Los Angeles International Airport: A Traveler's Guide
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LAX is laid out as a horseshoe of nine terminals (1 through 8, plus the Tom Bradley International Terminal, TBIT) wrapped around a central loop road, with no secure connection between most terminals — if you're connecting between US and international flights in different terminals, you'll generally exit security and re-enter, so don't cut it close.
Arrival basics. US Customs and Border Protection processes international arrivals at TBIT and a few other terminals with automated passport-control kiosks for eligible travelers (US citizens, and Global Entry members skip the line almost entirely). Baggage claim and customs can take 45-90 minutes on a busy wide-body bank, so factor that into any tight onward plans, including for domestic connections that require rechecking bags after clearing customs.
Getting into the city. The biggest recent change: LAX now has its own free Automated People Mover (APM) train connecting every terminal to a new LAX/Metro Transit Center station, opened in 2025, where you can transfer onto LA Metro's C Line rail network for about $1.75 — the cheapest way in, though slow and involving a transfer to reach Downtown or Hollywood. For a faster, simpler ride, the FlyAway bus runs nonstop to Union Station downtown in about 30-45 minutes for $9.75 one-way, buses roughly every 30 minutes around the clock. For ride-hailing, LAX ended curbside pickup years ago — take the free shuttle bus (about every 7 minutes) or walk to the LAX-it pickup lot near Terminal 1; a metered taxi from LAX-it to downtown runs a flat rate of roughly $46.50.
Practical tips. Traffic on the terminal loop road is notoriously bad, especially weekday afternoons and around major holidays — build extra time into any curbside drop-off or pickup. TSA lines vary wildly by terminal and time of day; if you have TSA PreCheck or Clear, it's worth using even for a short domestic hop. For international connections, especially where you must clear customs and recheck bags, treat 2-3 hours as the realistic minimum rather than the airline's published minimum connection time. SIM/eSIM options are easiest to sort out before you land, since in-airport carrier stores are limited; most travelers now just buy an eSIM online in advance.