Los Angeles International Airport - LAX

Los Angeles Airport lies 26km south-west of downtown LA. It's a large, sprawling airport with nine terminals, arranged in a U-shape in this order:

• Terminal 1 (Gates 9-18B): Southwest domestic flights and Southwest international check-in.
• Terminal 2 (Gates 21-28): Aer Lingus Airlines, Aeromexico, Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic and WestJet flights as well as Southwest international check-in. 
• Terminal 3 (Gates 30-39): Avianca, Copa, Interjet and Virgin Australia check-in only as well as Delta Air Lines flights. 
• Terminal 4 (Gates 40-49): American Airlines flights. 
• Terminal 5 (Gates 50-59): Allegiant Air, American Airlines, American Eagle, Frontier, Hawaiian Air, and JetBlue flights.
• Terminal 6 (Gates 60-69): Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Boutique Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Great Lakes and Mokulele Airlines flights.
• Terminal 7 (Gates 70-88): United Airlines and United Express flights. Built to accommodate large aircraft.
• Terminal 8 (Gates 70-88): United Airlines and United Express flights.
• Tom Bradley International Terminal (Gates 101-159): Aeroflot, Air Berlin, Air China, Air France, Air New Zealand and Air Tahiti Nui. This is the international terminal. Brand new terminal with high-end shopping and restaurants. 

The airport bus service is a cheap and easy way to get from central LAX to LA, and is the best option if you don't have too much luggage and are travelling in a small group. While plans are underway for an airport Metro rail station, you'll have to wait until at least 2024 for its completion.

Bus

FlyAway buses go regularly to Union Station, Van Nuys, Westwood, Hollywood and Santa Monica. Journey time is around 30 minutes.

Cost: USD 9 to Union Station, USD 10 to West Hollywood 
Buying tickets: At Metrolink vending machines, online or on the bus (credit card only)
Location: Bus stops outside the terminal buildings, follow the green signs 

Taxi

For more convenience - and money - a cab is always an option. Journey time is around 30 minutes.

Cost: USD 46.50 flat fare to downtown (plus USD 4 airport fee and 15-20% tip)
Location: Arrivals, Lower level, under yellow TAXI signs

Shuttle plus Metro

Another option if you need to connect to LA's Metro system, is to take the free shuttle bus 'G' to the Aviation/LAX station on the Metro's Green Line.

Cost: USD 1.75 one-way
Location: The G shuttle bus leaves from every terminal, every 10-15 minutes, at the lower level of Arrivals 

Outside the terminal buildings, the airport uses a colour-coding system to help you find the right transport.

Taxis: yellow
Hotel and parking lot shuttles: red
Shared-ride vans: orange
FlyAway, buses and long-distance vans: green
LAX shuttle buses: blue
Rental car shuttles: purple

Tunnels and walkways connect Terminals 4 through to 8 after security. To connect to from Terminal 4 to Terminals 5 or 6, head to Gate 44 and go down the escalator. Take the second escalator to the left. At the bottom of the second escalator, make a U-turn to your right and follow that tunnel to the other terminals. Don’t follow the signs for Baggage Claim.

It should take approximately 15 minutes to Terminal 6.

Terminal 1: There is a charging station available at Gate 9. If they are all occupied, the leather seats at Gates 7 and 13 have outlets behind them.

If the Terminal 8 charging station is busy, head to Gate 86. Both of the outlets here work and there are seats available.

Places to grab a shower are:

• The American Airlines Admirals Club in Terminal 4, on the concourse level, across from Gate 40. Cost: USD 50, free for members.
• Sky Club Lounge in Terminal 5 between Gate 53 and 55. Cost: USD 50, free for members. Ask reception for the key to the bright red new showers. Towels, soap, shampoo and conditioner are provided. 
• The United Services Organization (USO) Lounge between Terminals 1 and 2, but this is only available to members of the military and their families.

Another option is to head to one of the many hotels in the airport area. 

At the top of the stairs for security, always choose the left lane. This lane has three X-Ray machines and moves faster. The right side only has one machine and is designated for families.

Just five miles from Los Angeles International Airport is one of the best beach communities in all of America: Manhattan Beach.

The easiest way to get to Manhattan Beach from LAX is to take a taxi. Tell the driver you want to go to Manhattan Beach Boulevard and Highland Avenue (the heart of downtown). It should cost no more than USD 27 including tip, and less on the return since there's no USD 4 airport surcharge

Once in Manhattan Beach, the best thing to do is either relax or stroll around the strand and the pier (there’s an aquarium at the end). We highly recommend renting a bike and cruising the bike path. You can go all the way south to Torrance or north to Santa Monica.

If you're getting picked up from the airport, your driver can wait in the free Cell Phone Waiting Lot, located at the intersection of 96th St. & Vicksburg Av, next to the entrance of Economy Lot C. 

If you’re flying United, skip the long lines at Terminal 7 by going through Terminal 6 where the lines are shorter. The two terminals are connected by an underground walkway after security.

Located in the LAX Imperial Terminal, the Flight Path museum is worth a visit. It features scale models of various aircraft, photos of aviation history, Howard Hughes memorabilia, and a model of his famous Spruce Goose.  The museum is also home to the William A. Schoneberger Research Library, which has an extensive collection of aviation and aerospace books.

The museum is open Tuesday - Saturday from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. Free parking is available.

The boutique Custom Hotel in Westchester is 2 miles away from the airport and one mile away from the Pacific. It features a bistro-style restaurant, poolside bar, 24-hour business centre and complimentary WiFi. Rooms start at USD 189.00 per night. 

To do some plane-watching or simply admire the surrounding landscape, head to the observation deck in the middle of the Central Terminal. It's open from 08:00 - 17:00.

If you're looking for some entertainment in the airport, you'll find art and photography exhibits in the following locations:

Terminal 1 in Departures
Terminal 2 in Ticketing & Departures
Terminals 3 in Arrivals
Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) in the Customs Hallway

A free shuttle bus connects all the terminals before you check in. However, because it's before security when travelling between Terminals 1, 2 and 3, you have to leave the secure area to get to the shuttle bus and clear security again to get back into a terminal – which can add time to your journey.

After security, you can travel easily between Terminals 4 and 8, using:

Underground tunnel between Terminals 4, 5 and 6
Above-ground walkways between Terminals 6 and 7
Additional shuttle bus between terminals 4 and 6 and the American Eagle remote terminal 

Los Angeles International Airport offers its passengers complimentary Wi-Fi access for 45 minutes in all public areas of the airport. To connect, simply select the wireless network "_LAX Free WiFi" from the network providers, launch your web browser and a Wi-Fi welcome page will guide you through. If your Wi-Fi access runs out after the two hours, you can simply log-in again.

Whether it’s a long layover, a flight delay, or just the will to enjoy the infrastructure of a beautiful hotel, Dayuse.com invites you to book a day stay at one of our hotels located in the immediate proximity of the airport.

How does it work:

1/ Review the hotels available around the airport & the services they offer (spa, swimming pool, fitness, restaurant, and so on)
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4/ Pay only at the check in
5/ Cancel at no cost until last minute

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