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Delta's Moving Terminals at LAX in May — and It Could Cause a Headache for Travelers

March 23, 2017
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3 min read
Aerial view of airplanes parked in airport gates
Delta's Moving Terminals at LAX in May — and It Could Cause a Headache for Travelers
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Traveling through Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for five days in May could turn out to be hectic for travelers, and may be a situation worth avoiding if at all possible. Between May 12 and May 17, Delta Air Lines is moving from Terminals 5 and 6 to Terminals 2 and 3 at LAX. But with that move, 19 other carriers will also be forced to pack up and transport to other terminals.

The airport has been expanding and renovating many of its terminals in recent months. We detailed some of the changes, including the new construction of a new mid-field terminal, in this post. With Delta's move to Terminals 2 and 3 in May, the carrier is investing $1.9 billion over the next four years to upgrade, which will give it seven extra gates and easier access to the international terminal. In addition, once Delta's upgrade project is completed in the two new terminals, the structure between Terminals 2 and 3 will feature a new check-in facility, screening area and a Delta Sky Club with a sky deck.

According to the Los Angeles Times, airlines have swapped terminals at LAX before, but never on the scale of what's planned for when Delta moves and 19 other airlines are impacted. The Atlanta-based carrier will foot the $60 million bill for the relocation of the displaced airlines.

Here's what the new set-up will look like as of May 17, 2017:

You can get the full details at the airport's renovation website. Since 19 airlines are participating in the terminal shuffling, it's sure to create some confusion during the five-day moving period. While a majority of the airlines that have to vacate are moving to the Tom Bradley International Terminal, some are moving to other terminals.

Here's how each of the terminals will break down as of May 17, 2017:

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  • Terminal 1: Southwest (check in and departures)
  • Terminal 2: Delta, Aer Lingus, Aeromexico, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia (check in), Volaris (check in)
  • Terminal 3: Avianca (check in), Copa (check in), Delta, Interjet (check in), WestJet
  • Terminal 4: American
  • Terminal 5: Allegiant (arrivals/departures), American, Frontier (arrivals/departures), JetBlue, Hawaiian, Spirit, Sun Country (arrivals/departures)
  • Terminal 6: Air Canada, Alaska, Allegiant (check in), Boutique, Frontier (check in), Great Lakes, Mokulele Airlines, Sun Country (check in), Virgin America, XL Airways France
  • Terminal 7: United/United Express
  • Terminal 8: United/United Express
  • Tom Bradley International Terminal: Aeroflot, Air Berlin, Air China, Air France, Air New Zealand, Air Tahiti Nui, Alitalia, All Nippon Airways, Asiana, Austrian, Avianca (arrivals/departures), British Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, China Eastern, China Southern, Copa (arrivals/departures), El Al Israel, Emirates Airline, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad, EVA Air, Fiji Airways, Hainan Airlines, Iberia, Interjet (arrivals/departures), Japan Airlines, KLM, Korean Air, LAN Airlines, LOT, Lufthansa, Norwegian Air, Philippines Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airlines, Saudia, Scandinavian Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, Singapore, Southwest (international arrivals), SWISS, Thomas Cook, Transaero Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Australia (arrivals/departures), Volaris (arrivals/departures), WOW Air

If you're traveling through LAX between May 12 and May 17, the move may cause some confusion — and some inconveniences — in your journey. After the billion-dollar renovations and new construction is complete, the airport is sure to look flashier, but in the meantime, the moving could get a little messy.

Featured image by Getty Images/Blend Images

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