| Virgin Atlantic | Terminal 2 (check-in) · arrives TBIT |
| Viva Aerobus | Terminal 1 (check-in) · departs TBIT |
| WestJet | Terminal 2 (check-in) · departs Terminal 3 |
Airport Maps
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
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Rideshare, Pickup & Drop-off
Standard app pickups at LAX are handled at LAX-it (pronounced “LA exit”), a dedicated lot next to Terminal 1 serving Uber, Lyft, Opoli and taxis. Pre-arranged cars are treated differently: LAWA explicitly exempts limousines, town cars and premium services such as Uber Black and Lyft Lux from LAX-it, and they still pick up curbside at the terminal.
Pickup zones
- LAX-it lot, next to Terminal 1 — standard Uber, Lyft, Opoli and taxi pickups
- Free LAX-it shuttles board on the lower (arrivals) level inner curb, at the green LAX-it signs, 24/7
- Pre-booked limousines, town cars and premium ride-app services pick up curbside on the lower (arrivals) level outer curb, outside baggage claim — not at LAX-it
- Taxis also have two curbside stands: inside Parking Structure 3 (between Tom Bradley and Terminal 3), and at the far end of Terminal 7
Drop-off
Departing passengers are dropped off on the upper (departures) level directly in front of each terminal. Drop-off is not restricted to LAX-it — only app pickups use the lot.
- •LAWA’s own figures from Terminal 1 are about an 8-minute walk or a 15-minute shuttle ride to LAX-it. Allow considerably more from the far terminals, and at evening peaks when the lot backs up.
- •Because RideYeah is a licensed pre-arranged (TCP) service, your driver meets you at your terminal rather than at LAX-it — curbside on the arrivals level, or inside with a name sign if you have asked for a meet-and-greet.
- •LAX-it is officially a temporary arrangement that lasts until the people mover (now branded SkyLink) opens. LAWA has not confirmed an opening date or said what replaces the lot, so follow current signage on arrival.
How Early Should You Arrive?
Domestic flights
Arrive 2 hrs early
~120 minutes before departure
International flights
Arrive 3 hrs early
~180 minutes before departure
This matches LAWA’s own advice — at least two hours domestic, three international. LAX flags its busiest checkpoint windows as 6:30–9:00 a.m. for domestic and 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. and 8:00–11:00 p.m. for both; add time then, during holidays, and if you need to check bags. Check live checkpoint wait times before you leave.
Tips for Travelers
- Confirm your terminal before you leave — airline-to-terminal assignments at LAX have shifted in recent years.
- LAX terminals are connected post-security — you can walk roughly two miles from Terminal 1 to Terminal 8, Tom Bradley included, without re-clearing security, and a same-day boarding pass gets you into any terminal. Two connections use free airside shuttle buses instead of a walkway: the American Eagle regional terminal, and Terminal 1 out to the Tom Bradley West Gates.
- Traffic in the horseshoe (Central Terminal Area) backs up at peak times; an experienced driver can save you significant time.
- For international arrivals, allow extra time for immigration and customs at Tom Bradley before any onward connection.
- Free Wi-Fi (the “_LAX Free WiFi” network) is available in the public areas of every terminal. It runs in unlimited 45-minute sessions, each starting with a short ad — just reconnect when one lapses.
Frequently Asked Questions
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