Los Angeles International (LAX) is the largest airport on the US West Coast and one of the most-connected internationally — 180+ non-stop destinations, with particularly strong reach into Asia, Australia, and Latin America. It's a major hub for American, Delta, United, and Alaska, plus the West Coast home for many Asia-based carriers.
What makes LAX strategically important
Geography. LAX is the natural launching point for transpacific flights from the Americas. The longest non-stop flights in the world to and from cities like Singapore, Sydney, and Auckland route through LAX, and the airport's runway capacity supports the heaviest aircraft (A380, 777-300ER) routinely.
Terminals at a glance
- Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) — Most foreign-flag carriers and the long-haul international flagship terminal.
- Terminals 1–3 — Mostly domestic, including Southwest, JetBlue, and the Delta hub at T2/T3.
- Terminals 4–5 — American Airlines and oneworld partners, with international gates connected to TBIT airside.
- Terminals 6–8 — United, Alaska, and Star Alliance partners.
The honest pain points
LAX is sprawling, traffic in and out is famously bad, and inter-terminal connections often require leaving security. Allow 2.5 hours for international-to-domestic connections (you'll clear customs and re-check bags). The LAX People Mover is opening in phases — once fully operational it will improve inter-terminal transit significantly.
Where LAX shines
Transpacific premium cabin. The diversity of Asian, Australian, and New Zealand carriers means competitive pricing on premium-cabin tickets that doesn't exist from most other US gateways. Latin America is also dense — particularly Mexico, Central America, and Andean South America.