Airline Terminal Changes at LAX Airport

by John Webber

As of May 2017 – twenty one airlines including Los Angeles International Airport’s biggest carrier Delta Airlines, will shuffle to new terminals over a week long period in what LAX is calling a move never before seen at a major airport.

The move is part of a modernization effort that will include upgrades to two terminals over the next few years, according to Los Angeles World Airports, which operates LAX. Most of the work will happen on May 12, 14 and 16, after the last flight of the day and into the early morning hours of the following day, LAWA says.

Delta will move from Terminals 5 and 6 to Terminals 2 and 3. During the relocation, Delta could operate out of as many as four terminals at once (2, 3, 5, and 6). Once the airline moves into its new digs, Delta plans to invest $1.9 billion in Terminals 2 and 3 over the next seven years.

Delta says the company will be in “constant communication” with passengers while the move is taking place, offering real-time updates via text messages, emails, and the company’s app.

Los Angeles World Airports
LAWA offers some tips for travelers worried about showing up in the wrong place: Double-check departure gates before leaving for the airport, get to the airport earlier than usual, and print out boarding passes at home. The airport will add about 500 new wayfinding signs, extra staff, and special shuttles to help people get to the correct terminal.

“While moving 21 airlines over three nights is a monumental task, Delta and the LAWA team have been planning and preparing for months to ensure a smooth transition,” says Commission President Sean Burton in a statement. Delta’s move is just one part of a slew of upgrades planned for the airport, Burton says.

Several terminals have recently undergone flashy makeovers, and work is underway on a major overhaul of LAX that will bring a centralized car rental facility and an AirTrain-style people mover. That transformative project is supposed to be finished by 2023 –  in time to welcome visitors to the Olympics that Los Angeles might be hosting in 2024.

“Do not go where the path leads, travel instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”  @wbbrjp

CIRPAC Travel / Phone   213 387-4345 / 3407 W 6th Street, Los Angeles CA