This composite image shows the Central Terminal Area of LAX in the 1960s (left) and today. Over the past 60 years, the airport has reimagined itself several times, and is once again on the cusp of the most ambitious modernization of any U.S. airport.

 

In May of 1961 the New York Times proclaimed there was a "spectacular airport opening in Los Angeles." It was a pronouncement that the "Jet Age" of airport design was here, as Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) set new standards for air travel around the world with its revolutionary design and unrivaled passenger amenities.

On opening day, June 25, 1961, the new LAX offered six new satellite terminals with a radical modular layout and underground passageways, 5,000 parking spaces, and the now iconic Theme Building – which offered admission to its observation deck at a cost of 50 cents for adults or 25 cents for children, with a coffee or cold drink included. The world was greatly impressed at this progressive, elegant airport that was the epitome of mid-century design, and that revitalized the golden age of travel using aircraft that were modern miracles of aviation.

Today, we acknowledge our proud history and heritage with the 60th anniversary of the Jet Age terminal dedication at LAX. More importantly, we also celebrate our future, which has never been brighter. For an airport that has evolved constantly during its nearly 100-year history – from a bean field in Westchester to one of the busiest airports in the world – there is a historical significance to this moment in time. We find ourselves once again on the cusp of unveiling yet another new age for air travel in Los Angeles.

Our $14.5 billion modernization is reimagining the LAX experience. The Automated People Mover train will fundamentally transform how tens of millions of people access the airport each year. Every terminal has been or will be modernized with the latest in technology and amenities. We are creating a digital marketplace in which passengers will be able to control most of the aspects of their journey from their phone, from reserved parking with automatic payment to streamlined mobile food ordering and delivery. And we will do so sustainably, with bold goals to become carbon neutral by 2045.

 

These and other projects allow LAWA to continue in its role as an important driver of the Southern California economy, providing thousands of local jobs and business opportunities.

 

At the same time, we are preparing to meet the demands of the future while staying within our existing footprint, with the environmental review process underway for airfield safety improvements, a new concourse and terminal, and elevated roadways to separate airport traffic from neighborhood traffic. We are doing all of this while being responsible, first-class neighbors to our community and engaging with local residents as we build the future world-class airport Los Angeles deserves ahead of the spotlight of the 2028 Olympics.

Below is a snapshot at how far we have come, and where we are going, as our history of innovation and imagination repeats itself at LAX.

Justin Erbacci
Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles World Airports

 

In December 1957, Los Angeles embarked in one of the West's most complex construction projects with the construction of the modern LAX. When the satellite terminals opened in the summer of 1961, they were a modern marvel that reset public expectations of what air travel could be. New technology included automated doors, moving walkways, automatic parking pay machines, a telephone system that took four years to engineer, covered jet bridges and complex baggage conveyers. The airport was configured around a Central Terminal Area and saw daily activity including 20,000 passengers, 40,000 visitors and 32,000 workers employed by 158 tenants. Click here to view the 1960s documentary, "#1 World Way, the Story of Los Angeles International Airport."

• The project included 1.2 million square feet of buildings and 175 acres of pavement, including parking lots and airfield surface
• The drainage complex utilized six miles of reinforced concrete pipe
• 19 miles of underground electrical conduit were laid
• Three miles of sewer lines were installed
• Thirty miles of underground lines carrier jet fuel
• 38,000 miles of wire and cable were installed by Pacific Telephone Co.
• 6,500 rolls of roofing felt covered the new terminals
• A half-million square yards of plaster was installed, enough for 900 average homes at the time
• 29,000 lighting fixtures were installed
• 165,000 tons of concrete was used

LAX has become the economic engine for the Los Angeles region, generating 620,600 jobs in Southern California, with labor income of $37.3 billion and economic output of more than $126.6 billion, according to an economic study based on 2014 operations. This activity added $6.2 billion to local and state revenues and $8.7 billion in federal tax revenues. The airport is in the midst of a $14.5 billion modernization program, which will fundamentally transform how people access and experience Southern California's premier international airport. With the 2028 Olympics around the corner, LAX is setting the stage for the next 60 years of air travel with fully modernized facilities, new technology, enhanced amenities and reimagined access via an Automated People Mover train.

LAX is in the midst of a $14.5-billion Capital Improvement Program that will completely transform LAX into a world-class airport. With the Automated People Mover train system opening in 2023, passengers and employees will find a much easier way to access the busy Central Terminal Area, and the long-awaited connection to regional transportation. Terminals 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are also undergoing modernization projects to enhance the guest experience greatly once completed. And, the airport has proposed a Concourse 0 and Terminal 9, along with improved roads to access the airport and relieve traffic in the area. LAX is on the cusp of a reimagined airport that will be built with the future in mind.