Discover Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is located in Westchester alongside L.A.'s beach communities about 16 miles from Downtown L.A. The airport's West Coast location makes it a gateway to international destinations, particularly Asia and the Pacific. With 1,500 average daily flight operations, LAX is the world's fifth busiest airport and the Number One Origin and Destination airport in the world. LAX offers 645 daily commercial flights to 162 destinations, and 1,890 weekly international flights to 68 global destinations.

From travel info to transportation, dining, shopping, layover activities and future projects, read on for the best guides to LAX.

This basic guide to LAX for international visitors flying into Los Angeles includes terminal locations, hotels, transportation, and tips for travelers.

The FlyAway® bus service provides convenient regularly scheduled round-trips, seven days a week, between each terminal at LAX, Van Nuys and Union Station. Passengers leaving LAX may board buses on the Lower/Arrivals level in front of each terminal at the blue FlyAway® columns. Each bus is marked with its service location.

Befitting L.A.'s status as one of the nation’s top restaurant cities, and as part of the LAX multi-year, multi-billion dollar modernization project, travelers now have the opportunity to savor a culinary journey via the airport's nine terminals, showcasing local iconic eateries, award-winning restaurateurs, and “Top Chefs.”

During Awards Season, there is no better time for travelers to embrace Hollywood glamour—and no better gateway than LAX to feel like a star. Shops and services are conveniently located inside all nine terminals. However, the hot spot is Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT), which also includes upscale dining options, making it the current centerpiece of the airport’s multi-billion dollar modernization project.

PS is a VIP private terminal at LAX. Instead of 2,200 footsteps from car seat to plane seat, members of The Private Suite can do it in just 70 footsteps. Private TSA screening is done in the building, and The PS team handles ticketing and luggage. Members spend their preflight in totally private suites, each with its own bathroom, food service pantry, a two-person daybed, and a runway view of aircraft landing and taking off. When it’s time to board, PS members are driven in a BMW 7 Series sedan across the tarmac directly to their aircraft. For more info about membership and to book a trial experience, visit the PS website.

From expedited customs entry kiosks and exclusive lounges to complimentary makeovers and express massages, there are plenty of ways for travelers to live it up like a celebrity at LAX. Here are some tips for travelers looking to live large.

Right after you land or before you board your flight, it's an L.A. tradition to stop at the In-N-Out Burger near LAX for favorites like a Double-Double Animal Style, chocolate shake and Animal Style french fries. The late, great Anthony Bourdain called it the best restaurant in L.A., and you might see students from nearby Otis College of Art and Design, or hungry guests of the Westin LAX and Hotel June. Diners seated at the outside tables have an unparalleled view of jets taking off and landing on the nearby runways.

From the Flight Path Learning Center to Venice Beach, here are nine more places to check out near LAX.

LAX is one of the world's busiest airports, so layovers are common. Travelers can maximize each sunshine-filled hour in Los Angeles with this helpful guide. The hardest part will be boarding your flight to the next destination!

Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is in the midst of a $14 billion Capital Improvement Program at LAX, projected to last through 2023. The LAX modernization program is considered the largest public works program in the history of the City of Los Angeles. Begun in 2009, the overall program is expected to create more than 121,000 annual construction-related jobs.