Pros: Cheaper and more direct flights; Flyaway service
Cons: Too small; crowds; landlocked
The Bottom Line:
A crowded airport
But cheaper and easier
Than smaller airports
For a Big Airport, I Expect More
For those who live in the greater Los Angeles area, there are multiple airports
to choose from. While many of my friends
swear by the smaller airports, I find that flying out of them is usually more
expensive and requires a layover for the added cost. (My friends claim to find better deals with
the smaller airports, but I can't seem to find them.) That's why I continue to fly out of LAX even
though it is the worst airport I have ever flown out of.
LAX, or more formally known as the Los Angeles International
Airport
That's why I usually take the Flyaway. This is a service offered by LAX that buses
you in from three points, Van Nuys to the north, Union Station in down town LA,
and Westwood, near UCLA. For $4 one way,
you don't have to worry about traffic (and can read the entire way down or
back). They even offer parking at the
bus terminals. I find that this option
is cheaper than the alternative of parking in the long term parking lots. The buses run on the half hour both
directions. Getting to the airport is
always easy, although sometimes it seems to take a lot longer than it should to
catch the bus back.
The biggest problem with the airport is that it is
surrounded by urban sprawl. Before I
started using the Flyaway, I would park in the long term parking. Believe it or not, these lots are several
blocks from the entrance to the airport and located in neighborhoods. The shuttles that run between these parking
lots and the terminals run frequently in both directions.
Likewise, the car rental companies are located a ways away
from the airport. I've never tried to
rent a car here since I live in the area, but I've seen signs for rental car
return. I don't know where they are
located or how easy they are to find. I
do know that I see the shuttles these companies run passing by every few
minutes.
The airport itself is dual layered, with departures on the
top level and arrivals on the bottom level.
The terminals are laid out in a giant horseshoe. There are 7 terminals for domestic flights
and one for international flights. The
roads by the terminals always seem jammed with cars, and I hate driving
there. There is a parking garage for
short term parking only located in the middle of the horse shoe. Trust me, it's well worth parking instead of
circling if you are waiting for someone.
Like many airports, there is nothing outside of security for
those waiting for a traveler. All you'll
find are baggage carousels and check in lines.
Airlines are assigned to one terminal, maybe two if they are
big or fly both domestically and internationally. I haven't flown internationally out of this
airport, so I can't comment on that terminal.
The domestic terminals are all straight with gates on the left and right
until you get to the end and find about half the gates at the end. There are probably about 15 gates per
terminal. Along the way you'll find the
usual assortment of shops and various types of restaurants.
There is no way to change terminals without going through
security. As a result, if you have a
connecting flight on a different carrier, allow time to go through security
again. There are shuttles that do
nothing but drive around the horseshoe taking people from one terminal to
another which is good because it can be quite a walk from one to another.
The big downside is that you can't really explore the
airport while you wait for your flight.
When I have time to kill in an airport, I love to wander and see how
much ground I can cover. Additionally,
it helps me get some blood pumping before I sit for multiple hours. Here, you are limited to your little
section. Don't like the food
choices? Tough, those are your only
options. Looking for some variety in the
stores? Again, you have no options. And it gets boring walking the same corridor
over and over again.
Additionally, this airport is too small for the number of
travelers that pass through it. There
can be long lines to check in or pass through security any time. Other times, lines are short. You just never know. Because of all the people, you have to be
constantly paying attention so you know where you need to go. Otherwise, it is easy to get lost or wind up
in the wrong long line.
Things aren't much better once through security. It's very hard to find a quiet, non-busy
corner. And the corridor is always
filled with people.
Obviously, the airport needs a complete expansion, but I'm
not sure where they would find the space to do that because they are
landlocked.
The airport is also shabby, probably because it is so
old. It doesn't feel like they keep
things up as well as they might, although I do think they keep it relatively
clean and free from garbage. At least
I've never seen anything too dirty on my trips through.
Getting my luggage after a flight has gotten much
better. When I first started flying, it
often seemed to take me 30 minutes or now.
Now bags from my flight are starting to show up between 10 and 15
minutes most of the time.
Yes, this has been mostly one long complaint. This really isn't that nice of an
airport. And yet I'm willing to fly out
of it on every trip I take. Why? Because of the cost savings when I buy my
tickets and fewer (if any) layovers.
Additionally, since discovering the Flyaway, I find that getting to and
from the airport is a breeze. For that,
I can put up with a few lines and crowds.
Just allow plenty of extra time for it.
So I do recommend LAX for those looking to save some time
and money in their travels. It's not the
best airport, but it does serve its purpose.
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