Los Angeles International Airport, International airport in Westchester, Los Angeles, United States.
Los Angeles International Airport sits a few kilometers east of the Pacific Ocean, with nine passenger terminals arranged in a horseshoe layout around a central roadway. Most terminals have multiple levels separating arrivals and departures, with shops and restaurants spread along wide corridors between gates.
The facility opened in 1928 as Mines Field, serving as a military airstrip before gradually shifting to commercial flights after the Second World War. Over the following decades, new terminals and runways were added to accommodate growing passenger numbers and expanded air traffic.
The international terminal sees a daily mix of travelers from every continent, creating a crowded scene where visitors and locals cross paths constantly. Walk through the arrival halls and you hear dozens of languages spoken at once, with families reuniting and business travelers rushing between gates.
Travelers move between terminals using underground pedestrian tunnels and automated people movers that run regularly and connect all buildings. If you need to change terminals or catch a connecting flight, allow extra time as the distances across the complex can be considerable.
If you want to watch aircraft taking off and landing, there are several public viewing spots around the perimeter, including a dedicated hill called Imperial Hill. The facility also ranks among the airports with the highest number of nonstop routes to cities around the world.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
