Terminals of Los Angeles International Airport
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Los Angeles International Airport Los Angeles International Airport , commonly referred to as LAX (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles, California and its surrounding metropolitan area. LAX is located in the W ...
have a total of 146 gates in nine passenger terminals arranged in the shape of the letter U or a horseshoe. Passengers can move between terminals via various shuttle buses and inter-terminal pedestrian connections. , the airport is in the midst of a major reconstruction program, at the conclusion of which passengers will be able to make connections between all terminals on foot without having to exit and reenter airport security. In addition to these terminals, there are of cargo facilities and a heliport operated by Bravo Aviation.


History

The basic layout of the airport dates back to 1958 when the architecture firm Pereira & Luckman was contracted to plan the re-design of the airport for the " jet age". The plan, developed with architects
Welton Becket Welton David Becket (August 8, 1902 – January 16, 1969) was an American modern architect who designed many buildings in Los Angeles, California. Biography Becket was born in Seattle, Washington and graduated from the University of Washingt ...
and Paul Williams, called for a series of terminals and
parking structures A multistorey car park (British English, British and Singapore English) or parking garage (American English), also called a multistory, parking building, parking structure, parkade (mainly Canadian English, Canadian), parking ramp, parking ...
in the central portion of the property, with these buildings connected at the center by a huge steel-and-glass dome. The dome was never built but the
Theme Building The Theme Building is a structure at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), considered an architectural example of the Space Age design style. Influenced by "Populuxe" architecture, it is an example of the Mid-century modern design movement l ...
built in the central area became a focal point visible to people coming to the airport. Each terminal originally had a common design: a satellite building out in the middle of the ramp, reached by tunnels from a separate ticketing building. Buildings 7 and 8 (built for
United Airlines United Airlines, Inc. (commonly referred to as United), is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois.
) were first to be completed on June 25, 1961, followed by Terminal 3 (
Trans World Airlines Trans World Airlines (TWA) was a major American airline which operated from 1930 until 2001. It was formed as Transcontinental & Western Air to operate a route from New York City to Los Angeles via St. Louis, Kansas City, and other stops, with F ...
), Terminal 4 (
American Airlines American Airlines is a major airlines of the United States, major US-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the world when measured ...
) and Terminal 5 ( Western Airlines) in September. Terminal 2 opened as the international terminal in December. Terminal 6, a "consolidated" terminal for other domestic carriers, was the last to open. A major expansion of the airport came in the early 1980s, ahead of the
1984 Summer Olympic Games The 1984 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXIII Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1984) were an international multi-sport event held from July 28 to August 12, 1984, in Los Angeles, California, United States. It marked the secon ...
. In November 1983 a second-level roadway was added, separating departing and arriving travelers; Terminal 1, which had been planned in the 1958 design, opened in January 1984; and the new Tom Bradley International Terminal opened in June 1984. Throughout the 1980s, the original terminals (2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) were also rebuilt with connector buildings that transformed the separate satellite and ticketing buildings into one continuous terminal.


Inter-terminal connections

Passengers can walk between the Tom Bradley International Terminal (Terminal B) and Terminals 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 without needing to exit the secure area and be re-screened. A sky bridge walkway connects Terminals B and 4; a tunnel connects Terminals 4, 5 and 6; and a ground-level walkway connects Terminals 6, 7, and 8. A separate corridor connects Terminals 2 and 3, with connections to Terminal 1 and B under construction . Currently shuttle buses connect Terminals 2 and 3 to Terminal 3. An additional airside shuttle bus operates between Terminals 4 and 5 to the regional terminal.


Terminal 1

Terminal 1 has 13 gates: Gates 9, 11A–11B, 12A–12B, 13–15, 16, 17A–17B, 18A–18B and the bus gate. , this terminal serves as an operating base for
Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines Co., typically referred to as Southwest, is one of the major airlines of the United States and the world's largest low-cost carrier. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has scheduled service to 121 destinations in the U ...
(Southwest operates point-to-point routes with bases instead of hubs). The terminal also has check-in facilities for
Air Transat Air Transat is a Canadian airline based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1986, it is the country's third-largest airline behind Air Canada and WestJet, operating scheduled and charter flights serving 60 destinations in 25 countries. Air Transa ...
, Allegiant Air, Condor,
Sun Country Airlines Sun Country Airlines is an American ultra-low-cost passenger and cargo airline, and the eleventh largest in the US by passengers carried. Based at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport with headquarters on airport property, Sun Coun ...
and VivaAerobús. After clearing security in Terminal 1, passengers board a shuttle bus to the West Gates of the Tom Bradley International Terminal where the flights operate. Terminal 1 was built in 1984 for main tenant Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA). An extensive renovation, financed by
Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines Co., typically referred to as Southwest, is one of the major airlines of the United States and the world's largest low-cost carrier. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has scheduled service to 121 destinations in the U ...
, was completed in late 2018 and provided updates to the security screening area, curbside dropoff, terminal areas and baggage handling. Former tenants of the terminal include
Air California Air California, later renamed AirCal, was an American airline company, founded by William E. Myers and Bill Perrera, a partnership of Orange County businessmen. It began as an intrastate airline operating solely within California. Air Californ ...
, Air Hawaii,
AirTran Airways AirTran Airways was a low-cost U.S. airline that was originally headquartered in Orlando, Florida, and ceased operation following its acquisition by Southwest Airlines. AirTran Airways was established in 1993 as Conquest Sun Airlines by the ...
,
America West Airlines America West Airlines was a major American airline, founded in 1981, with service commencing in 1983, and having reached US$1 billion in annual revenue in 1989, headquartered in Tempe, Arizona. At the time of its acquisition of US Airways, Americ ...
, Braniff (1983–1990), Morris Air, Pacific Southwest Airlines, Piedmont Airlines (1948–1989),
StatesWest Airlines StatesWest Airlines was a regional airline, commuter airline headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona that operated to destinations in the Southwestern United States. History StatesWest was founded by Phoenix entrepreneur Rudy Millein 1986 and began o ...
, TranStar Airlines and
US Airways US Airways (formerly USAir) was a major United States airline that operated from 1937 until its merger with American Airlines in 2015. It was originally founded in History of aviation in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh as a mail delivery airline called ...
.


Terminal 2

Terminal 2 has 12 gates: Gates 21, 21B, 22, 23A–23B, 24, 25A–25B, 26A–26B, 27 and 28. , this terminal, along with Terminal 3, serves as a hub for
Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. One of the List of airlines by foundation date, world's oldest airlines in operation, Delta is headquartered in Atla ...
. The terminal is also used by
WestJet WestJet Airlines Ltd. is a Canadian airline headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, near Calgary International Airport. It is the second-largest Canadian airline, behind Air Canada, operating an average of 777 flights and carrying more than 66,130 ...
. Due to construction, passengers travelling from Terminal 2 check in at Terminal 3. Terminal 2 was built in 1962, and was the original international terminal. It was completely torn down and rebuilt in stages between 1984 and 1988 at a cost of $94 million. The rebuilt terminal was designed by
Leo A Daly LEO A DALY, established by Leo A. Daly, Sr. in 1915, is an American architecture, planning, engineering, interior design and program management firm. The firm's portfolio includes projects in 91 countries, all 50 U.S. states and the District of C ...
. Terminal 2 has CBP (Customs and Border Protection) facilities to process arriving international passengers but arriving Aer Lingus passengers normally use the same arrival facilities as domestic passengers since they have already cleared CBP inspections at their departure airports. Former tenants of the terminal include Air Canada, Air L.A.,
Air Mobility Command Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the U.S. Air Force. It is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, Missouri. Air Mobility Command was established on 1 June 1992, and was formed from elements ...
, Air New Zealand,
Air Resorts Air Resorts was a regional airline based in San Diego and Saint Thomas. History Air Resorts was founded in 1978 by Ted Vallas as a flight training and air-taxi operator based out of Carlsbad-Palomar Airport in San Diego. By 1978 Air Resorts ha ...
,
Líneas Aéreas Allegro Líneas Aéreas Allegro was a scheduled/charter passenger airline from Mexico and US. Allegro Airlines offered 212 domestic and international flights to the U.S. every week. Company history Allegro was founded in 1992 by Fernando Padilla, Fernand ...
, Asiana, ATA Airlines,
Aviacsa Consorcio Aviaxsa, S.A. de C.V., doing business as Aviacsa, was a low-cost airline of Mexico with its headquarters in Hangar 1 of Zone C on the property of Mexico City International Airport in Venustiano Carranza, Mexico City, Mexico. The airlin ...
,
Avianca Avianca S.A. (acronym in Spanish for ''Aerovias del Continente Americano S.A.'', "Airways of the American Continent") is a Colombian airline. It has been the flag carrier of Colombia since December 5, 1919, when it was initially registered under ...
,
Braniff International Airways Braniff Airways, Inc., operated as Braniff International Airways from 1948 until 1965, and then Braniff International from 1965 until air operations ceased, was an airline in the United States that once flew air carrier operations from 1928 un ...
, Caledonian Airways (1988),
Canadian Pacific Air Lines Canadian Pacific Air Lines was a Canadian airline that operated from 1942 to 1987. It operated under the name CP Air from 1968 to 1986. Headquartered at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia, it served domestic Canadian a ...
,
CAAC Airlines CAAC Airlines (), formerly the People's Aviation Company of China (中國人民航空公司), was the airline division of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and the monopoly civil airline in the People's Republic of China. It was f ...
,
Capitol Air Capitol Air was a charter airline in the United States which was operational from 1946 to its bankruptcy filing on November 23, 1984. It was founded as Capitol Airways in 1946, and then renamed Capitol International Airways in 1967. In 1981, the ...
,
Carnival Air Lines Carnival Air Lines Incorporated was a charter and scheduled airline division of the Carnival Corporation & plc that started in 1988 after Carnival Cruise Lines purchased Pacific Interstate Airlines. It was headquartered in Dania Beach, Florida. ...
, Denver Ports of Call, Hawaiian Airlines,
KLM KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, legally ''Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V.'' (literal translation: Royal Aviation Company Plc.), is the flag carrier airline of the Netherlands. KLM is headquartered in Amstelveen, with its hub at nearby Amste ...
, LTU International, MarkAir,
Miami Air International Miami Air International was an American charter airline based in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It operated worldwide passenger charter flights for diverse groups including cruise operators, professional sports teams and the United S ...
, National Airlines (1934–1980), Northwest Airlines,
Omni Air International Omni Air International, LLC. is a United States charter airline headquartered in Hangar 19 on the grounds of Tulsa International Airport in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States. It specializes in passenger charter flights, and Aircraft Crew Maintenan ...
,
Pacific Express Pacific Express was an all-jet airline in the western United States from 1982 to early based in marketed itself as Pan Am Pacific Express reflecting a marketing agreement between Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) and the carrier for connectin ...
,
Pan Am Pan American World Airways, originally founded as Pan American Airways and commonly known as Pan Am, was an American airline that was the principal and largest international air carrier and unofficial overseas flag carrier of the United States ...
, Pan American Airways (1996–1998),
People Express Airlines (1980s) People Express Airlines, stylized as PEOPLExpress, was a low-cost U.S. airline that operated from 1981 to 1987, when it was merged into Continental Airlines. The airline's headquarters was in the North Terminal (later Terminal C) of Newark L ...
,
Ryan International Airlines Ryan International Airlines, Inc. was an American FAR 121 airline with domestic, flag, and supplemental authority. Synopsis and history Based at Chicago Rockford International Airport in Rockford, Illinois, the US Postal Service was once the a ...
, Skyservice Airlines,
VASP Viação Aérea São Paulo S/A (São Paulo Airways), better known as VASP, was an airline with its head office in the VASP Building on the grounds of São Paulo–Congonhas Airport in São Paulo, Brazil. It had main bases at São Paulo's two m ...
, Virgin Atlantic,
World Airways World Airways, Inc. was a United States airline headquartered in Peachtree City, Georgia in Greater Atlanta. The company operated mostly non-scheduled services but did fly scheduled passenger services as well, notably with McDonnell Douglas DC ...
and the majority of the International carriers before the Tom Bradley International Terminal was completed for the
1984 Summer Olympics The 1984 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXIII Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1984) were an international multi-sport event held from July 28 to August 12, 1984, in Los Angeles, California, United States. It marked the secon ...
. There are two airline lounges in Terminal 2 with the Delta SkyClub and Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse both being located on the mezzanine level of the concourse. As of Mid-2021, the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse is no longer operating, and the existing lounge space is used by Delta as an additional SkyClub location at LAX.


Terminal 3

Terminal 3 has 14 gates: Gates 30A–30B, 31A–31B, 32A–32B, 33, 34A–34B, 35–36, 37A–37B, 38. , this terminal, along with Terminal 2, serves as a hub for
Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. One of the List of airlines by foundation date, world's oldest airlines in operation, Delta is headquartered in Atla ...
. The terminal also has check-in facilities for Delta's
SkyTeam SkyTeam is one of the world's three major airline alliances. Founded in June 2000, SkyTeam was the last of the three alliances to be formed, the first two being Star Alliance and Oneworld, respectively. Its annual passenger count is 630 million ...
partner, Aeroméxico; after clearing security in Terminal 3, Aeroméxico passengers board a shuttle to the Tom Bradley International Terminal where the flights operate. Terminal 3 opened in 1961 and was
Trans World Airlines Trans World Airlines (TWA) was a major American airline which operated from 1930 until 2001. It was formed as Transcontinental & Western Air to operate a route from New York City to Los Angeles via St. Louis, Kansas City, and other stops, with F ...
' (TWA's) terminal.
Eastern Air Lines Eastern Air Lines, also colloquially known as Eastern, was a major United States airline from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution, it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade County, Florida. Ea ...
initially also shared space as a tenant. The terminal was expanded in 1970 to accommodate widebody operations and between 1980 and 1987, which included a new passenger connector building and baggage system connected to the original satellite. It formerly housed some
American Airlines American Airlines is a major airlines of the United States, major US-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the world when measured ...
flights after that airline acquired Reno Air and TWA in 1999 and 2001, respectively.
Virgin America Virgin America Inc. was a low-cost U.S. airline that operated from 2007 until 2018, when it was acquired by Alaska Airlines. The airline primarily focused on operating low-fare service between cities on the West Coast and other major metropoli ...
was also based here from 2008-2017 until the Alaska Airlines merger moved them to Terminal 6.
US Airways US Airways (formerly USAir) was a major United States airline that operated from 1937 until its merger with American Airlines in 2015. It was originally founded in History of aviation in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh as a mail delivery airline called ...
was housed in Terminal 3 after renovations were started in Terminal 1 from February 2014 until eventually, all American flights were moved to Terminal 4. Terminal 3 was closed, partially demolished and reconstructed between November 2020 and April 2022 as part of Delta Air Lines' $1.9 billion "Delta Sky Way at LAX" modernization project. The pace of construction was accelerated due to the decline in passenger air travel as the result of the global
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. Former tenants of the terminal include
Air California Air California, later renamed AirCal, was an American airline company, founded by William E. Myers and Bill Perrera, a partnership of Orange County businessmen. It began as an intrastate airline operating solely within California. Air Californ ...
,
AirTran Airways AirTran Airways was a low-cost U.S. airline that was originally headquartered in Orlando, Florida, and ceased operation following its acquisition by Southwest Airlines. AirTran Airways was established in 1993 as Conquest Sun Airlines by the ...
,
American Airlines American Airlines is a major airlines of the United States, major US-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the world when measured ...
, ATA Airlines, Bonanza Air Lines,
Braniff International Airways Braniff Airways, Inc., operated as Braniff International Airways from 1948 until 1965, and then Braniff International from 1965 until air operations ceased, was an airline in the United States that once flew air carrier operations from 1928 un ...
,
Eastern Air Lines Eastern Air Lines, also colloquially known as Eastern, was a major United States airline from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution, it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade County, Florida. Ea ...
, Golden West Airlines,
The Hawaii Express The Hawaii Express was a scheduled passenger airline that operated flights between Los Angeles, California (LAX) and Honolulu, Hawaii (HNL). It was nicknamed "The Big Pineapple" and started service with one Boeing 747-100 aircraft, featuring ...
, Midway Airlines (1976–1991),
Midwest Airlines Midwest Airlines (formerly Midwest Express) was a U.S.-based airline headquartered in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, that operated from Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport between 1984 and 2010. For a short time, it also operated as a brand of ...
, Northeastern International Airways, Pacific East Airlines,
Pacific Express Pacific Express was an all-jet airline in the western United States from 1982 to early based in marketed itself as Pan Am Pacific Express reflecting a marketing agreement between Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) and the carrier for connectin ...
, Reno Air,
Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines Co., typically referred to as Southwest, is one of the major airlines of the United States and the world's largest low-cost carrier. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has scheduled service to 121 destinations in the U ...
, Spirit Airlines,
Trans World Airlines Trans World Airlines (TWA) was a major American airline which operated from 1930 until 2001. It was formed as Transcontinental & Western Air to operate a route from New York City to Los Angeles via St. Louis, Kansas City, and other stops, with F ...
,
US Airways US Airways (formerly USAir) was a major United States airline that operated from 1937 until its merger with American Airlines in 2015. It was originally founded in History of aviation in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh as a mail delivery airline called ...
,
Virgin America Virgin America Inc. was a low-cost U.S. airline that operated from 2007 until 2018, when it was acquired by Alaska Airlines. The airline primarily focused on operating low-fare service between cities on the West Coast and other major metropoli ...
, Virgin Australia, and
Western Pacific Airlines Western Pacific Airlines, or WestPac, was an airline which operated in the United States from 1995 to 1998. A low-cost carrier, it was formed in 1994 under the name Commercial Air, later changed to Western Pacific, and began operating schedul ...
. Terminal 3 has one Delta SkyClub.


Terminal 4

Terminal 4 has 16 gates: Gates 40–41, 42A–42B, 43–45, 46A–46C, 47A–47B, 48A–48B, and 49A–49B. , this terminal, the Regional Terminal, and part of Terminal 5, serve as a hub for
American Airlines American Airlines is a major airlines of the United States, major US-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the world when measured ...
. Terminal 4 was built in 1961, was expanded in 1983 by adding a connector from the ticketing areas to the original satellite, and was renovated in 2002 at a cost of $400 million in order to improve the appearance and functionality of the facility. The renovation was designed by Rivers & Christian. Some international departures operate at TBIT.
American Airlines American Airlines is a major airlines of the United States, major US-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the world when measured ...
and American Eagle have more gates than any other airline at LAX, with 28 (
American Airlines American Airlines is a major airlines of the United States, major US-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the world when measured ...
operates from 32 gates in total, including 9 gates at the American Eagle satellite terminal, 4 dedicated gates at Terminal 5, as well as 4 rotating gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal). American Airlines has one Admirals Club in the terminal. Former tenants of the terminal include:
Air California Air California, later renamed AirCal, was an American airline company, founded by William E. Myers and Bill Perrera, a partnership of Orange County businessmen. It began as an intrastate airline operating solely within California. Air Californ ...
, Alaska Airlines,
America West Airlines America West Airlines was a major American airline, founded in 1981, with service commencing in 1983, and having reached US$1 billion in annual revenue in 1989, headquartered in Tempe, Arizona. At the time of its acquisition of US Airways, Americ ...
,
KLM KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, legally ''Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V.'' (literal translation: Royal Aviation Company Plc.), is the flag carrier airline of the Netherlands. KLM is headquartered in Amstelveen, with its hub at nearby Amste ...
,
Midwest Airlines Midwest Airlines (formerly Midwest Express) was a U.S.-based airline headquartered in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, that operated from Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport between 1984 and 2010. For a short time, it also operated as a brand of ...
, Northwest Airlines, Piedmont Airlines (1948–1989), Pride Air, Reno Air, Sun Aire Lines and Wings West Airlines.


Terminal 5

Terminal 5 has 15 gates: Gates 50A–50B, 51A–51B, (Gates 52A–52I are located at the American Eagle Terminal), 53A–53B, 54A–54B, 55A, 56–57, 58, and 59. , the terminal serves as an operating base for JetBlue (JetBlue operates point-to-point routes with bases instead of hubs) and along with Terminal 4, serves as a hub for American Airlines. The terminal is also used by
Hainan Airlines Hainan Airlines Co., Ltd. (HNA, ) is an airline headquartered in Haikou, Hainan, People's Republic of China. The airline is rated as a 5-star airline by Skytrax. It is the largest civilian-run and majority state-owned air transport company, ma ...
and Spirit Airlines. Terminal 5 opened in 1962, and Western Airlines occupied this terminal until Western was merged with Delta on April 1, 1987. Terminal 5 was redesigned by Gensler, 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 on June 30, 2009, as part of its merger with the airline. Delta, which had been based for decades in Terminal 5 (with additional gates in Terminal 6), moved to Terminals 2 and 3 between May 12–17, 2017 in order to relieve overcrowding and provide better and easier transfers with its airline partners at Tom Bradley International Terminal. American Eagle flights operate from a satellite terminal that is located just east of Terminal 8. This terminal has 9 gates that supplement American's mainline operation at Terminals 4 and 5. In July 2020, JetBlue announced that they would close their
Long Beach Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporate ...
operating base due to their routes underperforming there and because the officials at Long Beach refused to build a customs facility at LGB. As a result, JetBlue announced they would create a new operating base at LAX, as they planned a big expansion at the airport. JetBlue opened their LAX operating base on October 7, 2020, at Terminal 5. Because they moved their base to Los Angeles, they were able to expand domestically and internationally on the West Coast. Former tenants of the terminal include Aeromexico, Air Jamaica, Air Tahiti Nui, Allegiant, British Caledonian, China Southern Airlines,
Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. One of the List of airlines by foundation date, world's oldest airlines in operation, Delta is headquartered in Atla ...
, Ecuatoriana de Aviación,
Frontier A frontier is the political and geographical area near or beyond a boundary. A frontier can also be referred to as a "front". The term came from French in the 15th century, with the meaning "borderland"—the region of a country that fronts o ...
, Hawaiian Airlines, Mexicana de Aviación, Northwest Airlines,
SkyWest Airlines SkyWest Airlines is an American regional airline headquartered in St. George, Utah, United States. SkyWest is paid to staff, operate and maintain aircraft used on flights that are scheduled, marketed and sold by a partner mainline airline. The ...
,
Song (airline) Song, LLC was a low-cost air service within an airline brand owned and operated by Delta Air Lines from 2003 to 2006. All Song flights were operated by Delta Air Lines. Song's main focus was on leisure traffic between the northeastern United Sta ...
,
Sun Country Sun Country Airlines is an American ultra-low-cost passenger and cargo airline, and the eleventh largest in the US by passengers carried. Based at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport with headquarters on airport property, Sun Count ...
,
Swissair Swissair AG/ S.A. (German: Schweizerische Luftverkehr-AG; French: S.A. Suisse pour la Navigation Aérienne) was the national airline of Switzerland between its founding in 1931 and bankruptcy in 2002. It was formed from a merger between Bal ...
,
TriStar Airlines TriStar Airlines was an airline based at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada. It launched operations in July 1995 with scheduled flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco and added more destinations later in the year. TriStar utili ...
and Western Airlines. As of May 1, 2021,
Sun Country Sun Country Airlines is an American ultra-low-cost passenger and cargo airline, and the eleventh largest in the US by passengers carried. Based at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport with headquarters on airport property, Sun Count ...
and Allegiant moved their operations to the West Gates at Terminal B. American Airlines has one Admirals Club in the terminal, occupying the space of the former Delta SkyClub.


Terminal 6

Terminal 6 has 14 gates: Gates 60–63, 64A–64B, 65A–65B, 66, 67, 68A–68B, and 69A–69B. , the terminal serves as a hub for Alaska Airlines and is also used by Air Canada and small regional airlines Advanced Air and Southern Airways Express. The terminal opened as "Satellite 6" and "Ticketing Building 6" in November 1963 and marked the conclusion of the initial phase of passenger terminal construction at the airport. When it originally opened, it was a common use, multi-carrier terminal that supported the operations of
Continental Airlines Continental Airlines, simply known as Continental, was a major United States airline founded in 1934 and eventually headquartered in Houston, Texas. It had ownership interests and brand partnerships with several carriers. Continental started o ...
, Delta Air Lines, Pacific Air Lines and Pacific Southwest Airlines. The original building was capable of handling six planes at one time. In the early 1970s, Continental and Delta built the "Satellite Extension" to expand Satellite 6, adding additional gates to the south end of the building and reconfiguring the existing structure to accommodate the new "jumbo jet", the Boeing 747. When the project was complete, Satellite 6 was able to simultaneously handle eight planes: two 747s, four wide-bodied tri-jets, and two smaller planes such as the Boeing 707 or 727. Four of these gates have two jetways, which can accommodate large aircraft. In 1982, Continental sponsored the Connector project which joined the Ticketing Building to the Satellite and the Satellite Extension, adding additional gates and facilities. Prior to October 2014,
United Airlines United Airlines, Inc. (commonly referred to as United), is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois.
used the connector gates, supplementing its base at Terminal 7. Delta also leased some space from the Airport in Terminal 6, in addition to its base at Terminal 5. Most of the rotunda gates can feed arriving passengers into a sterile corridor that shunts them to Terminal 7's customs and immigration facility. On November 6, 2014,
American Airlines American Airlines is a major airlines of the United States, major US-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the world when measured ...
moved
US Airways US Airways (formerly USAir) was a major United States airline that operated from 1937 until its merger with American Airlines in 2015. It was originally founded in History of aviation in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh as a mail delivery airline called ...
flights from Terminal 3 into Terminal 6, taking 4 gates in the Connector Building. On January 31, 2017, American Airlines relocated these 4 gates to Terminal 5 as part of the larger LAX Terminal relocation program. In April 2011, Alaska Airlines agreed to a deal with Los Angeles World Airports to renovate Terminal 6 and build an Alaska Lounge for first class passengers. The airline moved its flights to Terminal 6 on March 20, 2012, and Spirit Airlines was relocated to Terminal 3. In July 2021, construction began on another round of refurbishments to the terminal. On the customer-facing front, the gate areas, departure lounges, Border Protection, and TSA Security areas are being refurbished/upgraded and new jet bridges will be installed. Additionally, a drive through bus gate will be added to ease transfers to other terminals. On the operations front, the apron paving, fuel lines and other airfield infrastructure will be upgraded. As construction progresses, different areas of the terminal will be closed to passengers, starting with the three gates at the southeast end. Construction is scheduled to conclude in 2023. Former tenants of the terminal include American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Copa Airlines, Delta Air Lines,
Eastern Air Lines Eastern Air Lines, also colloquially known as Eastern, was a major United States airline from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution, it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade County, Florida. Ea ...
, Frontier Airlines (1950–1986),
Great Lakes Airlines Great Lakes Airlines was an American regional airline operating domestic scheduled and charter services. Corporate headquarters were in Cheyenne, Wyoming, with a hub at Denver International Airport. As of November 2013, Great Lakes Airlines ...
, Hughes Airwest,
Lufthansa Deutsche Lufthansa AG (), commonly shortened to Lufthansa, is the flag carrier of Germany. When combined with its subsidiaries, it is the second- largest airline in Europe in terms of passengers carried. Lufthansa is one of the five founding m ...
, National Airlines (1999–2002), Pacific Air Lines, Pacific Southwest Airlines, Republic Airlines,
SkyWest Airlines SkyWest Airlines is an American regional airline headquartered in St. George, Utah, United States. SkyWest is paid to staff, operate and maintain aircraft used on flights that are scheduled, marketed and sold by a partner mainline airline. The ...
, Swift Aire Lines,
Ted (airline) Ted was one of two airline divisional brands of United Airlines. It targeted vacation locations primarily served by the low cost airline market, in contrast to the company's high-end premium transcontinental brand, United p.s. (which focused on ...
,
United Airlines United Airlines, Inc. (commonly referred to as United), is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois.
,
Wardair Wardair Canada was a privately run Canadian airline, founded by Max Ward in 1952 under the name Wardair Ltd, before formally changing its name to "Wardair Canada" in 1976. The airline was acquired by and folded into Canadian Airlines in 1989. ...
,
Virgin America Virgin America Inc. was a low-cost U.S. airline that operated from 2007 until 2018, when it was acquired by Alaska Airlines. The airline primarily focused on operating low-fare service between cities on the West Coast and other major metropoli ...
, VivaAerobus and
US Airways US Airways (formerly USAir) was a major United States airline that operated from 1937 until its merger with American Airlines in 2015. It was originally founded in History of aviation in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh as a mail delivery airline called ...
.


Terminal 7

Terminal 7 has 13 gates: Gates 70A–70B, 71A–71B, 72A–72B, 73, 74, 75A–75B, 76A–76B, and 77. , this terminal, along with Terminal 8, serves as a hub for
United Airlines United Airlines, Inc. (commonly referred to as United), is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois.
. The terminal opened in 1962 and was expanded to accommodate widebody aircraft in 1970. The terminal was expanded in 1982 with the addition of a connector building, which today consists of gates 70A-70B and 71A-71B. Four of these gates have two jetways, which accommodate large aircraft. The interior of the terminal was renovated between January 1998 and June 1999 at a cost of $250 million, was designed by
HNTB HNTB Corporation is an American infrastructure design firm. Founded in 1914 in Kansas City, Missouri, HNTB began with the partnership made by Ernest Emmanuel Howard with the firm Waddell & Harrington, founded in 1907. Considered as one of the m ...
, and was constructed by
Hensel Phelps Construction Hensel Phelps Construction Co. is one of the largest general contractors and construction managers in the United States, ranked consistently among ENR's (Engineering News-Record) top 20 Contractors by revenue. Founded in 1937 as a small, local b ...
. Added were new gate podiums, increased size of gate areas, relocated concessions, expanded restrooms, new flooring, and new signage. Also, the roof of the terminal was raised, and new, brighter light fixtures were added in order to provide more overall lighting. In 2017, Terminal 7 underwent another renovation, with significant changes to concessions. The terminal also contains a United Club and a United Polaris Lounge. The terminal has a customs area located on the arrivals floor, used by international flights served by United Airlines and Alaska Airlines in adjacent Terminal 6. Former tenants of the terminal include: Aspen Airways, Braniff (1983–1990),
Imperial Airlines Imperial Airlines was a United States commuter airline that operated from 1964 to 1986. Imperial served a number of cities in Southern California and for a brief period several cities in Arizona. History Imperial was founded as Visco Flying Se ...
, Independence Air,
Leisure Air Leisure Air was an American airline based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Beginning as a charter airline, the company expanded to offer scheduled service to major cities as a discount carrier. It operated from 1992 until 1995, when it filed f ...
,
Los Angeles Airways Los Angeles Airways (LAA) was a helicopter airline founded in October 1947 and based in Westchester, Los Angeles, Westchester, California, which offered service to area airports throughout Southern California. History Los Angeles Airways comme ...
,
Texas International Airlines Texas International Airlines Inc. was a United States airline, known from 1940 until 1947 as Aviation Enterprises, until 1969 as Trans-Texas Airways (TTa), and as Texas International Airlines until 1982, when it merged with Continental Airlines. ...
, Shuttle by United,
Ted (airline) Ted was one of two airline divisional brands of United Airlines. It targeted vacation locations primarily served by the low cost airline market, in contrast to the company's high-end premium transcontinental brand, United p.s. (which focused on ...
and Virgin Atlantic.


Terminal 8

Terminal 8 has 8 gates: Gates 80–85, 86A-B. , the terminal, along with Terminal 7 serves as a hub for United Airlines. Terminal 8 was originally called Concourse 8 because it does not have its own passenger processing facilities (ticketing, security checkpoint or baggage claim) and relies on the facilities located in Terminal 7. The building was redeveloped in 1982, ahead of the 1984 Olympics. The terminal formerly served Shuttle by United flights. At one point, only
United Express United Express is the brand name for the regional branch of United Airlines, under which six individually owned regional airlines operate short- and medium-haul feeder flights. On October 1, 2010, UAL Corporation and Continental Airlines merged t ...
flights arrived and departed from Terminal 8. Non-
United Express United Express is the brand name for the regional branch of United Airlines, under which six individually owned regional airlines operate short- and medium-haul feeder flights. On October 1, 2010, UAL Corporation and Continental Airlines merged t ...
flights arrived and departed from Terminals 6 and 7. Terminal 8 is now used once again for some mainline flights.


Tom Bradley International Terminal (Terminal B)

The Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT), also referred as Terminal B, has 40 gates: Gates 130–225. The terminal hosts 29 airlines, mostly those based outside of the United States. The massive terminal is separated into several different areas: North Concourse (9 gates: 130–135, 137, 139, 141); Bus Gates (6 gates: 136, 138, 140, 142, 144, 146); South Concourse (10 gates: 148, 150–157, 159); West Gates (15 gates: 201A, 201B, 202–208, 209A, 209B, 210A, 210B, 221, 225); and the Bus Port. The Bus Gates and the Bus Port are used to shuttle passengers from the remote check-in area at Terminal 1, between Terminals B and 2, and between Terminal B and nine satellite gates located remotely on the west side of the LAX airfield.


History

The Tom Bradley International Terminal opened on June 18, 1984, just weeks before the start of the
1984 Summer Olympic Games The 1984 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXIII Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1984) were an international multi-sport event held from July 28 to August 12, 1984, in Los Angeles, California, United States. It marked the secon ...
. The building was added to the west end of the passenger terminal area between Terminals 3 and 4. Prior to this, Terminal 2 was the primary international terminal. It is named for Tom Bradley, the first African-American and longest-serving (20 years) mayor of Los Angeles, and a champion of LAX. By the early 2000s, airport managers grew concerned about LAX's future as an international gateway. The international terminal was aging, and many carriers had reduced flights to LAX in favor of more modern airports, such as
San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
and Seattle/Tacoma. By 2007, LAX lost 12% of the seats on its weekly international departures. At the same time, the airport was concerned that it would not be able to accommodate future larger commercial aircraft, the
Airbus A380 The Airbus A380 is a large wide-body airliner that was developed and produced by Airbus. It is the world's largest passenger airliner and only full-length double-deck jet airliner. Airbus studies started in 1988, and the project was annou ...
and Boeing 747-8. Airport management gave the old terminal a minor facelift in September 2006, adding new paging, air conditioning and electrical systems, along with new elevators, escalators and baggage carousels. Meanwhile, the southern-most runway, 7R/25L was shifted to the south to prepare it for the additional width of the Airbus A380 and add a parallel taxiway between the adjacent runway. Runway 7R/25L reopened on March 25, 2007, and the taxiway was completed in 2008. On March 19, 2007, the Airbus A380 made its US debut with simultaneous landings at LAX and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. Commercial service with the Airbus A380 started on October 20, 2008, with Qantas service between LAX and Sydney. Because the Bradley Terminal was too small to accommodate the jet, the plane was serviced using the satellite gates located on the west side of the LAX airfield. The Bradley Terminal was heavily modernized and expanded in phases between 2008 and 2021. The design by
Fentress Architects Fentress Architects is an international design firm known for large-scale public architecture such as airports, museums, university buildings, convention centers, laboratories, and high-rise office towers. Some of the buildings for which the fir ...
in association with
HNTB HNTB Corporation is an American infrastructure design firm. Founded in 1914 in Kansas City, Missouri, HNTB began with the partnership made by Ernest Emmanuel Howard with the firm Waddell & Harrington, founded in 1907. Considered as one of the m ...
was unveiled on November 17, 2008. The first phase of construction began on February 22, 2010, and included the demolition and replacement of the north
concourse A concourse is a place where pathways or roads meet, such as in a hotel, a convention center, a railway station, an airport terminal, a hall, or other space. The term is not limited to places where there are literally pathways or roadways or t ...
gates and the construction of the "Great Hall" with dining, retail shopping and large
airline alliance An airline alliance is an aviation industry arrangement between two or more airlines agreeing to cooperate on a substantial level. Alliances may provide marketing branding to facilitate travelers making inter-airline codeshare connections within c ...
lounges. Work on the first phase was completed in 2013 and crews began the second phase, which included the replacement of the south concourse and the expansion of the security, customs and immigration processing areas. The second phase was completed in 2015. Of the 19 gates in the modernized terminal, 9 are equipped with three jetbridges to accommodate the largest commercial aircraft, the
Airbus A380 The Airbus A380 is a large wide-body airliner that was developed and produced by Airbus. It is the world's largest passenger airliner and only full-length double-deck jet airliner. Airbus studies started in 1988, and the project was annou ...
and Boeing 747-8. The third phase would be a new mid-field concourse and construction began on February 27, 2017. The concourse, later renamed the West Gates at Tom Bradley International opened on May 1, 2021. Two of the gates in the West Gates concourse can accommodate the A380.


Regional Terminal

The Regional Terminal has nine gates: Gates 52A–52I, and is used exclusively for American Eagle flights, earning it the nickname “the Eagle’s nest.” It serves as the remainder of American's hub operations in Los Angeles, supplementing Terminal 4 and 5. The terminal is located on the southeast side of the LAX airfield, east of Sepulveda Boulevard from Terminal 8. As it is physically separated from the other terminal buildings, passengers access the Regional Terminal using a system of shuttle buses. Buses operate between the Regional Terminal and Terminal 4 or Terminal 5, which house American Airlines' other gates. The Regional Terminal's gate numbers (52A–52I) are meant to encourage passengers originating their travel from LAX to enter the airport through the less congested Terminal 5 and board the bus at a stop located at Gate 52. But as the majority of American Airlines' mainline fights at LAX operate out of Terminal 4, a separate bus service is additionally operated to that terminal to minimize connection times. The terminal has a covered walkway and ramp at each gate for access and egress to the aircraft instead of
jet bridge A jet bridge (also termed jetway, jetwalk, airgate, gangway, aerobridge/airbridge, skybridge, finger, airtube, expedited suspended passenger entry system (E-SPES), or its official industry name passenger boarding bridge (PBB)) is an enclosed, ...
s.The terminal features restrooms, seating areas with power outlets, and a concession area. American Airlines has one Admirals Club in the terminal, The terminal originally handled
United Express United Express is the brand name for the regional branch of United Airlines, under which six individually owned regional airlines operate short- and medium-haul feeder flights. On October 1, 2010, UAL Corporation and Continental Airlines merged t ...
flights (gates 71C-71K) until it was vacated in 2005. American Eagle flights were relocated to the terminal in January 2010 from a remote terminal which was 0.3 mi (500 m) west of Terminal 4 that would later be demolished.


LAX Automated People Mover

As part of the Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP), Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is building the LAX Automated People Mover, which consists of approximately of elevated guideway and six stations. Headways are expected to be as low as two minutes between trains. Construction started in 2017, and is anticipated to be completed by 2023. The three westernmost stations will be located in the Central Terminal Area (CTA) located near the parking structures, and connect to their respective terminals via pedestrian bridges: * West CTA station, serving terminals 3, 4, and B (the Tom Bradley International Terminal) * Center CTA station, serving terminals 2, 5, and 6 * East CTA station, serving terminals 1, 7, and 8 The LAX Automated People Mover will connect the CTA to transportation options: * LAX West Intermodal Transportation Facility, an economy parking structure with access to the LAX City Bus Center and nearby hotels * LAX/Metro Transit Center station (also known as the ITF East), connecting to the
Los Angeles Metro Rail The Los Angeles Metro Rail is an urban rail transit system serving Los Angeles County, California, United States. It consists of seven lines, including five light rail lines (the A Line (Los Angeles Metro), A, C Line (Los Angeles Metro), C, E Li ...
system, scheduled to open in 2024 * LAX Consolidated Rent-A-Car Facility, which will house 21,000 rental vehicles for all of the major rental car companies that operate at LAX


See also

*
LAX color tunnels LAX color tunnels is a term used to describe decorative mosaic decor installed in several tunnels built in 1961 at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).* * Seven tunnels were created, three remain open to the public. Designed in the 19 ...


References

{{Los Angeles International Airport Los Angeles International Airport Los Angeles International Airport, Terminals of