Which terminal does my airline use at LAX?+
TBIT (Tom Bradley International): all foreign flag carriers (BA, Lufthansa, Emirates, Qatar, Singapore, ANA, JAL, Cathay, Korean, Qantas, etc.). Terminal 2-3: Delta + KLM + Aeroméxico. Terminal 4-5: American + JetBlue + Spirit + Finnair. Terminal 6: Alaska + Air Canada. Terminal 7-8: United + United Express. Terminal 1: Southwest + JSX.
How do I get from LAX to downtown / Hollywood / Santa Monica?+
FlyAway Bus — $9.75-$10.75 direct to Union Station (downtown) or Westwood (UCLA / Westside). 30-90 minutes depending on traffic. The Metro option is slower + requires the LAX-G shuttle. Uber/Lyft $30-$70 with LAX rideshare pickup at LAXit lot. To Santa Monica: 25 min via taxi/Uber when traffic is light, can be 1+ hour at peak.
Why do I have to take a shuttle for Uber / taxi at LAX?+
LAX banned curbside ridesharing at terminals in 2019 to reduce congestion. All rideshare + taxi pickups happen at LAXit, a dedicated lot east of T1. Free LAXit shuttle from the arrivals curb at every terminal — 5-15 min ride. After LAXit, you wait in a queue for your driver. Total time from gate to in-car: 25-40 minutes. Pre-arranged shuttles + hotel pickups + private cars CAN still use the terminal curb.
How long do I need for an LAX connection?+
Same terminal: 75 min minimum. Inter-terminal in the same airside connector (T4-T5-T6 connected airside, T1-T2-T3 connected): 90 min. TBIT ↔ other: usually requires re-clearing security as you exit baggage claim then enter the new terminal — 2-2.5 hours minimum. International to domestic (e.g. Qantas to AA): 2.5-3 hours after immigration + customs. The future APM (2026) will speed this up significantly.
What is the LAXit lot?+
A dedicated rideshare + taxi pickup lot east of Terminal 1 — opened 2019 to reduce terminal-area congestion. All Uber, Lyft, taxis pickup here only. Free LAXit shuttle (bus G or LAX-it) circulates between every terminal's arrival curb and the lot — 5-15 min. From LAXit you wait in a queue for your driver; total walkway-to-car time is 25-40 min. Plan accordingly.
Is there a hotel inside LAX?+
No on-airport hotel. Closest with shuttle: H Hotel LAX (5 min shuttle), Hyatt Regency LAX (5 min), Renaissance LAX (5 min). The Sheraton Gateway, Westin LAX, and Marriott LAX all run free 24-hour shuttles. None are walking distance — the airport horseshoe layout doesn't accommodate adjacent lodging. Most travellers use Century Boulevard hotels which are 10-15 min by shuttle.
