ok so i literally just landed at lax and man, what an experience, im like still trying to process it all and thought id just dump my brain out here for anyone else whos coming in for the first time cause honestly its alot and i wish someone had given me a heads up you know, its not like jfk or o’hare its its own beast and you really gotta mentally prepare yourself or youll end up just wandering around lost and stressed out of your mind and thats not how you wanna start your trip to LA at all.
Getting your bearings
so first things first its massive and its shaped kinda like a horseshoe or a giant U and all the terminals are inside this big loop and you land and you get out and you think okay where am i and where do i go and its just a lot of signs and people and noise but basically you gotta remember that youre in one of those terminals and you need to figure out if youre staying within your terminal or if youre connecting and going to another one cause thats where the fun begins with the walking.
and speaking of walking, get ready cause you are gonna walk, like seriously prepare for a marathon its no joke especially if you have a connecting flight thats in a different terminal its just endless, but there are ways to make it less awful:
- the walks are actually insane, like i had to go from terminal 5 to 7 and i swear it took forever and my feet are screaming, so wear comfy shoes, not those cute little sandals cause youll regret it instantly and wanna just throw them away.
- there are these little shuttle buses that go between the terminals and they are marked with “A” and they loop around its called the laxit shuttle service and its free and its a godsend but it can take a while cause traffic around the loop is always a nightmare.
- hidden shortcut tip for some terminals: if you are connecting between terminal 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, you can actually walk airside, meaning after security, through these walkways which is way faster than getting out and waiting for a shuttle and then going through security again its literally a lifesaver just look for the signs that say “connecting flights” or “terminal access” cause not everyone knows about it and it saves so much hassle.
- and i heard theyre building some automated people mover thing but its not done yet so dont count on it its still all buses and walking for now.
when you land and get your bags and you wanna get an uber or lyft or even a taxi or a shared ride van you cant just pick it up at the curb anymore its all moved to this specific area called lax-it its a designated pickup lot outside the central terminal area and you either walk to it which is a bit of a hike depending on your terminal like 15 minutes sometimes or you take another free shuttle bus from your terminal to the lax-it lot and its pretty well marked and everything but its just another step in the process so factor in that extra time when youre planning your departure or arrival.
The peak hour survival guide
so if youre flying during peak hours which is basically any morning before 10 am and any afternoon after 3 pm and honestly like all day friday sunday and monday expect chaos its just gonna be packed and loud and busy and security lines can be insane like just endless queues stretching all over the place and its best to arrive super early at least two or three hours before your domestic flight and even more for international its just not a place you wanna rush through and get stressed out its just not worth it.
- security check points: they can be super long so if you have precheck or clear use it its worth every penny otherwise just settle in for a wait and try to be patient cause everyone else is in the same boat.
- food and drinks: its airport food so its expensive but theres usually decent enough options in most terminals but sometimes finding a place with available seating can be a challenge so grab your food and find a quiet corner if you can or just eat it standing up cause thats often the reality during busy times.
- restrooms: sometimes they get really busy and honestly not always the cleanest so try to use them when you see a less crowded one dont wait till the last minute cause you might be waiting a while.
overall lax is a beast but once you know the ropes its manageable its just about managing your expectations and giving yourself plenty of time cause rushing here is literally a recipe for disaster and stress and remember those comfy shoes and that airside shortcut youre welcome and good luck with your travels through LAX its an adventure alright.