Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Airport Guide - HonestAirport

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Airportist Score

Arrive

Security

Fastest

Cheapest

Lounges

On time

Alternatives

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LAXGuide

Most important tips

Know before you go

A compact traveler cheat sheet for timing, terminals, food, and disruption checks.

Timing

Arrive 2 hours domestic / 3 hours international

Security rarely exceeds 15–20 minutes outside peaks; use FlyLAX wait times.

90 minutes often works for domestic with PreCheck, but construction and CTA traffic add buffer. T5 is closed — do not follow an old Terminal 5 pin.

Terminal

Check the airline terminal before you leave

Boarding pass beats any 2024 terminal map.

T5 is closed until 2028. Delta is consolidated in T3. JetBlue is T1. American check-in is T4; many international arrivals are TBIT. United is T7/T8. Post-security walkways connect most open terminals; the T5 gap still matters.

Food

Eat airside after security for the better options

TBIT and T3 have the strongest variety; landside is limited.

TBIT and T3 have the strongest variety after recent renovations. Landside is thinner once you are past the CTA.

Status

Priority Pass at LAX is a $35 Virgin visit

Do not walk to Air France or Centurion expecting Priority Pass.

Live Priority Pass lists one lounge: Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in TBIT with an additional US$35 fee. Air France TBIT is not PP. Airline clubs (Delta Sky Club, United Club, Admirals Club, Centurion) stay cabin- or card-gated.

Live conditions

Right now at LAX

Security waits and operational status from official feeds, where the airport publishes them.

Honest verdict

Who this airport works for

Best for

Delta and United flyers with lounge access
International connections via TBIT
Public transport options like FlyAway

Watch out for

Following an old Terminal 5 pin — T5 is closed until 2028
Assuming Air France TBIT accepts Priority Pass (it is not on the live PP list)
Quoting 80 million passengers — LAWA 2025 is 73,709,594
Treating SkyLink as open; official language is still forthcoming / 2026
CTA traffic and construction adding more time than security

Airportist Score

Why this score

Overall is the published weighted sum of six categories. No holistic fudge on top.

Ease of use · 25%

Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.

6.8

Comfort & amenities · 20%

Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.

7.0

Food & retail · 15%

Food and retail quality and variety.

7.5

Ground access · 15%

Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.

7.8

Reliability · 15%

Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.

7.0

Lounges · 10%

Worth-it density and access quality.

7.3

Key stats

Editorial reference figures, not live readings.

Annual passengers

73,709,594 (LAWA 2025)

Terminals

T1–T4, T6–T8 + TBIT active; T5 closed until 2028

On-time departures

75%

Typical security

18 min

Guide quick facts

From the editorial guide for LAX.

Updated Oct 20, 2026

Los Angeles International Airport (IATA LAX / ICAO KLAX). Official site flylax.com. Operator is Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA).
Official LAWA 10-year passenger table: 2024 76,585,861; 2025 73,709,594. The last 80-million year was 2016 (80,921,651). Do not keep “80M+.”
Terminal 5 is closed for a full rebuild. flylax.com: anticipated reopening 2028. LAWA (21 Oct 2025) said full closure 28 Oct 2025, reopen just before the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Post-T5 airline map: JetBlue Terminal 1; Delta Terminal 3; American check-in Terminal 4 with international arrivals in TBIT / Terminal B; United / United Express Terminals 7–8. TBIT handles most international flights.
SkyLink automated people mover is still described in future tense on official LAWA pages (“opening in 2026” / Fall operations in budget language). There is no official LAWA sentence pinning passenger service to “not before October 2026.” Use the free Metro Connector shuttle and terminal shuttles until SkyLink is posted as open for passengers.
FlyAway one-way fare is $12.75 to Union Station and Van Nuys. Metro C and K Lines to LAX/Metro Transit Center are $1.75 with 2-hour transfers; the Connector shuttle to terminals is free.

7 official sources

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