Massive LAX Terminal Swap to Begin May 12

Shift happens, as they say.

If you’re a fan of shifting your paradigm, you’re definitely going to want to visit Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in the coming weeks.

Starting May 12, the nation's fifth busiest airport will undergo one of the biggest terminal relocations to ever occur at an operating airport. 

The terminal swap will affect nearly 70 carriers, approximately one-third of the airlines serving LAX.

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"We are investing more than $14 billion to make LAX one of the world’s premier airports, and this unprecedented relocation brings us closer to realizing that vision,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “We have spent months planning for this historic move — and once it’s complete, the LAX experience will be even more enjoyable and convenient for our millions of passengers.”

So just why is this historic move happening?

In a nutshell, Delta Air Lines is planning nearly $1.9 billion in improvements at LAX over the next seven years, including building new connectors from Terminals 2 and 3 to the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT).  In order to make that happen, however, Delta will need to move its operation to Terminals 2 and 3 from its current location in Terminals 5 and 6.

“Delta is betting big on Los Angeles with a $1.9 billion plan for Terminals 2 and 3 at LAX, representing the second-largest private infrastructure investment in the region,” said Ranjan Goswami, Delta’s Vice President – Sales, West. “Our relocation to Terminals 2 and 3 is a major milestone for LAX and an even bigger step forward for the future of LA as we continue work on the Delta Sky Way at LAX.”

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The move will displace some 70 carriers at LAX. Many will move terminals while others will simply swap check-in counters. Of those 70, 15 will move during a five-day period starting May 12 running through the early morning on May 17. The plan is to have the airlines move overnight and resume normal operations the following morning.

“It all comes down to our guests being informed and taking the necessary actions to make sure they are in the right place at the right time to catch their flights,” said LAWA Chief Executive Officer Deborah Flint. “During the relocation and in the weeks following, passengers are advised to check-in online, print or download boarding passes, and check terminal and gate information before coming to LAX. They should also arrive at the airport earlier than normal.  Once at LAX, passengers should check flight and gate status on flight information display boards in each terminal to ensure they are in the correct location.”

If you plan to be in the LAX vicinity during the Great Migration, here are some things to note:

- Between May 13 and 16, Delta flights will be operating from as many as four terminals (2, 3, 5 and 6.)  The airline has promised to stay in constant communication with its customers and provide real-time information on departure and arrival terminals.

- Although the bulk of the move will occur May 12-16, some airlines have already swapped locations. Already relocated are American Airlines, Copa Airlines, Hainan, Qatar Airways and Thomas Cook. When Thomas Cook resumes its seasonal service for the year, it will be operating out of TBIT, but the carrier will also move to Terminal 6 later in the summer.

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If you’re planning on flying one of the relocating carriers, here’s the plan for how the move will unfold:

Completed

American Airlines (from T4/T6 to T4/T5)
Copa (from TBIT, T6 check-in to TBIT, T3 check in)
Hainan (from T2 to TBIT)
Qatar (from T2 to TBIT)
Thomas Cook (from T2 to TBIT)

May 13

Allegiant (from T3 to T5)
Boutique Air (from T3 to T6)
Delta (from T5/T6 to T2/T3)
Frontier (from T3 to T5)
Sun Country (from T2 to T5)
Virgin America (from T3 to T6)
Virgin Australia (from TBIT, T3 check-in to TBIT, T2 check-in; passengers bused from T2 to TBIT)
Volaris (from T2 to TBIT, T2 check-in; passengers bused from T2 to TBIT)

May 15

Avianca (from T2 to TBIT, T3 check-in)
InterJetT2 (from T2 to TBIT, T3 check-in)
Spirit (from T3 to T5)

May 17

Air Canada (from T2 to T6)
Hawaiian (from T2 to T5)
JetBlue (from T3 to T5)
Southwest, International (from T2, T1 check-in to TBIT, T1 check-in; passengers will be bused from T1 to TBIT)

June 4

XL France (from T2 to T6)

Once the shift is fully complete, here’s where you can expect to find your favorite carriers:

Terminal 2
Delta, Aer Lingus, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia,
Volaris and WestJet. 
Virgin Australia and Volaris customers will check-in at T2 and then will be bused to TBIT for departure and arrivals. 
Aeromexico remains in Terminal 2 but will relocate its ticketing counters; passengers will be bused to/from TBIT.

Terminal 3
Delta
Avianca, Copa and InterJet will have check-in counters here.

Terminal 5
Hawaiian, JetBlue, Spirit, Allegiant, Frontier and Sun Country.
American will have four gates in T5 and its American Eagle busing operation is also based here.

Terminal 6
Virgin America joins corporate partners Alaska Airlines in T6.
Air Canada and XL Airways France relocate from Terminal 2.
Great Lakes and Mokulele remain in Terminal 6.
Boutique Air relocates from Terminal 3.

TBIT
Southwest Airlines’ (SWA) international flights arrive at TBIT,  but SWA’s international departures and check-in remain in Terminal 1.  Avianca, Copa and Interjet departure and arrivals at TBIT.
Thomas Cook Airlines resumes seasonal service in May with departures and arrivals temporarily from TBIT.

During the days of the move, Delta plans to utilize hundreds of people in bright green vests to help guide passengers to where they need to go. LAX Guest Experience Members (GEMS) dressed in blue and Volunteer Information Professionals (VIPs) dressed in red, will also help passengers needing assistance. 

There will also be a dedicated bright green shuttle to help shuttle passengers between Terminals 2 and 3 and Terminals 5 and 6.

The most up-to-date information on the move can be found at www.laxishappening.com or by following #LAXontheMOVE on Twitter.

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