Los Angeles International Airport

Vedran Jukic

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April 06, 2025

It’s no surprise that LAX is massive - it’s LA, after all. But what might surprise you is how it’s not one big airport, but more like nine+ smaller airports glued together, each terminal operating almost independently, with only limited connections to its immediate neighbors. The international terminal is centrally placed, with the newer Tom Bradley International Terminal acting as a sleek extension of the old structure - kind of like Qatar’s Doha airport, but with way more domestic action. The real time sink are the rental car shuttles. Still reliant on buses (for now), getting from the rental centers to, say, Terminal 7 can take 30+ minutes. Add to that a slow, methodical TSA process, and you’ll want to pad your schedule generously. If your terminal doesn’t have its own security, expect a bit of a hike too. LAX isn’t built to charm you - it’s built to move you. There’s no grand shopping concourse, no tranquil garden. Just gates, security, parking, and the faint hum of a system that’s seen it all. But here’s the twist: there’s a quiet sense of humanity running through it. The staff are oddly calm, polite, and helpful - rare for a hub this busy. Someone, somewhere, decided to invest in dignity over design, and honestly? It works. Even if it feels like maintenance must be a full-time, continuous effort.

Matthew Chan

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March 30, 2025

One of the best airports in the US. Very clean, spacious, and lots to do and see. I really like how you can order food from your phone, they have a visual paging system to allow you to see if your name has been called at any gates, lots of forms of transportation within the airport instead of just walking (though no inter-terminal train) and a great range of cheap and premium food and shopping. One of my favorite things about LAX is that there are no terminal letters in the gates. All gates are numbered something like 1 through 200 with plenty of signs telling you which gate range is where. All you have to do to find your gate is just look for the range that has your number (for example: "Gates 150-205: straight ahead", "Gates 100-140: turn left". This is a lot simpler than other airports, where you have to make sure you're going to gate C10 instead of B10. I was quite impressed with LAX and would definitely choose this as a layover in the future

Patrick Min

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March 20, 2025

The airport is spacious and well-maintained, featuring clear infographics that make navigation easy. There is a good variety of dining options available. While it may not have the same contemporary appeal as airports like San Francisco International or LaGuardia in New York, it still provides a pleasant experience. However, it's important to note that traffic can vary significantly depending on the time of day you arrive or depart.

Nina Cash

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March 20, 2025

This airport is nuts. I stopped here for a layover and so glad I did because if you didn’t, you’re looking down into main area where you have to get checked in and go through security. This is definitely comparable to the Atlanta airport where you do actually want to come 2 hours early because it’s so busy. I did find a lot of good options to dine at, luxury stores and mainstream stores for shopping. There’s plenty of open seating around the terminals. You could easily get lost here because it is so spread out. I didn’t have a bad experience here just passing through but I can see how chaotic it could be if you’re departing from here.

Dakota

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November 24, 2024

Super nice airport, currently under construction so give yourself a little extra time for departures. Tons of dining options, as well as places to get drink. The snack shops are a little overpriced. You’re better off bringing stuff with you. Plenty of restrooms. Most of the security staff were friendly. The airline staff were friendly in the willing to help, depending on the airline and depending on the person. I’ve never had any issues. I’ve seen some people having interactions. All of the rental car services have shuttles to their locations to and from the airport.