Navigating changes at LAX
The airport relocates 15 airlines’ gates and terminals. Here’s where to find help.
And you thought LAX couldn’t get more confusing.
The airport’s massive airline relocation that starts Friday involves almost a third of the LAX carriers, in a swap of gates and terminals that may confound even seasoned travelers.
In some situations, flights will check in at one terminal and depart at another.
Most of the moves will take place on the nights of Friday, May 14 and 16, with work starting at the close of operations at night and continuing into the early morning. The work will pause on the nights of May 13 and 15.
Do you have a headache yet? Just wait till you arrive.
The tricky part will be knowing where an airline will be during the five-day transition period. Has it moved? Or is it still in the original location?
This may help: After the day’s flights are over Friday, Delta, Allegiant, Frontier, Virgin America, Virgin Australia, Sun Country, Volaris and Boutique will move, with completion on Saturday.
On May 14, at the close of operations, Avianca, InterJet and Spirit will begin moving, with completion set for the morning of May 15.
At the end of the day May 16, Air Canada, Hawaiian, JetBlue and Southwest’s international flights will change locations, finishing in the morning of May 17.
Beginning May 17, the airlines’ locations will be as shown on the graphic above.
During the moves, departing passengers are urged to check with their airlines before leaving for LAX and to double-check flight and gate status on arrival.
LAX, the world’s fourthbusiest airport, and the airlines have vowed to keep customers posted on their progress with emails and texts. Delta and other airlines will have reps assigned throughout the airport to help guide passengers to the proper gates.
Those who find themselves at the wrong side of the airport can take neon green shuttles between Terminals 2 and 3 and Terminals 5 and 6. The LAX “A” bus can also be used to move around the horseshoeshaped airport.
Why is this happening? The mass move is a domino effect created by Delta’s desire to move to Terminals 2 and 3 to be closer to its partner airlines.
The move will also enable Delta to eventually connect directly to the Tom Bradley International Terminal. The airline has pledged to spend $1.9 billion on LAX modifications during the next seven years.