Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is the world’s fourth busiest passenger airport. It also ranks eleventh in air cargo tonnage handled, and its popularity shows no sign of decreasing.
More than 61 million people traveled through LAX last year. A commerce leader, its ever-expanding air cargo system handled more than 2.1 million tons of goods. International freights account more than 50 percent of this total. Convenient location, modern facilities, and superior sea/air/land connections have led to LAX’s designation as a world-class airport.
LAX handles 70 percent of the passengers, 75 percent of the air cargo, and 95 percent of the international passengers and cargo traffic in the five-county Southern California region.
LAX has nine passenger terminals arranged in the shape of the letter U or a horseshoe. The terminals are served by a shuttle bus. Terminals 5, 6, 7, and 8 are all connected airside via an underground tunnel between Terminals 5 and 6 and above-ground walkways between Terminals 6, 7, and 8. There are no physical airside connections between any of the other terminals, although an airside shuttle bus operates among Terminals 4, 6, and the American Eagle remote terminal.
In addition to these terminals, there are 2,000,000 square feet (190,000 m2) of cargo facilities at LAX, and a heliport operated by Bravo Aviation. Qantas has a maintenance facility at LAX, even though it is not a hub.
Most inter-terminal connections require passengers to exit security, then walk or use a shuttle-bus to get to the other terminal, then re-clear security. A few LAX terminals provide airside connections, which allow connecting passengers to access other terminals without having to re-clear security.
You can connect in the following Terminals:
Terminals 6, 7, and 8 are all connected airside via walking corridors, allowing arriving domestic United passengers a seamless connection.
Terminals 5 and 6 are connected via an airside underground walkway. Terminal 4 was previously connected via this underground walkway, but it is currently closed off.
Some airlines provide an airside shuttle bus connection between terminals. For example, Qantas offers a late afternoon/evening shuttle bus for passengers arriving in Terminal 4 to connect with flights departing from the Tom Bradley International Terminal.
Traveling to and from the Airport:
Among the modes of transportation available at LAX are airport bus service, door-to-door shuttle van service, local bus lines, light rail, rental cars, and taxicabs. A free, frequent shuttle bus connects LAX with METRO’s Green Line Light Rail. Shuttle service is provided at no charge for passengers making connecting flights between terminal buildings.
The LAX FlyAway bus service provides frequent nonstop transportation between LAX and Van Nuys Bus Terminal, Union Station in downtown Los Angeles and Westwood/UCLA.
The closest bus stops to the terminals are the pair of opposites on Sepulveda and Century, served by Torrance 8, Metro 117, Metro 232, Commuter Express 574 and Metro 40 (owl service only).
Taxicab services are operated by nine city-authorized taxi companies and regulated by Authorized Taxicab Supervision Inc. (ATS). ATS maintains a taxicab holding lot under the 96th Street Bridge where, at peak periods, hundreds of cabs queue up to wait their turn to pull into the central terminal area to pick up passengers. A number of private shuttle companies also offer limousine and bus services to LAX Airport. visit LAX online