Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is now a connected airport – from the inside.
Now, travelers may simply and quickly access all eight terminals along interior walkways without needing to leave each terminal’s secure area, enter a different terminal, and snake through TSA security lines yet again.
The new connection covers nearly two pedestrian miles from Terminal 1 to Terminal 8. Travelers can now wander the distances to access a greater variety of amenities, including food and beverage vendors, retail outlets, kids' play areas, art projects, animal relief spots and lounges – LAX can be a world unto itself.
And for passengers rushing to make a connection in another terminal, the new walkway, with its people-moving conveyances, makes the dash fast. Step counters and Fitbit users will also find the new connections worth exploration if only to get in a small pre-flight workout. To burn off extra calories at the airport, individuals can hike the walkways end to end and back, taking in the amusing décor, curious retail and people-watching opportunities along the way.
This is the first instance of unlimited terminal-to-terminal access for passengers at LAX within its nearly 100 year history. Up until recently, those traveling through the world’s fifth busiest airport with luggage in tow have had to brave crowded, smoke-filled walkways, dodge busy intersections, and rush to their destination in more of an aggressive race than a pleasurable speedwalk.
"The new post-security inter-terminal connection from Terminal 1 to Terminal 8 represents some of the most significant linkage progress at LAX since the 1980s when the ‘piers’ layout (the form of the airport today) replaced the satellite one," says Jessica Merritt, director of communications for LA World Airports.
"Besides convenient access to connecting flights and an abundant collection of food and entertainment options, passengers can experience incredible new views of the airfield from the Terminal 3 to Tom Bradley International Terminal connector that opened recently."
Future improvements at LAX will enable the opening of an Automated People Mover (APM) and related pedestrian bridges in 2024 to improve outside navigation.
People Mover at LAX. (Photo Credit: Los Angeles World Airports)
From 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, and running every two minutes, the $2 billion APM will pick up passengers at three sites in the middle of the outer terminals and transport them around the airport to a newly constructed parking structure, a new Metro connection station, and a combined rental car facility.
A new Metrolink location is under construction near LAX that will allow other metro trains throughout the Los Angeles to connect to the airport and for passengers to then be transported quickly from that station to their proper terminals sans buses or cars.
At present, there are no rail services in Los Angeles that run between stations to the airport. Travelers must head to Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles, buy a Metrolink ticket to LAX, and board one of the FlyAway buses that leave Union Station every half hour in peak times. Buses are slow and prone to snarls and delays in the traffic.
The city will host the Olympic Games in 2028, leaving plenty of time to perfect the $5.5 billion transportation and people-moving infrastructures that will be completed and put into use in 2024.
"There are many positive outcomes of the new post-security linkage at LAX, but a key factor that started improving our guests' experiences from day one is that the journey from T1 to T8 post-security no longer requires buses. With this and other improvements that are a part of our $30+ B transformation, travel at LAX is becoming efficient, dependable and user-friendly every day," adds Merritt.
As the fifth busiest airport in the world, LAX has processed more than a billion passengers over the past 15 years and was seeing more than 86 million passengers a year coming through its gates at its recent peak in 2019.
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