| Los Angeles International Airport | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: LAX – ICAO: KLAX – FAA LID: LAX | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Owner | City of Los Angeles | ||
| Operator | Los Angeles World Airports | ||
| Serves | Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area | ||
| Location | Los Angeles, California, United States | ||
| Hub for | |||
| Elevation AMSL | 126 ft / 38 m | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Website | |||
| Maps | |||
| FAA airport diagram | |||
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LAX
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| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 6L/24R | 8,925 | 2,720 | Concrete |
| 6R/24L | 10,285 | 3,135 | Concrete |
| 7L/25R | 12,091 | 3,685 | Concrete |
| 7R/25L | 11,096 | 3,382 | Concrete |
| Helipads | |||
| Number | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| H3 | 63 | 19 | Concrete |
| Statistics | |||
| Passengers (2010) | 58,915,100 | ||
| Aircraft operations (2009) | 634,383 | ||
| Source: Federal Aviation Administration[2] | |||
Los Angeles International Airport (IATA: LAX, ICAO: KLAX, FAA LID: LAX) is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually (el-ay-ex). LAX is located in southwestern Los Angeles in the neighborhood of Westchester, 16 miles (26 km) from the downtown core and is the primary airport of Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), an agency of the Los Angeles city government formerly known as the Department of Airports.
In 2010, LAX was the sixth busiest airport in the world, with 58,915,100 passengers.[3] In 2009, LAX was the fifth busiest airport in the world by traffic movement, with 634,383 total aircraft takeoffs and landings.
LAX is the busiest airport in California in terms of flight operations, passenger traffic and air cargo activity. Although LAX is the busiest airport in the Greater Los Angeles Area, the region relies on a multiple-airport system because of its sprawl. Many of the area's most well-known attractions are closer to alternative airports than to LAX; for example, Hollywood and Griffith Park are closer to Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, while Disneyland, the Honda Center, Angel Stadium of Anaheim, and other Orange County attractions are closer to John Wayne Airport near Santa Ana. Long Beach Airport is closer to some of the coastal attractions known to Southern California like Palos Verdes and Huntington Beach, and LA/Ontario International Airport is closer to the major cities of the Inland Empire, Riverside and San Bernardino.
The airport occupies some 3,500 acres (5 sq mi; 1,416 ha)[2] of the city on the Pacific coast, about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of downtown Los Angeles. The airport's coastal location renders it liable to low-lying cloud or fog conditions, requiring flights to be occasionally diverted to LA/Ontario International Airport, 47 miles (76 km) to the east.
In 1928, the Los Angeles City Council selected 640 acres (1.00 sq mi; 260 ha) in the southern part of Westchester as the site of a new airport for the city. The fields of wheat, barley and lima beans were converted into dirt landing strips without any terminal buildings. It was named Mines Field for William W. Mines, the real estate agent who arranged the deal.[5] The first structure, Hangar No. 1, was erected in 1929 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[6]
Mines Field was dedicated and opened as the official airport of Los Angeles in 1930, and the city purchased it to be a municipal airfield in 1937. The name was officially changed to Los Angeles Airport in 1941, and to Los Angeles International Airport in 1949.[7] The main airline airports for Los Angeles had been Burbank Airport (then known as Union Air Terminal, and later Lockheed) and the Grand Central Airport in Glendale. By 1940 most airlines served Burbank only; in late 1946 most airline flights moved to LAX, but Burbank always retained a few.[8]
Mines Field did not extend west of Sepulveda Boulevard (backwards 1939 aerial view); Sepulveda was rerouted c. 1950 to loop around the west ends of the extended east-west runways (now runways 25L and 25R), which by November 1950 were 6,000 feet (1,800 m) long. (Aerial view looking south) A tunnel was completed in 1953 allowing Sepulveda Boulevard to revert to straight and pass beneath the two runways; it was the first tunnel of its kind. For the next few years the two runways were 8,500 feet (2,600 m) long.[7]
On July 10, 1956 Boeing's 707 prototype (the 367-80) visited LAX. The Los Angeles Times said it was its first appearance at a "commercial airport" outside the Seattle area. [1]
The April 1957 Official Airline Guide showed 66 weekday departures on United Airlines, 32 American Airlines, 32 Western Airlines, 27 TWA, 9 Southwest, 5 Bonanza Air Lines and 3 Mexicana Airlines; also 22 flights a week on Pan American World Airways and 5 a week on Scandinavian Airlines (the only direct flights to Europe).
In 1958 the architecture firm Pereira & Luckman was contracted to design a master plan for the complete re-design of the airport in anticipation of the "jet age." The plan, developed along with architects Welton Becket and Paul Williams, called for a massive series of terminals and parking structures to be built in the central portion of the property, with these buildings connected at the center by a huge steel-and-glass dome. The plan was never realized, and shortly thereafter the Theme Building was constructed on the site originally intended for the dome.
The distinctive white "Theme Building", designed by Pereira & Luckman architect Paul Williams and constructed in 1961 by Robert E. McKee Construction Co., resembles a flying saucer that has landed on its four legs. A restaurant with a sweeping view of the airport is suspended beneath two arches that form the legs. The Los Angeles City Council designated the building a cultural and historical monument in 1992. A $4 million renovation, with retro-futuristic interior and electric lighting designed by Walt Disney Imagineering, was completed before the "Encounter Restaurant" opened there in 1997.[9] Tourists and passengers are able to take the elevator up to the roof of the "Theme Building", which closed after the September 11 attacks for security reasons and reopened to the public on weekends beginning on June 10, 2010.[10]
American Airlines' 707-123s flew the first jet passengers out of LAX to New York in January 1959; the first wide-body jets were TWA's Boeing 747s to New York in early 1970.[7] All terminals were originally satellite buildings out in the middle of the tarmac, reached by underground tunnels from the ticketing area.[11]
In 1981 the airport began a $700 million expansion in preparation for the 1984 Summer Olympics. To streamline traffic flow and ease congestion the U-shaped roadway leading to the terminal entrances was given a second level, with the lower level for arriving passengers and the upper level for departing. Connector buildings between the ticketing areas and the satellite buildings were added, changing the gate layout to a "pier" design and completely enclosing the facilities. Two new terminals (Terminal 1 and the International Terminal) were constructed and Terminal 2, then two decades old, was rebuilt. Multi-story parking structures were also built in the center of the airport.[7]
On July 8, 1982, groundbreaking for the two new terminals were conducted by Mayor Tom Bradley and World War II aviator General James Doolittle. The $123 million, 963,000-square-foot (89,500 m2) International Terminal was opened on June 11, 1984, and named in Bradley's honor.[7]
On April 29, 1992 the airport was closed for violence and cleanups after the 1992 Los Angeles Riots over the Rodney King beating.
The airport was closed again on January 17, 1994 due to the Northridge earthquake.
In 1996 a $29 million, 277-foot-tall (84 m) air traffic control tower was built near the Theme Building. Its overhanging awnings make it vaguely resemble a palm tree.[7]
In 2000, before Los Angeles hosted the Democratic National Convention, fifteen glass pylons up to ten stories high were placed in a circle around the intersection of Sepulveda Boulevard and Century Boulevard, with additional pylons of decreasing height following Century Boulevard eastward, evoking a sense of departure and arrival. Conceived by the designers at Selbert Perkins Design, the towers and 30 foot "LAX" letters provide a gateway to the airport and offer a welcoming landmark for visitors.[12] Illuminated from the inside, the pylons slowly cycle through a rainbow of colors that represents the multicultural makeup of Los Angeles and can be customized to celebrate events, holidays or a season. This was part of an overall face-lift that included new signage and various other cosmetic enhancements that was led by Ted Tokio Tanaka Architects. The LAX pylons underwent improvements in 2006, as stage lighting inside the cylinders was replaced with LED lights to conserve energy, make maintenance easier and enable on-demand cycling through various color effects.[13]
At various times LAX has been a hub for TWA, Air California, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Pacific Southwest Airlines, US Airways, Western Airlines, and the Flying Tiger Line.
Starting in the mid-1990s under Mayors Richard Riordan and James Hahn, modernization and expansion plans for LAX were prepared, only to be stymied by a coalition of residents who live near the airport. They cited increased noise, pollution and traffic impacts of the project. In late 2005, newly elected Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was able to reach a compromise, allowing some modernization to go forward while encouraging future growth among other facilities in the region.
It is illegal to limit the number of passengers that can use an airport; however, in December 2005 the city agreed to limit their construction of passengers gates to 163. Once passenger usage hits 75 million, a maximum of two gates a year for up to five years will be closed, which theoretically will limit maximum growth to 79 million passengers a year. In exchange, civil lawsuits were abandoned, to allow the city to complete badly needed improvements to the airport.[14]
On March 25, 2007 Runway 7R/25L reopened after being shifted 55 feet (17 m) south to prevent runway incursions and prepare the runway for the Airbus A380. Additional storm drains and enhanced runway lighting were added. Runway 25L is now 800 feet (240 m) south of the parallel runway centerline to centerline, allowing a parallel taxiway between the runways; the taxiway was completed in 2008.
On September 18, 2006 Los Angeles World Airports started a $503 million facelift of the Tom Bradley International Terminal. Improvements include installing new paging, air conditioning and electrical systems, along with new elevators, escalators, baggage carousels, and a digital sign that will automatically update flight information. Also a large explosives-detection machine will be incorporated into the terminal's underground baggage system, and the federal government will fund part of the system.
According to the Los Angeles Times, in February 2007, many airlines flying outside of the United States have reduced flights to LAX and moved to other airports, such as San Francisco International Airport and McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, due to outdated terminals. Airlines flying out of the Tom Bradley International Terminal have reduced flights because the International Terminal is 22 years old and has not been upgraded.[15]
On August 15, 2007 the Los Angeles City Council approved a $1.2 billion project to construct a new 10-gate terminal to handle international flights using the A380.[16] Adding the first new gates built since the early 1980s, the new structure is to be built directly west of the Tom Bradley International Terminal on a site that is occupied mostly by aircraft hangars, with passengers to be ferried to the building by a people mover extending from the terminal.[16] It is expected to be completed in 2012.
On March 19, 2007 the Airbus A380 made its debut at LAX, landing on runway 24L. City officials fought for the super-jumbo jet to land at LAX, in addition to making its US debut in New York's JFK airport.[17]
On March 31, 2008 the Los Angeles Times reported that international airlines were once again flocking to LAX's Tom Bradley International Terminal and have added or are announced several flights to a variety of existing and new destinations. The weaker dollar caused a surge in demand for US travel, and among the new airlines at LAX are Virgin Australia and Emirates Airlines. In addition, Korean Airlines, Qantas, Air China, and Air France are all adding new routes, and Brazilian carriers TAM Airlines and Avianca Brazil are planning to begin service, as is a new British airline that will be offering all-business-class round-trip flights on the busy Los Angeles–London route. The influx of new flights comes amidst the renovation of the airport and underscores LAX's status as the international gateway of the US West Coast.[18]
New services were launched or reinstated in 2011 that further enhanced LAX's status as the premiere international gateway to the Western United States. In March of this year, nonstop service to Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport was inaugurated by Turkish Airlines, providing the first nonstop service on the route, while Iberia Airlines reinstated nonstop Los Angeles-Madrid flights as part of its inclusion in the Oneworld alliance.
Qantas launched service with the Airbus A380 on October 20, 2008, using the west side remote gates. The select day service goes to and from Melbourne and Sydney to Los Angeles and now can be found boarding and de-boarding daily at the International Terminal. Effective in July 2011, Singapore Airlines began service with the Airbus A380 on a Singapore-Tokyo-Los Angeles routing, followed shortly by Korean Airlines, which initiated nonstop Seoul-Los Angeles service with the Airbus A380 in October 2011. In addition, Air France has announced its intent to launch A380 service from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Los Angeles in May 2012. With the addition of these services, LAX boasts five scheduled flights on the Airbus A380 thus far.
Today, the airport is a major hub for United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines,[19] and Great Lakes Airlines and a focus city for Southwest Airlines, Allegiant Air, Air New Zealand, Qantas, and Virgin America. It also serves as an international gateway for Delta Air Lines. Following United's merger with Continental Airlines, the airport will be the seventh largest hub for United.
Before the 1930s, existing airports used a two-letter abbreviation based on the weather stations at the airports. At that time, "LA" served as the designation for Los Angeles Airport. But with the rapid growth in the aviation industry the designations expanded to three letters c. 1947, and "LA" became "LAX." The letter "X" has no specific meaning in this identifier.[20] "LAX" is also used for the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro and by Amtrak for Union Station in downtown Los Angeles.
The "Imperial Hill" area (also known as Clutter's Park) in El Segundo from which the South Complex of the airport can be viewed is a prime location for aircraft spotting. Another spotting location sits under the final approach for runways 24 L&R on a lawn next to the Westchester In-N-Out Burger. This is one of the few remaining locations in Southern California from which spotters may watch such a wide variety of low-flying commercial airliners from directly underneath a flightpath.
LAX handled 28,861,477 enplanements, the total number of passengers boarding an aircraft, in 2008. This makes LAX the third busiest airport in the U.S. in terms of enplanements.[21] It is the world's sixth-busiest airport by passenger traffic[22] and eleventh-busiest by cargo traffic,[23] serving over 60 million passengers and more than two million tons of freight in 2006. It is the busiest airport in the state of California, and the third-busiest airport by passenger traffic in the United States based on final 2006 statistics.[24] In terms of international passengers, LAX is the second busiest in the U.S. (behind only JFK in New York City)[25] and 26th worldwide.[26] The airport also claims to be "the world's busiest origin and destination (O & D) airport"[27] — i.e., the busiest airport as measured by the number of passengers who are not changing planes.
LAX connects 87 domestic and 69 international destinations in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Oceania. Its most prominent airlines are United Airlines (18.24% of passenger traffic, combined with United Express traffic), American Airlines (14.73%) and Southwest Airlines (12.62%). Other airlines with a presence on a lesser scale include Delta Air Lines (11.12%), Alaska Airlines (4.74%), and Continental Airlines (3.76%).[28]
LAX has nine passenger terminals arranged in a "U," also called a "horseshoe." The terminals are served by a shuttle bus.
United Airlines/United Express operates the most departures from the airport per day (210), followed by American Airlines/ American Eagle (126), and Southwest Airlines (123).[28]
United Airlines operates to the most destinations followed by American Airlines and Alaska Airlines/Horizon. The largest international carriers at LAX include Qantas, Air New Zealand, Air Canada, Air France, Lufthansa, British Airways, and Korean Air.
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[29] has a maintenance facility at LAX even though it's not a hub.
Terminal 1 has 15 gates: 1–3, 4A–4B, 5–14 and houses Southwest Airlines, US Airways, and US Airways Express. Terminal 1 was built in 1984 and was occupied by Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA), AirCal, Muse Air, and USAir. It is the largest of all the terminals in terms of number of gates, and busiest terminal for regional flights. During the summer of 2011, Southwest Airlines and US Airways will offer a combined total of 135 daily departures from the facility.
Terminal 2 has 11 gates: 21–21B, 22–22B, 23, 24–24B, 25–28. It hosts most foreign airlines not using the Tom Bradley international Terminal along with a couple domestic airlines: Aeromexico, Air Canada, Air China, Air France/KLM, Air New Zealand, Alitalia, Hawaiian Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, TACA/Lacsa, Virgin Atlantic, Volaris and WestJet.
Terminal 2 was built in 1962 and was the original international terminal. It was completely torn down and rebuilt in 1984. Terminal 2 has CBP (Customs and Border Protection) facilities to process arriving international passengers. For many years, it housed Northwest Airlines until services moved to Terminal 5 in 2009 during that airline's merger with Delta Air Lines.
Note: Some TACA/LACSA arrivals are processed at the Tom Bradley International Terminal.
Terminal 3 has 12 gates: 30, 31A–31B, 32, 33A–33B, 34–36, 37A–37B and 38 (gate 39 was removed to make room for Virgin Australia 777 operations at gate 38.) Terminal 3 opened in 1961 and was Trans World Airlines' terminal. It formerly housed some American Airlines flights after that airline acquired Reno Air and TWA in 1999 and 2001, respectively. Eventually, all American flights were moved to Terminal 4. As of October 2010, AirTran Airways, Alaska Airlines and its subsidiary Horizon Airlines, JetBlue, Virgin Australia and Virgin America are the primary tenants of Terminal 3. Alaska Airlines plans to move from Terminal 3 to Terminal 6 in late-2011 and is expected to begin operations there in early-2012.[30]
Note: Alaska Airlines international arrivals from airports without United States border preclearance are processed at the Tom Bradley International Terminal. Virgin America uses Terminal 2 for arrivals from Cancun and Virgin Australia uses Terminal 5 for arrivals from Australia.
Terminal 4 has 14 gates: 40–41, 42A–42B, 43–45 (gate 44 is for the bus to the American Eagle satellite terminal), 46A–46B, 47A–47B, 48A–48B, 49B. Terminal 4 was built in 1961 and, in 2001, was renovated at a cost of $400 million in order to improve the appearance and functionality of the facility. It is home for American Airlines, which operates its West Coast hub at the Airport, and for its subsidiary commuter carrier, American Eagle. American is the only tenant at T4, other than daily Qantas departures to Auckland and Brisbane. An international arrivals facility serving American Airlines flights was also added in the renovation in 2001. During the summer of 2011, American Airlines, American Eagle and Qantas will operate 156 departures daily from the facility.
Note: American Eagle flights operate from a remote terminal just east of Terminal 8. Gate 44 serves as the shuttle bus stop at Terminal 4. The remote terminal is also connected by shuttle buses to Terminals 2 (Gate 22A), 3 (Gate 35) and 5, because of Eagle's codesharing with Hawaiian, Alaska and Delta, respectively.
Terminal 5 has 14 gates: 50B, 51A–51B, 52A–52B, 53A–53B, 54A–54B, 55A, 56–57, 58A, 59. Western Airlines occupied this terminal at its opening in 1962, and continued to do so until Western was merged with Delta Air Lines on April 1, 1987. Terminal 5 was re-designed, expanded to include a connector building between the original satellite and the ticketing facilities and remodeled from 1986 through early 1988. It was unofficially named 'Delta's Oasis at LAX' with the slogan 'Take Five at LAX' when construction was completed in the summer of 1988. Northwest Airlines moved all operations to Terminal 5 and Terminal 6 alongside Delta Air Lines June 30, 2009 as part of their merger with the airline.
Terminal 6 has 14 gates: 60–61, 62–62A, 63–66, 67A–67B, 68A–68B, 69A–69B. Parts of this terminal have changed little from its opening in 1961; in 1979, new gates were expanded from the main building, as is obvious from the rotunda at the end. Four of these gates have two jetways, which can accommodate large aircraft.
Terminal 6 hosts airline tenants with a variety of relationships with the Airport. Continental built and owns the Connector Building (which links the Ticketing and rotunda buildings), and leases much of the space in the Ticketing Building. Continental in turn leases some of its Connector gates to Delta, supplementing its base at Terminal 5. United leases space from the Airport in Terminal 6, in addition to its base at Terminal 7. Most of the rotunda gates can feed arriving passengers into a sterile corridor that shunts them to Terminal 7's customs and immigration facility. Other airlines, such as Frontier and Spirit, lease space and operate at Terminal 6 under a monthly tariff agreement. Also, one foreign-flag airline, Copa, departs from Terminal 6.
Alaska Airlines in April 2011 agreed to a deal with Los Angeles World Airports to renovate Terminal 6. The airline will move its flights to Terminal 6, and eight other carriers currently operating from the terminal will be relocated.[31]
Terminal 7 has 11 gates: 70A–70B, 71A–71B, 72–74, 75A–75B, 76–77. This terminal opened in 1962. Four of these gates have two jetways, which accommodate large aircraft. Terminal 7 is the home to United Airlines. The interior of the terminal was renovated between January 1998 and June 1999 at a cost of $200 million and was designed by HNTB. Added were new gate podiums, increased size of gate areas, relocated concessions, expanded restrooms, new flooring and new signage.[32] Also, the roof of the terminal was raised and new, brighter light fixtures were added in order to provide more overall lighting.[33] The terminal also contains a United Club and International First Class Lounge.
Terminal 8 has 9 gates: 80–88. This terminal was added for smaller jets and turboprops in 1988 and formerly served Shuttle by United flights. In 2002, United moved all non-Express flights to Terminals 6 and 7. However, Terminal 8 is now used once again for mainline United flights.
The Tom Bradley International Terminal has 12 gates, including six on the north concourse and six on the south concourse. In addition, there are nine satellite gates for international flights located on the west side of LAX. Passengers are ferried to the west side gates by bus. The terminal hosts most of the major international airlines not in Terminal 2 including Turkish Airlines, British Airways, Lufthansa and Swiss International Air Lines, and all major Asian airlines, with the exception of Air China.
This terminal opened for the 1984 Summer Olympic Games and is named in honor of Tom Bradley, the first African-American and longest serving (20 years) mayor of Los Angeles, and champion of LAX. The terminal is located at the west end of the passenger terminal area between Terminals 3 and 4. There are 34 airlines that serve the Tom Bradley International Terminal and the terminal handles 10 million passengers per year.
In 2010, modernization efforts resulted in additional space for inline baggage screening, three large alliance-aligned lounges plus one unaligned lounge (to replace the multiple airline specific lounges) and fully facelifted departures and arrivals areas.
On November 17, 2008, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa unveiled design concepts for LAX's Bradley West and Midfield Concourse projects. Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), along with city officials, selected Fentress Architects in association with HNTB to develop a design concept for the modernization of LAX. The emphasis of the modernization is to improve the passenger experience.
On February 22, 2010, construction began on the $1.5 billion Bradley West project. The project will add over 1,250,000 square feet (116,000 m2) of shops, restaurants, and passenger lounges, as well as new security screening, customs and immigration, and baggage claim facilities. The terminal's existing two concourses will be demolished and replaced with a larger pair with 18 gates, nine of which will be able to accommodate super jumbo aircraft. The timeline for the project includes phased openings beginning in early 2012, with the full Bradley West extension completed in early 2014.
LAX handles more "origin and destination" (i.e. not connecting) passengers than any other airport in the world.[34] It is the world's fifth-busiest airport by passenger traffic[22] and eleventh-busiest by cargo traffic,[23] serving over 60 million passengers and more than two million tons of freight in 2006. It is the busiest airport in the state of California, and the third-busiest airport by passenger traffic in the United States based on final 2006 statistics.[24] In terms of international passengers, LAX is the third-busiest in the U.S. (behind only New York-JFK and Miami International Airport) and 26th worldwide.[26]
United Airlines/United Express operates the most departures from the airport followed by American Airlines/American Eagle and Southwest Airlines. United also operates to the most destinations, followed by American and Alaska Airlines/Horizon. Qantas operates the most trans-Pacific destinations (4), with nonstop service to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland. Lufthansa serves the most destinations in Europe, while Alaska Airlines serve the most destinations in Latin America.
| Airlines | Destinations | Terminal |
|---|---|---|
| Aeroflot | Moscow-Sheremetyevo | TBIT |
| Aeroméxico | Guadalajara, Mexico City | 2 |
| Aeroméxico Connect | Hermosillo, Leon/El Bajio Seasonal: Culiacán |
2 |
| Air Berlin | Berlin-Brandenburg [begins June 3, 2012], Berlin-Tegel [begins May 11, 2012; ends June 2, 2012] Seasonal: Düsseldorf |
TBIT |
| Air Canada | Calgary, Montréal-Trudeau, Toronto-Pearson, Vancouver | 2 |
| Air China | Beijing-Capital | 2 |
| Air FranceB | Papeete, Paris-Charles de Gaulle | 2 |
| Air New Zealand | Auckland, London-Heathrow, Rarotonga | 2 |
| Air Pacific | Nadi | TBIT |
| Air Tahiti Nui | Papeete, Paris-Charles de Gaulle | TBIT |
| AirTran Airways | Atlanta, Milwaukee | 3 |
| Alaska Airlines | Guadalajara, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, Manzanillo, Mazatlán, Mexico City, Portland (OR), Puerto Vallarta, San José del Cabo, Seattle/Tacoma, Vancouver, Washington-National Seasonal: Anchorage |
2,3[35] |
| Alaska Airlines operated by Horizon Air | La Paz, Loreto, Mammoth Lakes, Medford, San Jose (CA), Santa Rosa, Seattle/Tacoma Seasonal: Sun Valley |
2,3[35] |
| Alitalia | Seasonal: Rome-Fiumicino | 2 |
| All Nippon Airways | Tokyo-Haneda, Tokyo-Narita | TBIT |
| Allegiant Air | Bellingham, Billings, Des Moines, Eugene, Fargo, Fayetteville (AR), Grand Junction, Idaho Falls, Medford, Missoula, Pasco, Sioux Falls, Springfield (MO), Wichita [ends January 7, 2012] | 6 |
| American Airlines | Austin, Boston, Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Fort Lauderdale, Honolulu, Kahului, Kona, Las Vegas, Lihue, London-Heathrow, Miami, Nashville, New York–JFK, Newark, Orlando, St. Louis, San Francisco, San José del Cabo, San Juan, Shanghai-Pudong, Tokyo-Narita, Toronto-Pearson, Washington-Dulles | 4 |
| American Eagle | Albuquerque, Boise [ends February 9, 2012], Denver, El Paso, Fresno, Houston-Intercontinental, Monterey, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Reno/Tahoe, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Jose (CA), Santa Barbara, Santa Fe, Tucson Seasonal: Aspen |
4 (Satellite) |
| Arkefly | Seasonal: Amsterdam [begins June 7, 2012][36] | TBD |
| Asiana Airlines | Seoul-Incheon | TBIT |
| British Airways | London-Heathrow | TBIT |
| Cathay Pacific | Hong Kong | TBIT |
| China Airlines | Taipei-Taoyuan | TBIT |
| China Eastern Airlines | Shanghai-Pudong | TBIT |
| China Southern Airlines | Guangzhou | TBIT |
| Copa Airlines | Panama City | 6 |
| Delta Air Lines | Atlanta, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Detroit, Guadalajara, Guatemala City, Honolulu, Indianapolis, Kahului, Kona, Las Vegas, Lihue, Memphis, Miami, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New Orleans, New York–JFK, Orlando, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, Sydney, Tampa, Tokyo-Haneda, Tokyo-Narita Seasonal: Cancún, Columbus (OH), Managua, Puerto Vallarta, Raleigh/Durham |
5,6 |
| Delta Connection operated by Compass Airlines | Kansas City | 5 |
| Delta Connection operated by SkyWest Airlines | Las Vegas, Oakland, Phoenix, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco | 5 |
| El Al | Tel Aviv | TBIT |
| Emirates | Dubai | TBIT |
| EVA Air | Taipei-Taoyuan | TBIT |
| Frontier Airlines | Denver, Kansas City | 6 |
| Frontier Airlines operated by Republic Airlines | Denver, Kansas City | 6 |
| Great Lakes Airlines | Farmington, Merced, Prescott, Visalia[1] | 6 |
| Hawaiian Airlines | Honolulu | 2 |
| Iberia | Madrid | TBIT |
| Japan Airlines | Tokyo-Narita | TBIT |
| JetBlue Airways | Boston, Fort Lauderdale, New York–JFK | 3 |
| KLM | Amsterdam | 2 |
| Korean Air | São Paulo-Guarulhos, Seoul-Incheon, Tokyo-Narita | TBIT |
| LAN Airlines | Lima, Santiago de Chile | TBIT |
| LAN Perú | Lima | TBIT |
| Lufthansa | Frankfurt, Munich | TBIT |
| Malaysia Airlines | Kuala Lumpur, Taipei-Taoyuan | TBIT |
| Philippine Airlines | Manila | TBIT |
| Qantas | Auckland, Brisbane | 4 |
| QantasA | Melbourne, Sydney | TBIT |
| Singapore Airlines | Singapore, Tokyo-Narita | TBIT |
| Southwest Airlines | Albuquerque, Austin, Baltimore, Chicago-Midway, Denver, El Paso, Houston-Hobby, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Nashville, New Orleans, Oakland, Phoenix, Reno/Tahoe, Sacramento, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Francisco, San Jose (CA), Tucson | 1 |
| Spirit Airlines | Chicago O'Hare, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas | 6 |
| Sun Country Airlines | Minneapolis/St. Paul | 2 |
| Swiss International Air Lines | Zürich | TBIT |
| TACA Airlines | San Salvador | 2 |
| TACA Airlines operated by Lacsa | Guatemala City, San José de Costa Rica, San Salvador | 2 |
| Thai Airways International | Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi | TBIT |
| Turkish Airlines | Istanbul-Atatürk | TBIT |
| United Airlines | Baltimore, Boston, Cancún, Chicago-O'Hare, Cleveland, Denver, Guadalajara, Hilo, Honolulu, Houston-Intercontinental, Kahului, Kona, Las Vegas, León/El Bajío, Lihue, London-Heathrow, Melbourne, Mexico City, New Orleans, New York–JFK, Newark, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Puerto Vallarta, San Francisco, San José del Cabo, Shanghai-Pudong, Sydney, Tokyo-Narita, Washington-Dulles Seasonal: Philadelphia Charter: Havana |
6,7,8 |
| United Express operated by ExpressJet Airlines | Durango [begins March 11, 2012] | 6 |
| United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines | Albuquerque, Austin, Bakersfield, Boise, Carlsbad, Colorado Springs, Dallas/Fort Worth, El Paso, Fresno, Imperial, Inyokern, Las Vegas, Monterey, Oklahoma City, Palm Springs, Phoenix, Portland (OR), Reno/Tahoe, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Jose (CA), San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Seattle/Tacoma, St. George, Tucson, Tulsa, Vancouver, Yuma Seasonal: Aspen, Bozeman, Jackson Hole, Montrose |
7,8 |
| US Airways | Charlotte, Philadelphia, Phoenix | 1 |
| US Airways Express operated by Mesa Airlines | Phoenix | 1 |
| US Airways Express operated by SkyWest Airlines | Phoenix [begins January 4, 2012] | 1 |
| Virgin America | Boston, Cancún, Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Fort Lauderdale, New York-JFK, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle/Tacoma, Washington-Dulles | 3 |
| Virgin Atlantic | London-Heathrow | 2 |
| Virgin Australia | Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney | 3 |
| Volaris | Aguascalientes, Guadalajara, Mexico City, Morelia, Zacatecas | 2 |
| WestJet | Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver | 2 |
A:^ Qantas flights to/from New York–JFK are only for non-domestic, connecting traffic.
B:^ Effective May 28, 2012, Air France will operate the Airbus A380 to Paris-CDG. However, the A380 service will operate out of the Tom Bradley International Terminal while the Boeing 777 flights will continue to operate out of Terminal 2.
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| ABX Air | Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Guadalajara, Mexico City, Portland (OR), San Francisco, San José de Costa Rica, Seattle/Boeing Field |
| AeroUnion | Guadalajara, Mexico-City |
| Air China Cargo | Beijing-Capital |
| Air Transport International | Toledo |
| Ameriflight | Phoenix, Tucson |
| Asiana Cargo | Seoul-Incheon |
| Atlas Air | Guam, Fairbanks |
| Cargolux | Calgary, Glasgow-Prestwick, Luxembourg |
| Cathay Pacific Cargo | Hong Kong, Vancouver |
| China Cargo Airlines | Shanghai-Pudong |
| China Southern Cargo | Shanghai-Pudong |
| EVA Air Cargo | Taipei-Taoyuan |
| FedEx Express | Burbank, Fort Worth/Alliance, Honolulu, Indianapolis, Memphis, Newark, Oakland, San Diego, Sydney |
| Florida West International Airways | Bogotá |
| Kalitta Air | Honolulu |
| Korean Air Cargo | Seoul-Incheon, Tokyo-Narita |
| Lufthansa Cargo | Frankfurt |
| MasAir | Guadalajara, Merida, Mexico-City, Quito, São Paulo-Viracopos |
| Nippon Cargo Airlines | Tokyo-Narita |
| Polar Air Cargo | Anchorage, Seoul-Incheon, Shanghai-Pudong, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky |
| Shanghai Airlines Cargo | Shanghai-Pudong |
| Singapore Airlines Cargo | Amsterdam, Hong Kong |
| Southern Air | Seoul-Incheon |
| UPS Airlines | Dallas/Fort Worth, Louisville |
| World Airways | Baltimore, San Francisco, Seoul-Incheon |
| Yangtze River Express | Shanghai-Pudong |
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | London (Heathrow), United Kingdom | 1,387,535 | Air New Zealand, American, British Airways, United, Virgin Atlantic |
| 2 | Tokyo (Narita), Japan | 1,227,464 | All Nippon Airways, American, Delta, JAL, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, United |
| 3 | Sydney, Australia | 998,678 | Qantas, Delta, United, Virgin Australia |
| 4 | Taipei (Taoyuan), Taiwan | 947,535 | China Airlines, EVA Air, Malaysia Airlines |
| 5 | Seoul (Incheon), South Korea | 896,389 | Asiana Airlines, Korean Air |
| 6 | Guadalajara, Mexico | 769,254 | Aeroméxico, Alaska Airlines, United, Delta, Volaris |
| 7 | Vancouver, Canada | 686,731 | Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, United, WestJet |
| 8 | Mexico City, Mexico | 647,745 | Aeroméxico, Alaska Airlines, United |
| 9 | Paris (Charles de Gaulle), France | 552,709 | Air France, Air Tahiti Nui |
| 10 | Auckland, New Zealand | 528,625 | Air New Zealand, Qantas |
| 11 | Hong Kong | 457,190 | Cathay Pacific |
| 12 | San José del Cabo, Mexico | 417,497 | Alaska Airlines, American, United |
| 13 | Toronto (Pearson), Canada | 337,692 | Air Canada, American |
| 14 | San Salvador, El Salvador | 325,186 | American, TACA Airlines |
| 15 | Papeete, French Polynesia | 307,267 | Air France, Air Tahiti Nui |
| 16 | Frankfurt, Germany | 303,752 | Lufthansa |
| 17 | Brisbane, Australia | 275,651 | Qantas, Virgin Australia |
| 18 | Melbourne, Australia | 240,225 | Qantas, United, Virgin Australia |
| 19 | Amsterdam, the Netherlands | 205,874 | KLM |
| 20 | Puerto Vallarta, Mexico | 205,648 | Alaska Airlines, Delta, United |
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, California | 1,591,000 | American, Delta, Southwest, United, Virgin America |
| 2 | New York (JFK), New York | 1,518,000 | American, Delta, JetBlue, United, Virgin America |
| 3 | Chicago (O'Hare), Illinois | 1,122,000 | American, Spirit, United, Virgin America |
| 4 | Las Vegas, Nevada | 1,063,000 | American, Delta, Southwest, Spirit, United, US Airways |
| 5 | Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas | 1,008,000 | American, United, Virgin America |
| 6 | Honolulu, Hawaii | 976,000 | American, Delta, Hawaiian, United |
| 7 | Denver, Colorado | 937,000 | American, Frontier, Southwest, United |
| 8 | Atlanta, Georgia | 906,000 | AirTran, Delta |
| 9 | Seattle, Washington | 761,000 | Alaska, United, Virgin America |
| 10 | Phoenix, Arizona | 695,000 | American, Delta, Southwest, United, US Airways |
| Passengers | FAA Aircraft Movements | Air Freight in tons | Air Mail in tons | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 51,050,275 | 689,888 | 1,516,567 | 186,878 |
| 1995 | 53,909,223 | 732,639 | 1,567,248 | 193,747 |
| 1996 | 57,974,559 | 763,866 | 1,696,663 | 194,091 |
| 1997 | 60,142,588 | 781,492 | 1,852,487 | 212,410 |
| 1998 | 61,215,712 | 773,569 | 1,787,400 | 264,473 |
| 1999 | 64,279,571 | 779,150 | 1,884,526 | 253,695 |
| 2000 | 67,303,182 | 783,433 | 2,002,614 | 246,538 |
| 2001 | 61,606,204 | 738,433 | 1,779,065 | 162,629 |
| 2002 | 56,223,843 | 645,424 | 1,869,932 | 92,422 |
| 2003 | 54,982,838 | 622,378 | 1,924,883 | 97,193 |
| 2004 | 60,704,568 | 655,097 | 2,022,911 | 92,402 |
| 2005 | 61,489,398 | 650,629 | 2,048,817 | 88,371 |
| 2006 | 61,041,066 | 656,842 | 2,022,687 | 80,395 |
| 2007 | 62,438,583 | 680,954 | 2,010,820 | 66,707 |
| 2008 | 59,815,646 | 622,506 | 1,723,038 | 73,505 |
| 2009 | 56,520,843 | 544,833 | 1,599,782 | 64,073 |
| 2010 | 59,069,409 | 575,835 | 1,852,791 | 74,034 |
| Source: Los Angeles World Airports [39] | ||||
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. Such connections can be time consuming and do normally require set minimum connections times to be considered a legal connection.
A few LAX terminals provide airside connections, which allow connecting passengers to access other terminals without having to re-clear through security. The following airside connections are possible:
LAX can be reached primarily using the Century Boulevard exit (and several more northern exits) on Interstate 405, or the Sepulveda Boulevard (State Route 1) exit on Interstate 105.
Out of a number of bus systems, many routes (local, rapid and express) of the LACMTA, Line 8 of Torrance Transit, Line 109 of Beach Cities Transit, and the regular as well as the rapid buses of both the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus system's Line 3 and the Culver CityBus's Line 6 all make stops at the LAX Transit Center in Parking Lot C. on 96th St., where shuttle bus "C" offers free connections to and from every LAX terminal, and at the Green Line Station, where shuttle bus "G" connects to and from the terminals.
The FlyAway Bus is a shuttle service run by the LAWA, which travels between one of four off-airport areas: San Fernando Valley (Van Nuys), downtown Los Angeles (Union Station), the Westside (Westwood) and Orange County (Irvine). The shuttle service stops at every LAX terminal. The service hours vary based on the line. All lines use the regional system of High Occupancy Vehicle lanes to expedite their trips.
Shuttle bus "G" offers a free connection to the Aviation/LAX station on the Metro Green Line. The line was originally intended to connect directly to the airport, but budgetary restraints and opposition from local long-term parking lot owners impeded its progress. A Metro Rail extension to LAX is a part of both LAX and Metro's master plans. Shuttle bus "G" runs every 10–15 minutes (synched with the train schedule) from 5am–1:30am. [41]
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 riders. A number of private shuttle companies also offer limousine and bus services to LAX airport.
The airport also functions as a joint civil-military facility, providing a base for the United States Coast Guard and its Coast Guard Air Station Los Angeles facility, operating 4 HH-65 Dolphin helicopters, which covers Coast Guard operations in various Southern California locations, including Catalina Island.
Missions include search and rescue (SAR), Law enforcement, aids to navigation support (such as operating lighthouses) and various military operations. In addition, Coast Guard helicopters assigned to the air station deploy to Coast Guard cutters.
The Flight Path Learning Center is a museum located at 6661 Imperial Highway and was formerly known as the "West Imperial Terminal." This building used to house some charter flights (Condor Airlines) and regular scheduled flights by MGM Grand Air. It sat empty for 10 years until it was re-opened as a learning center for LAX.
The center contains information on the history of aviation, several pictures of the airport, as well as aircraft scale models, flight attendant uniforms, and general airline memorabilia such as playing cards, china, magazines, signs, even a TWA gate information sign.
The museum claims to be "the only aviation museum and research center situated at a major airport and the only facility with a primary emphasis on contributions of civil aviation to the history and development of Southern California".[42] However, there are other museums at major airports including the Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum adjacent to Washington Dulles Airport, the Royal Thai Air Force Museum at Don Muang Airport, the Suomen ilmailumuseo (Finnish Aviation Museum) at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, the Frontier of Flight Museum at Dallas Love Field, and others.
The airport has the administrative offices of Los Angeles World Airports.[43]
Continental Airlines once had its corporate headquarters on the airport property. At a 1962 press conference in the office of Mayor of Los Angeles Sam Yorty, Continental Airlines announced that it planned to move its headquarters to Los Angeles in July 1963.[44] In 1963 Continental's headquarters moved to a two story, $2.3 million building on the grounds of the airport.[45][46] The July 2009 Continental Magazine issue stated that the move "underlined Continental's western and Pacific orientation."[47] On July 1, 1983 the airline's headquarters were relocated to the America Tower in the Neartown area of Houston.[48]
In addition to Continental, Western Airlines and Flying Tiger Line also had their headquarters on the LAX property.[49][50]
During its history there have been numerous incidents, but only the most notable are summarized below:[51]
LAWA currently has several plans to modernize LAX. These include terminal and runway improvements, which will enhance the passenger experience, reduce overcrowding, and provide airport access to the latest class of very large passenger aircraft.
These improvements [76] include:
LAWA is also planning to build and operate an LAX Automated People Mover. This small train will connect passengers between the central terminal area and the Metro Green Line, the future Metro Crenshaw Line, and regional and local bus lines.
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