Located 15 miles (24 kilometers) southwest of Los Angeles, Los Angeles International Airport provides travelers with extensive and modern facilities, with convenient transport links by road and rail. LAX Airport flies international passengers and cargo traffic to and from the five-county Southern California region, serving 88 airlines through nine terminals.

The central complex features nine passenger terminals connected by a U-shaped two-level roadway. Curbside baggage check-in is available on the upper departure level. Baggage claim is on the lower level. Brand-named and ethnic-styled restaurants, cocktail lounges, gift shops, newsstands, duty free shops for international flights, restrooms, public telephones and business centers offer convenient services for the traveling public.

Other amenities include a first aid station in the Tom Bradley International Terminal and special telephones connected to area hotels/motels, bus/taxi/limousine services and car rental firms serving most Southland communities. Free shuttle service is provided between all terminals and remote parking lots.

The Encounter Restaurant is located 70 ft. above the ground in the center of the historic Theme Building complex. The restaurant, topped by an observation deck, features a space-age interior design.

Luggage

Travel light. Smaller bags are easier to carry and stow and mean shorter waits at baggage claim and easier security/customs inspections.
Plan to pack more in your checked luggage and less in your carry-on bag.
Don't carry or pack anything for anyone else or agree to watch a stranger's bag.
Remove old claim checks to avoid confusion.
Identify luggage inside and outside with your name, business address and telephone number. Inside, include a copy of your itinerary.
Check your luggage early to ensure your bags make your originating and connecting flights.

Carry-On Bags

TSA recommends passengers be allowed one carry-on bag plus a personal item, such as a purse or briefcase, but exact limits are set individually by each airline.
Typically, the maximum size for a carry-on bag is 45 linear inches (height+width+depth).
Check with your travel agent or airline for information on carry-on luggage restrictions.
Pack prescription drugs (in original containers with a copy of the prescription), personal hygiene items, passports and important documents in your carry-on bag.
Pack valuable items, such as jewelry, cameras, cell phones, pagers and laptop computers, in your carry-on bag.
Do not wrap gifts to carry-on.
Consider packing small loose items in clear plastic zip-type bags.

How Much Time Needed

Call your airline to confirm flight before arriving at the airport.
Allow extra time for parking and shuttle transportation.

TSA 3-1-1 Tips
TSA websiteProvided by the Transportation Security Administration

ATM machines are situated in all terminals at LAX at both detartures and arrivals, signs within the terminal will direct you to their locaton.

These machines are operated by Bank Of America.

Foreign Exchange Desks
These are located at all terminal departure halls and at Tom Bradley Terminal arrivals hall. ICE foreign currency exchange booths are located on the upper floor of each terminal. Opening hours vary; call: +1 310 646 7934 for details. Traveler's checks can be exchanged at every terminal. Visa card and MasterCard cash advances available up to USD 300 at ICE currency exchange kiosks at Terminals 2, 3, 5, 7, and Tom Bradley Terminal.

Wireless Internet Access (WiFi) is available to passengers at Los Angeles International Airport through T-Mobile HotSpot. WiFi gives users high-speed wireless Internet access on laptop computers, personal digital assistants, and other wireless devices that have Internet capabilities.
This is available to T-mobile users, or can be purchased at kiosks for a daily rate.

Neptune Networks has kiosks with monitors and keyboards in all Terminals The individual high-speed internet stations are available on a pay-for-use basis.
Internet Dataport Access: At most public telephones in terminals.
First Class and Business Class Lounges: Internet service, some of which is free, is available in airport lounges for first and business class passengers. Contact your airline for details.

Mobile Phone Rental
Call +1 310 645 3500 for information. Phones available to hire from Tom Bradley Terminal (lower level).

Fax and Photocopying
Facilities are available at the ICE currency exchange booth at Tom Bradley Terminal (lower level).

There is no Post Office on the Airport Site: The closest Post Office:

9029 Airport Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90009
Neighborhood: Westchester / LAX
(310) 649-7400
www.usps.com
US Post Office - Airport Station, Los Angeles, CA
Add Photos

Hours: Mon-Fri 8 am - 10 pm Sat-Sun 8 am - 9 pm

Departures

Curbside drop-off is permitted at terminals. No parking at curbside is allowed. Vehicles will be cited and towed away. Meet arriving passengers at baggage claim on the Lower/Arrival Level.
Check with your airline regarding curbside or automated kiosk baggage check-in.
You are not required to give money to solicitors at the airport.

Arrivals

Curbside pick-up is permitted at terminals. No parking at curbside is allowed. Vehicles will be cited and towed away. Meet arriving passengers at baggage claim on the Lower/Arrival Level.

Be aware that LAX's daily travel peak periods are from 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. for domestic flights, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. for domestic and international flights.
Preset your car radio to AiRadio 530 AM traffic information and tune-in as you approach the airport.
Use this site for information on airlines, parking, passenger services, and ground transportation including how to get to and from the airport.
For a list of what not to pack or carry on board including other important information, visit the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) web site at www.tsa.dot.gov.

As you enter the airport's Central Terminal Area (CTA) one-way loop on the Lower/Arrival and Upper/Departure levels, parking is located on the left-hand side and airline terminals are located on the right-hand side.

CTA Parking Structures include 1, 2, 2A, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. The cost is $3 for the first hour and then $2 for each additional 30 minutes until the $30 maximum daily rate is reached.

Limited metered parking is available on the Lower/Arrival Level for 25 cents per 15 minutes with a 2-hour maximum in the parking structures and open-air lots. The availability of metered stalls is subject to change due to airport security regulations.

To vehicles displaying a valid disabled license plate or placard, free parking is limited to metered stalls only in the CTA parking structures and open-air lots. The availability of metered stalls is subject to change due to airport security regulations. Such vehicles using the regular parking spaces in the structures must pay the posted rates.

Economy parking is available in Lots B and C. Free shuttle buses serve LAX's Parking Lot B and C to the terminals with curbside drop-offs on the Upper/Departure Level and pick-ups on the ground transportation islands on the Lower/Arrival Level.

Parking Lot B is located at 111th St. and La Cienega Blvd. Parking is free for the first 2 hours and then $1 for each additional 2 hours up to $8 for each 24 hours.

Parking Lot C is located at 96th St. and Sepulveda Blvd. Parking is free for the first 2 hours and then $1 for each additional 2 hours up to $10 for each 24 hours.

For parking information or airline terminal locations at LAX, listen to AiRadio 530 AM, call our toll-free number at 1-888-544-9444.

Quick facts for foreign visitors about driving in the United States

1. An International Driving Permit (IDP) translates information contained on your driver's license into 10 languages so that officials in foreign countries are able to interpret your license. An IDP supplements a valid government-issued license--it does not serve as a replacement for a license. If you are stopped by law enforcement, you will most likely be asked to produce both your IDP and your official driver's license. The United States does NOT issue International Driving Permits to foreign visitors, so you will need to obtain this document before traveling to the U.S.

2. If you are going to reside in the U.S., you can get a U.S. driver's license once you are in the U.S., but it may take several months to obtain a U.S. driver's license.

3. Foreign visitors who become U.S. residents can only obtain a driver's license from the state in which they reside (not from the federal government). Each state has its own driving rules and regulations. Check with your state's motor vehicles department to find out how to apply.

4. Once you receive your U.S. driver's license from a state motor vehicles department, you will be permitted to drive in all other U.S. states. The laws in each state vary from one to another. It is your responsibility to know and obey the laws of that state while driving.

5. The residency requirement for obtaining a U.S. driver's license varies with each state. Consult the motor vehicles department in your state for more information.

6. If you are a foreign student coming to the U.S. to study, contact the university or college you will attend, as most institutions provide students with additional driving information.

7. The U.S. government has issued warnings about Internet vendors of worthless international driver's licenses/permits. It is important to educate yourself about the dangers of these costly and illegal operations. See International Driver's License Warning from Federal Trade Commission.

Top 10 Things To Do In Los Angeles

1 Leo Carillo State Beach

32100 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265

One of Malibu's best-kept secrets is also one of the most private beaches in SoCal. Trek down the well worn path to the water and stake your claim on the sand. Romance alert: If the tide is low and the ocean calm, you can sneak around the hulking rock formations and discover other, more private, places to get beached.
If you don't drive to Los Angeles
in your own car, you can hire a rental car at the Airport (LAX) or from dozens on Los Angeles Car Rental dealers.

2 The Hollywood Bowl

2301 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90068

A concert venue like no other, this outdoor amphitheater makes it feel like you're watching your favorite band perform on the moon. It's that special. So pack a picnic, grab a bottle of wine and roll out the blanket.

3 Hollywood & Highland

6800 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028

The Times Square of the West Coast, this famed intersection has become a tourist-trapping mecca of shopping and entertainment. Search the sidewalks for the star of your favorite celeb, but be careful not to bump into a costumed superhero--they roam in front of the complex.

4 Griffith Park Observatory

2800 E Observatory Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027

From this famous Griffith Park peak you can see the ocean, downtown, the Hollywood sign and, of course, the stars. Following a multimillion-dollar facelift, the landmark, which includes the remarkable Samuel Oschin Planetarium, is truly out of this world.

5 Pink's Hot Dogs

709 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

If it's nearly 3am and there's a line wrapped around the block, it's probably because of this Melrose landmark. Despite 20 other options on the menu, their long, thin, 100-percent beef dogs--oozing with chili and topped with a slab of neon-orange cheese--are what everyone is waiting for.

6 Skybar

8440 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Do the Sunset Strip in style: Sip cocktails with supermodels--or spy on supermodels sipping cocktails. Or, be hired as a supermodel in an ad for cocktails. Come on, this velvet rope bar is Hollywood to the core.

7 Norton Simon Museum Of Art

411 W Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91105

Oh, you sophisticated soul you. Find two thousand years of art tucked into just one city block here. And since the incomparable collection includes great Renaissance and Old Master paintings, you'll be in excellent high-brow company.

8 Chateau Marmont

8221 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046

The tales to be told if the walls of this hallowed West Hollywood hotel could talk. John Belushi overdosed in one of the bungalows, and Lindsay Lohan spiced things up when she made it her makeshift L.A. home. Even if you already have a place to stay, you can sneak a peek while enjoying brunch on the quiet garden patio.

9 Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood

100 Universal City Plz, Universal City, CA 91608

Climb aboard for a guided tour through Hollywood history--but beware of sharks (Jaws), tremors (Earthquake) and exploding cars (Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift). Not only does the Universal Studios backlot tour become a ride of its own, but it's also the only way you'll see the actual sets from legendary films like Back to the Future, War of the Worlds, Psycho and more. The classic King Kong stop on the tour burnt down in a recent fire, but perhaps a trip down Wisteria Lane (TV's Desperate Housewives) will make you feel better?

10 Santa Monica Pier

200 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA 90401

For he's a jolly good fellow! At the ripe old age of 100 this year, there's never been a better time to see SoCal royalty than right around the time that it is right now. Celebrate the famed Coney Island of the west, where you can take a turn on a newly revitalized ferris wheel or strap in for a roller coaster ride. Real thrill seekers will go ape for the daily Trapeze