Los Angeles International Airport has 161 gates in nine passenger terminals arranged in the shape of the letter U or a horseshoe. On the landside of the airport, LAX Shuttle route A buses allow passengers to move between all terminals. On the airside, various pedestrian corridors allow passengers to move between all terminals on foot without having to exit and reenter airport security. Additionally, the airport will be served by SkyLink, which will connect terminals to one another on the landside, along with providing connections to the LAX Rental Car Center, parking facilities, and the LAX/Metro Transit Center, which is served by the Los Angeles Metro Rail system and public bus routes. In addition to these terminals, there are of cargo facilities.
History The basic layout of the airport dates back to 1958 when the architecture firm Pereira & Luckman was contracted to plan the re-design of the airport for the "jet age." The plan, developed with architects Welton Becket and Paul Williams, called for a series of terminals and parking structures in the central portion of the property, with these buildings connected at the center by a huge steel-and-glass dome. The dome was never built but the Theme Building built in the central area became a focal point visible to people coming to the airport.
Each terminal originally had a common design: a satellite building out in the middle of the ramp, reached by tunnels from a separate ticketing building. Originally the tunnels were supposed to have moving walkways. Still, they were eliminated due to funding cuts. Instead, they received mosaics which came to be known as the LAX color tunnels, to make the walk feel shorter.
Terminals 7 and 8 (built for United Airlines) were the first to be completed on June 25, 1961, followed by Terminals 3 (Trans World Airlines), 4 (American Airlines), and 5 (Western Airlines) in September. Terminal 2 opened as the international terminal in December. Terminal 6, a "consolidated" terminal for other domestic carriers, was the last to open.
A significant airport expansion came in the early 1980s, ahead of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games. In November 1983 a second-level roadway was added, separating departing and arriving travelers; Terminal 1, which had been planned in the 1958 design, opened in January 1984; and the new Tom Bradley International Terminal opened in June 1984. Throughout the 1980s, the original terminals (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7) were also rebuilt with connector buildings that transformed the separate satellite and ticketing buildings into one continuous terminal.
Inter-terminal connections While connections between some terminals had existed for years, by October 2023, as a result of the ongoing Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP), passengers could walk through all the main terminals without needing to exit the secure area and be rescreened:
A departures-level walkway connects Terminals 1, 2, and 3. Skybridges connect the Tom Bradley International Terminal (Terminal B) to Terminals 3 and 4. A tunnel connects the main Tom Bradley International Terminal (Terminal B) concourse to the West Gates. A tunnel connects Terminals 4, 5, and 6. A departures-level walkway connects Terminals 6, 7, and 8.
There are also airside shuttles connecting some of these terminals; for instance, some airlines have check-in counters and baggage claim at Terminal 1, but provide shuttle bus service to and from the distant Bradley West gates, where their planes arrive. The satellite regional terminal is only accessible by an airside shuttle bus that connects to Terminals 4 and 5.
Terminal 1 Terminal 1 has 14 gates: Gates 9, 11A, 11B, 12A, 12B, 13–16, 17A, 17B, 18A, 18B, and the bus gate. , this terminal is served by JetBlue and as an operating base for Southwest Airlines. The terminal also has check-in facilities for Allegiant Air, Breeze Airways, Cayman Airways, Frontier Airlines, Sun Country Airlines and Viva. After clearing security in Terminal 1, passengers for all airlines other than JetBlue and Southwest board a shuttle bus to the West Gates of the Tom Bradley International Terminal, where the flights operate.
Terminal 1 was built in 1984 for Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA). The terminal was last extensively renovated in 2018, providing updates to the security screening area, terminal areas and baggage handling. The terminal was also expanded in 2021 to fill in the area between terminals 1 and 2, adding a post-security bridge between the terminals, and a bus gate to take passengers to boarding gates in the Tom Bradley International Terminal; this section of the terminal will provide a connection to SkyLink when it opens.
Former tenants of the terminal include Air California, Air Hawaii, AirTran Airways, America West Airlines, Braniff, Lynx Air, Morris Air, Pacific Southwest Airlines, Piedmont Airlines, StatesWest Airlines, TranStar Airlines, and US Airways.
Terminal 2
Terminal 2 has 13 gates: Gates 20, 21, 21B, 22, 23A, 23B, 24, 25A, 25B, 26A, 26B, 27, and 28. , this terminal, along with Terminal 3, serves as a hub for Delta Air Lines, although the airline has no check-in facilities at this terminal. The terminal also has check-in facilities for Norse Atlantic Airways and WestJet. After clearing security, Norse passengers board a bus to the Tom Bradley International Terminal, while WestJet passengers walk to Terminal 3.
Terminal 2 was built in 1962 and was the original international terminal. It was completely torn down and rebuilt in stages between 1984 and 1988 at a cost of $94 million. The rebuilt terminal was designed by Leo A Daly. Terminal 2 has CBP (Customs and Border Protection) facilities to process arriving international passengers, but the facility was closed in 2020 and temporarily repurposed as a domestic bag claim area during construction of Terminal 3. , the CBP facility is being rebuilt.
Former tenants of the terminal include Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air L.A., Air Mobility Command, Air New Zealand, Air Resorts, Líneas Aéreas Allegro, Asiana, ATA Airlines, Aviacsa, Avianca, Braniff International Airways, Caledonian Airways, Canadian Pacific Air Lines, CAAC Airlines, Capitol Air, Carnival Air Lines, Condor, Hawaiian Airlines, KLM, LTU International, MarkAir, Miami Air International, National Airlines (1934–1980), Northwest Airlines, Omni Air International, Pacific Express, Pan American Airways (Pan Am), People Express Airlines, Ports of Call, Ryan International Airlines, Skyservice Airlines, VASP, Virgin Atlantic, World Airways, and the majority of the International carriers before the Tom Bradley International Terminal opened.
A Delta Sky Club operates on the upper level of Terminal 2; space originally built for a second lounge is currently in use as offices.
Terminal 3 Terminal 3 has 15 gates: Gates 30A, 30B, 31A, 31B, 32A, 32B, 33, 34A, 34B, 35, 36, 37A, 37B, and 38. , this terminal, along with Terminal 2, serves as a hub for Delta Air Lines. The terminal also has check-in facilities for Delta's SkyTeam partners, Aeroméxico and Virgin Atlantic. After clearing security in Terminal 3, Aeroméxico and Virgin Atlantic passengers walk to the Tom Bradley International Terminal.
Terminal 3 opened in 1961 and was Trans World Airlines' (TWA) terminal. Eastern Air Lines initially also shared space as a tenant. The terminal was expanded in 1970 to accommodate widebody operations and between 1980 and 1987, which included a new passenger connector building and baggage system connected to the original satellite. It formerly housed some American Airlines flights after that airline acquired Reno Air and TWA in 1999 and 2001, respectively. Virgin America was also based here from 2008–2017 until the Alaska Airlines merger moved them to Terminal 6. US Airways was housed in Terminal 3 after renovations were started in Terminal 1 from February 2014 until eventually, all American flights were moved to Terminal 4.
Terminal 3 was closed, partially demolished and reconstructed between November 2020 and April 2022 as part of Delta Air Lines' $1.9 billion "Delta Sky Way at LAX" modernization project. The pace of construction was accelerated due to the decline in passenger air travel as the result of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Former tenants of the terminal include Air California, AirTran Airways, American Airlines, ATA Airlines, Bonanza Air Lines, Braniff International Airways, Eastern Air Lines, Golden West Airlines, The Hawaii Express, Midway Airlines, Midwest Airlines, Northeastern International Airways, Pacific East Airlines, Pacific Express, Reno Air, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Trans World Airlines, US Airways, Virgin America, Virgin Australia, and Western Pacific Airlines.
Terminal 3 has one Delta SkyClub located off the walkway between Terminal 2 and 3. The Delta One Lounge opened on October 8, 2024.
Terminal 4
Terminal 4 has 16 gates: Gates 40, 41, 42A, 42B, 43–45, 46A, 46C, 47A, 47B, 48A, 48B, 49A, and 49B. , this terminal, the Regional Terminal, and part of Terminal 5, serve as a hub for American Airlines.
Terminal 4 was built in 1961, was expanded in 1983 by adding a connector from the ticketing areas to the original satellite, and was renovated in 2002 at the cost of $400 million in order to improve the appearance and functionality of the facility. The renovation was designed by Rivers & Christian. Some international departures operate at TBIT.
American Airlines and American Eagle have more gates than any other airline at LAX, with 28 (American Airlines operates from 32 gates in total, including 9 gates at the American Eagle satellite terminal, 4 dedicated gates at Terminal 5, as well as 4 rotating gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal).
American Airlines has two clubs in the terminal: one Admirals Club and one Flagship Lounge.
Former tenants of the terminal include: Air California, Alaska Airlines, America West Airlines, KLM, Midwest Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Piedmont Airlines, Pride Air, Reno Air, Sun Aire Lines, and Wings West Airlines.
Terminal 5
Terminal 5 had 17 gates: Gates 50, 51A, 51B, 53A, 53B, 54A, 54B, 55A, 55B, 51A–51D, 57–59, and a bus gate. Gates 52A–52I are located at the Regional Terminal. , the terminal served as a hub for American Airlines along with Terminal 4 and the Regional Terminal.
Terminal 5 was closed for demolition and reconstruction with the last day of operation on Tuesday, October 28, 2025. JetBlue moved to Terminal 1 on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, Spirit Airlines moved to Terminal 2 on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, and American Airlines moved to Terminal 4 and TBIT on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.
Terminal 5 opened in 1962, and Western Airlines occupied this terminal until Western was merged with Delta on April 1, 1987. Terminal 5 was redesigned by Gensler, expanded to include a connector building between the original satellite and the ticketing facilities and remodeled from 1986 through early 1988. It was unofficially named 'Delta's Oasis at LAX' with the slogan 'Take Five at LAX' when construction was completed in the summer of 1988. Northwest Airlines moved all operations to Terminal 5 and Terminal 6 alongside Delta on June 30, 2009, as part of its merger with the airline.
Delta, which had been based for decades in Terminal 5 (with additional gates in Terminal 6), moved to Terminals 2 and 3 between May 12–17, 2017, in order to relieve overcrowding and provide better and easier transfers with its airline partners at Tom Bradley International Terminal.
American Eagle flights operate from a satellite terminal that is located just east of Terminal 8. This terminal is accessed from a bus gate in Terminal 5, and has nine gates that supplement American's mainline operation at Terminals 4 and 5.