
Los Angeles International Airport, commonly referred to as LAX, is the primary international airport serving the Greater Los Angeles area. Located in the Westchester neighbourhood of Los Angeles, it is around 18 miles from Downtown LA and close to the Pacific Ocean. LAX is a major international gateway to the US and is the world's busiest origin and destination airport. It is also the only airport to rank among the top five US airports for both passenger and cargo traffic. The airport is operated by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), a branch of the Los Angeles city government.
What You'll Learn
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is the primary airport serving Los Angeles
- LAX is located in the Westchester neighbourhood, 18 miles from Downtown LA
- LAX is the world's busiest origin and destination airport
- The airport is operated by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA)
- LAX offers 645 daily commercial flights to 162 destinations
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is the primary airport serving Los Angeles
LAX is the world's fifth busiest airport, with 1,500 average daily flight operations and 645 daily commercial flights to 162 destinations. It is also one of the busiest airports in the United States for both passenger and cargo traffic. The airport covers 3,500 acres of land and has four parallel runways and nine passenger terminals.
LAX is operated by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), a branch of the Los Angeles city government, which also operates the Van Nuys Airport for general aviation. LAX is open 24 hours a day, with airline check-in counters and federal passenger security screening open between 4 am and 5 am and closed between 11:30 pm and 2:30 am, depending on flight schedules for each terminal.
There are numerous transportation options available at LAX, including airport buses, door-to-door shuttle vans, local buses, light rail, taxicabs, ride-share services, and rental cars. A free shuttle bus connects LAX with the Metro Rail C Line (Green) light rail, and free shuttle buses transport passengers between airline terminals. The LAX FlyAway® bus service provides non-stop transportation between LAX, Union Station, and Van Nuys.
LAX has a rich history, dating back to 1926 when the Los Angeles City Council and the Chamber of Commerce recognised the need for the city to have its own airport. The airport opened on October 1, 1928, and the first structure, Hangar No. 1, was erected in 1929 and remains standing today. Over the years, LAX has undergone several expansions and renovations, including a major expansion in the early 1980s ahead of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games. Another major expansion began in 2008 and is expected to cost $14 billion, bringing LAX's total gates from 146 to 182.
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LAX is located in the Westchester neighbourhood, 18 miles from Downtown LA
LAX, or Los Angeles International Airport to give it its full name, is located in the Westchester neighbourhood of Los Angeles, 18 miles (or 29km) from Downtown LA. The airport is operated by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), a branch of the Los Angeles city government. LAX is the closest airport to the Westside and the South Bay and is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles and its surrounding metropolitan area.
LAX is located 18 miles southwest of Downtown LA, with the commercial and residential areas of Westchester to the north, El Segundo to the south, and Inglewood to the east. The airport is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west.
LAX is the world's eighth-busiest airport by passenger traffic and the eleventh-busiest by cargo traffic. In 2023, it handled 75,050,875 passengers and is the largest and busiest international airport on the West Coast of the United States. It is also the busiest airport in the state of California and the fifth-busiest airport by passenger boardings in the US.
LAX is a major international gateway to the US and is a connection point for passengers travelling to and from East and Southeast Asia, Australasia, Mexico, and Central America. The airport has nine passenger terminals and covers 3,500 acres of land. It has four parallel runways and is currently undergoing a major expansion, with all terminals being refurbished and two new terminals planned.
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LAX is the world's busiest origin and destination airport
LAX, or Los Angeles International Airport, is the world's busiest origin and destination airport. This means that, compared to other airports, a higher proportion of travellers are beginning or ending their trips in Los Angeles, rather than connecting through the airport to another destination. In 2019, the Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) reported that approximately 88% of travellers at LAX were origination and destination passengers, while only 12% were connecting.
LAX is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles and its surrounding metropolitan area, located in the Westchester neighbourhood of the city, 18 miles (29km) southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It is a major international gateway to the United States, serving as a connection point for passengers travelling to and from East and Southeast Asia, Australasia, Mexico, and Central America.
LAX is a hub, focus city, or operating base for more passenger airlines than any other airport in the United States. In 2019, the airport handled over 88 million passengers and 2 million tons of cargo. It is the world's eighth busiest airport by passenger traffic, serving over 87 million passengers in 2018.
The airport covers 3,500 acres (1,400 hectares) of land and has four parallel runways. It has 161 gates in nine passenger terminals, arranged in the shape of a U or a horseshoe. LAX is currently undergoing a major expansion, with plans to add two more terminals and increase the total number of gates to 182. The expansion is expected to cost $14 billion.
LAX is easily accessible via various transportation options, including the FlyAway express bus system, which connects the airport with Los Angeles Union Station, the region's primary rail transportation hub.
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The airport is operated by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA)
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is operated by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), a branch of the Los Angeles city government. LAWA operates two airports in the LA area: LAX and Van Nuys Airport (VNY) for general aviation. LAWA is a self-supporting department of the City of Los Angeles, and is governed by a seven-member Board of Airport Commissioners. The Board is made up of public-spirited business and civic leaders appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council.
LAWA has a staff of nearly 3,500 administrative, technical, and law-enforcement employees who operate and maintain the two airports. LAWA is responsible for the physical elements of the airport, including runways, taxiways, ground transportation facilities, and passenger and airport infrastructure safety and security.
LAX is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles and its surrounding metropolitan area. It is located in the Westchester neighbourhood of Los Angeles, 18 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles, and is the closest airport to the Westside and the South Bay. The airport covers 3,500 acres of land and has four parallel runways. In 2023, LAX handled 75,050,875 passengers, making it the world's eighth-busiest airport.
LAX is a major international gateway to the United States, serving as a connection point for passengers travelling internationally to and from East and Southeast Asia, Australasia, Mexico, and Central America. It is the world's busiest origin and destination airport, as a higher proportion of travellers begin or end their trips in Los Angeles compared to other airports. LAX serves as a hub, focus city, or operating base for more passenger airlines than any other airport in the United States.
LAX has been undergoing a major expansion since 2008, with all terminals being refurbished and new facilities being added. The airport plans to build two more terminals, bringing the total number of gates from 146 to 182. The expansion is expected to cost $14 billion.
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LAX offers 645 daily commercial flights to 162 destinations
Los Angeles International Airport, commonly referred to by its airport code, LAX, is the primary international airport serving the Greater Los Angeles area. Located in the Westchester neighbourhood of Los Angeles, it is 18 miles (30 km) southwest of Downtown Los Angeles and close to the Pacific Ocean.
LAX is a major international gateway to the United States, serving as a connection point for passengers travelling internationally, especially to Asia and the Pacific. It is the world's busiest origin and destination airport, as many more travellers begin or end their trips in Los Angeles than use it as a connection.
The airport is currently undergoing a $14 billion modernisation programme, which includes the construction of two new terminals, bringing the total number of gates to 182. The programme is expected to create over 121,000 annual construction-related jobs.
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Frequently asked questions
LAX stands for Los Angeles International Airport.
LAX is located in the Westchester neighbourhood of Los Angeles, California. It is about 16-18 miles from Downtown LA.
There are nine passenger terminals at LAX, connected by a U-shaped, two-level roadway.
The LAX-it is a centralised area for guests to pick up a taxi or rideshare app service, launched in October 2019. It is located just east of Terminal 1, with dedicated shuttles running from each terminal.