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LAX terminals are now finally all connected airside

Oct. 05, 2023
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4 min read
Delta Sky Way LAX Terminal
LAX terminals are now finally all connected airside
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A big pain point for Delta Air Lines flyers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is now over. And with the change, the airport — one of the nation’s busiest — reached a milestone.

LAX recently cut the ribbon on a post-security walkway between Terminal 3 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal.

The final key part of a multi-billion dollar Delta Sky Way project, the airside connection now links Delta’s Terminal 3 gates with the international terminal; this eliminates the need for travelers to ride a bus from one terminal to another.

LAX connector
LOS ANGELES WORLD AIRPORTS

The walkway’s opening also signified another milestone: All nine LAX terminals are now connected post-security.

With the completion of the Terminal 3-to-Tom Bradley connection, you could now (if you wanted to, at least) walk from Terminal 1 all the way around the airport’s “U” layout to Terminal 8 without ever leaving security, as shown in a map the airport published. The walk is roughly 2 miles.

new LAX map
LOS ANGELES WORLD AIRPORTS

Final phase of Delta Sky Way

The late-August opening of the new connector between LAX Terminal 3 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal marked the completion of Delta’s Sky Way project — a $2.3 billion modernization of Terminals 3 and 2 that finished 18 months ahead of schedule, Delta said.

check in LAX Sky Way
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

Along with dozens of new gates and a revamped head house, the complex also features new Sky Club lounge space and — as TPG saw earlier this year — a premium check-in lounge for Delta One customers.

delta one check-in lounge
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

The new terminal connector is all on one level and features plenty of moving walkways, so you don’t have to go up and down too many escalators.

Few of us will end up with an itinerary that calls for walking all the way from Terminal 1 to Terminal 8 for a connection. Still, this new linkage between Terminal 3 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal is impactful for Delta and other Sky Team flyers, linking international gates with Delta’s LAX hub operation.

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Delta plans to serve the airport’s highest number of domestic passengers this winter, Los Angeles World Airports said, many of whom will connect to its international service.

Larger changes in works at LAX

Delta’s Skyway in Terminal 3 and this connector bridge are just part of a much larger set of changes at LAX.

In recent years, the airport has seen billions of dollars in modernization work on all of its terminals. This includes a link between Terminals 1 and 2 as well as a connector between the Tom Bradley International Terminal and Terminal 4 that opened in 2016.

Meanwhile, the airport expects to open its nearly $5 billion Automated People Mover next year. This will connect each of the airport’s terminals to a consolidated rental car facility and regional public transportation.

Related reading:

Featured image by ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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