In May, Mayor Eric Garcetti and LAX celebrated the opening of the new West Gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal, a $1.73-billion facility that delivers a modern guest experience with cutting-edge technology, a first-in-the-nation checked-bag storage system, biometric boarding gates and more cutting-edge amenities for guests. The five-level, 15-gate, 750,000-square-foot facility, which serves both international and domestic flights, was completed over the course of 4½ years. A second-ribbon cutting was held in October to mark completion of a new baggage handling system to provide additional capacity for both the West Gates and Tom Bradley International Terminal, enabling 24-hour early bag storage among other features. Click here for more information.

Work to connect all of LAX's terminals took a big leap forward in 2021, with the opening of the $477.5 million Terminal 1 Extension in June. The new extension, which was complimented by the opening of a new $13.7-million Terminal 1-2 bridge in November, now provides a direct, post-security connection between the terminals, which expands guest access to amenities. Click here to learn about the Terminal 1 Extension, and here to learn about the Terminal 1-2 bridge.

At Van Nuys Airport, Aeroplex/Aerolease Group completed the "Bonseph VNY North Facility," a 4.83-acre, $16.8 million major construction project for Signature Flight Support, one of VNY's Fixed Based Operators, in August. It features approximately 62,000 square feet of energy-efficient hangar and office facilities and a 544-kilowatt solar power generation system with 1,280 panels.

In October, the first completed part of the Landside Access Modernization Program opened with the LAX Economy Parking facility, a $294 million, state-of-the-art parking structure with 4,300 new parking stalls for LAX guests. The facility features the latest in smart parking technology including intuitive wayfinding, electric vehicle chargers, a parking guidance system to identify available spaces throughout the building on dynamic signage boards and more. Spaces can be reserved in advance at Parking.FlyLAX.com. Click here for more information.

In December, the new $216-million Airport Police Facility officially opened, bringing with it the latest technologies and tools to improve communication and coordination among the nation's largest aviation law enforcement organization. The new facility includes a 160,000-square-foot headquarters building, parking structure and a series of new indoor and outdoor functional spaces for APD's more than 1,100 sworn officers, security and civilian employees. It is the first new project in the LAWA-owned Northside area. Click here for more information.

In February, LAX began a $17.3 million overhaul of Runway 7R/25L and two taxiways on the south side of the airfield requiring the temporary closure of the runway. The work included removal and replacement of about 6,000 feet of the runway's asphalt surface along with Taxiways H6 and H7. In addition to the asphalt overlay, new energy-efficient LED runway centerline lights were installed.

The first structure for pedestrian bridges that connect terminals to the Automated People Mover stations was successfully installed in 2021. The bridge at Terminal 4.5, which will connect Terminals 4 and 5 to the West Central Terminal Area (CTA) station, was successfully placed in June.

After 15 months of work, the Taxiway A Rehabilitation was completed at Van Nuys Airport in June. The $35.5 million project will extend the taxiway's pavement life by 20 years.

In July, the last concrete for the buildings that comprise the Consolidated Rent-A-Car facility was poured at the Ready Return/Idle Storage building. Click here for more information.

In July, work started on a $230 million project that will greatly improve the guest experience at Terminal 6 at LAX, including a complete overhaul of the gate areas and lounges, replacement of passenger boarding bridges, and the renovation of the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint.

In July, the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners authorized the purchase of improvements to Terminals 4 and 5 as part of LAWA's $14.5-billion capital improvement program. Improvements include a pedestrian bridge connecting the terminals to the forthcoming Automated People Mover train, new passenger check-in and baggage claim facilities, a consolidated security screening checkpoint and more. Click here for more information.

In September, the second of six bridges that will be constructed to connect the Automated People Mover stations to terminals was successfully installed at Terminal 2. The bridge will eventually connect the terminal to the Center CTA station.

In December, construction of the Automated People Mover guideway structure spanning Century Boulevard was successfully completed after four months of work. This segment of the guideway was built without closing the roadway by using an innovative technique called segmental construction, which involves pouring segments of the structure above the ground while vehicles continue to pass underneath. With this segment complete, the APM's 2.25-mile guideway is now 87% complete with only remaining segments over Sepulveda Boulevard, along 96th Street and above Parking Structure 2B to be poured.

Construction of pedestrian bridges that connect the Automated People Mover stations to the terminals will continue in 2022 with the bridge at Terminal 3 starting in January, followed by bridges at Terminal 1.5, Tom Bradley International Terminal and Terminal 5.5. All of the six bridge structures being built should complete in 2022.

These new facilities that include the elevators and escalators needed to reach the pedestrian bridges to the future Automated People Mover stations will continue to open throughout 2022. Several of the cores will include new baggage claim carousels and office space. A total of six vertical cores are being built, with Terminal 1.5 opening this past June, and a portion of the Tom Bradley International Terminal core opening in December. Facilities will open later this year inside the Terminal 5.5 core, which is being constructed by LAWA. Cores are also being constructed at Terminals 2, 3 and 4 as part of ongoing modernization projects.

Major renovation work is scheduled to begin in Terminal 4 following Super Bowl LVI as the eastern half of the headhouse will be torn down and rebuilt as part of a $1.62-billion modernization that will continue in phases, with completion slated ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games.

The new headhouse for Terminal 2/3, which provides a centralized baggage claim and ticketing/screening area for passengers, will make its debut in March as the $1.8 billion modernization continues. The project also includes the largest Delta Sky Club of any U.S. airport. The Terminal 2/3 modernization will complete in 2023.

After approval of the Final Environmental Impact Report in 2021, the Airfield & Terminal Modernization Project (ATMP) will move forward with procurement for the design and construction of the components of the approximately $6 billion group of projects that includes a Concourse 0, Terminal 9, elevated roadway system and airfield enhancements.

An eight-gate extension of the West Gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal will move forward with the target date of completion in 2023.

The 2.25-mile elevated guideway for LAX's Automated People Mover system will complete construction in 2022 as trains will begin to arrive in the first quarter of the year.

In the wake of the pandemic's economic impacts, LAWA took steps to ensure support for the Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (ACDBE) and established an Executive Working Group in January to develop solutions to some of the structural challenges faced by the ACDBE concessionaires. As small, minority-owned businesses, the concessionaires often face challenges accessing the capital needed to participate in growth opportunities. Facilitated by LAWA’s Business, Jobs, and Social Responsibility Division, the Executive Working Group is currently working with the Chief Financial Officer and other experts in finance to identify ways to leverage LAWA’s economic assets to address the ACDBEs’ historical lack of access to market-rate financing.

In April, LAWA, in partnership with the Los Angeles Public Works-Bureau of Contract Administration (BCA), launched a new online portal for vendors to apply for certification as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) or an Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE). The new portal makes the DBE/ACDBE certification process easy and streamlined for applicants. The portal can be found at lacity.diversitysoftware.com.

In May, LAWA launched the Contract Finance Assistance Program (CFAP) to provide better access to capital assistance for small firms looking to do business with the airport. This new pilot program aims to address the financing gap that affects many small, local and diverse construction contracting firms, which historically have been underserved by conventional lending institutions.

In 2021, the HireLAX program graduated 35 students who successfully completed a transformative eight-week course that prepared them for apprenticeships in the union construction trades. Of those, 21 were students aged 17-24, who were able to take advantage of additional youth-focused support services during the program. To date, the program has graduated 248 people, and more than 75% of program graduates have gone on to work in union construction trades. In December, HireLAX began recruiting for Cohort 11, which begins in early 2022. Click here for more about the forthcoming cohort.

In September, LAX partnered with SoFi Stadium to host a job fair that provided Angelenos an opportunity to connect with 45 LAX employers looking to fill positions in aviation, hospitality, construction and more. More than 3,000 local residents from surrounding communities attended the hiring fair which resulted in more than 1,000 people receiving conditional job offers.

In September, LAWA announced the launch of the We Fly As One program, which offers a free, unique opportunity for local businesses to promote their products and services by providing incentives to the more than 45,000 people who work at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Van Nuys Airport (VNY). More than 50 local businesses have pre-registered for the program, which LAWA hopes will spur commerce within the areas surrounding both airports and support enterprises that are still recovering from the pandemic.

LAX resumed contractor education and outreach in October 2021, which included the return of the BuildLAX program in a three-session workshop series. The program is designed to help small businesses owners in the construction industry, especially those from areas surrounding LAX, successfully navigate and find contracting opportunities with LAWA. Learn more about the workshop here.

In June, the Emergency Management Division (EMD) began operating a Crisis Coordination Desk at the Airport Response Coordination Center (ARCC) to help manage the flow of information to and from stakeholders in the event of an emergency. The desk is located inside the ARCC and operates weekdays, helping support situational awareness, operational coordination and information sharing.

Throughout 2021, the Emergency Management Division held tabletop exercises and drills to train and sharpen the skills of LAWA employees and stakeholders to be prepared to respond to a variety of threats. While some of these tabletops were held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, participants also took part in a drill at the new West Gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal, and worked on several activities at the Mobile Command Post to assess its functionality.

In December, our Airport Police Division marked its 75th anniversary, continuing its mission of keeping LAX and Van Nuys safe and secure. The anniversary also coincided with the opening of the new Airport Police Facility. LAWA thanks all the police officers, security officers, law-enforcement partners and federal agencies for their partnership and dedication.

In January, LAX began offering rapid antigen tests, which provide COVID-19 test results in as little as 30 minutes. The tests, which are available from Tom Bradley International Terminal and the airport's innovative on-site laboratory across from Terminal 6, costs less and may be accepted by certain airlines and destinations in place of a Polymerase Chain reaction (PRC) test. Click here for more information.

In April, LAX began offering COVID-19 PCR tests with results guaranteed in less than an hour. These tests are in addition to PCR tests being offered for sale at several locations throughout the airport (with results in either 3-5 hours or within 24 hours, depending on location) and rapid antigen tests at the airport's innovative on-site laboratory.

In June, LAWA, in partnership with the Los Angeles Fire Department and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, offered free, on-site COVID-19 vaccinations to the public at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The clinic offered one-dose vaccinations from Johnson & Johnson to anyone ages 18 or older through September.

In December, LAWA partnered with MedEx Pharmacy and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to offer free, on-site COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots to the public at LAX during the busy holiday travel period.

In January, LAX became the first large airport in the country to offer touchless, automated photo identification scanners at all of the airport's security screening checkpoints, further reducing contact with Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers and enhancing the passenger experience.

Building on the success of our popular LAXOrderNow.com mobile ordering platform, LAX, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield and Grab introduced the new AtYourGate option in May. This new offering further enhanced the digital ordering experience by offering guests the option to have their orders conveniently delivered directly to their gate, which enables contactless ordering, payment and pickup from restaurants throughout the LAX terminals. In 2021, the platform generated more a million dollars in revenue from more than 54,700 mobile food and beverage orders, with more than 6,300 of those orders delivered directly to guests at their gates.

In September, LAX introduced a two-wheeled, semi-autonomous robot helper named "NomNom" to assist with deliveries of food through the LAXOrderNow platform. NomNom can carry up to 40 pounds as it accompanies delivery staff as part of the AtYourGate program, navigating using a series of cameras while whisking through our terminals at speeds up to six miles per hour. You can watch a video of NomNom in action here.

In October, guests flying out of Terminals 7 and 8 could begin reserving a time at the TSA screening area through a new pilot program called LAX Fast Lane. This free program is being tested in coordination with TSA for customers traveling with United Airlines.

In October, LAX launched Parking.FlyLAX.com, a new service that allows guests to save time (and in most cases, money) by pre-booking a reserved parking spaces at selected LAX parking facilities and the Van Nuys FlyAway Bus Terminal. Since the service's launch, more than 30,000 reservations have been made, with guests saving an average of more than 15 percent off normal drive-up rates.

Another way LAWA is working toward its goal of carbon neutrality is through its membership in the Good Traveler program, which it joined in March. This innovative program allows guests the opportunity to purchase credits that offset their trip's estimated carbon footprint by funding carbon-reducing projects. Visit thegoodtraveler.org to learn how you can offset your next trip.

In June, the Board of Airport Commissioners approved a policy that will phase out the use of single-use plastic bottles. The policy requires businesses with lease or concession agreements at LAX and VNY to substitute single-use plastic water bottles with containers made from sustainable alternatives. In addition to restaurants, concessions and lounges, the policy also applies to vending machine providers and airport events. Click here for more information.

In 2021, more aircraft operators at LAX and VNY committed to the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which emits up to 80 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional jet fuel. Atlantic Aviation, Clay Lacy Aviation and JetBlue Airways each committed to using SAF as part of their operations this year, which helps LAWA meet its goal of carbon neutrality by 2045.

In 2021, new electric vehicle (EV) chargers were installed in P1, P5, P6 and the Economy Parking Structure bringing the total number to 265 chargers. This year, an additional 400 chargers will be installed in Central Terminal Area garages and an additional 500 chargers at LAX Economy Parking. Van Nuys Airport now offers more than 100 new electric vehicle charging stations for use by customers and employees with 80 additional chargers planned for future installation.

In May, the West Gates at the Tom Bradley International Terminal opened with an impressive design that focused on its green building features. The achievements include: "Cool" roofing and paving materials that reduce heat absorption, a reduction in electricity consumption by 29% through a combination of incorporating daylighting, insulated glass, efficient HVAC and smart interior lighting design systems, a reduction of 41% in water consumption, led by the installation of water-saving plumbing fixtures, the use of more than 24% recycled content in the building and a gray water piping system for future connection, and a diversion of an estimated 95% of its construction waste from landfills.

LAX's annual Aviation Careers Education (ACE) Academy for local middle and high school students went virtual for the second year in a row, with attendance at 170 students - more than double last year's attendance. ACE introduces students to aviation and airports, teaches a basic understanding of industry careers by experts in the field, as well as general knowledge about LAX.

LAX and VNY continued sparking the imaginations of high school students across Los Angeles with virtual Aviation Career Day events. LAX held its two-day event in November, with more than 1,000 students learning about opportunities in the aviation industry with presentations from JetBlue Airways and Burns Engineering. VNY, which held its event in May, had more than 250 students attending and learning about opportunities from more than 20 exhibitors, including the Federal Aviation Administration and Clay Lacy Aviation.

Rounding out the year was a visit from Saint Nick for LAX's annual Santa Fly-In event, which was held virtually for the second year in a row. More than 2,100 students from 22 local and greater Los Angeles-area schools shared in holiday cheer with a presentation that included entertainment and safety tips from law enforcement and first responders.

The Pets Unstressing Passengers (PUPs) program returned in January. Ten new PUPs enrolled in the program in 2021 growing the program to a total of 77 PUPs, with 30 PUPs currently active. The pets and their handlers are always very popular when they greet passengers in the terminals during the busy holiday travel season.

In October, LAWA and Rum & Humble announced the return of LAX Presents, the live performance series featuring local artists staged in locations across LAX. This year's program kicked off with performances by Mexican and Filipino artists that commemorated Hispanic Heritage Month and Filipino American History Month. Performances by jazz musician Tony Austin and the band Patio Club followed in November and December.

Throughout the year, the Art Department has continued to dazzle passengers with 18 exhibits for guests to view while at the airport. These exhibits include 119 different artworks from paintings to sculptures and even a sound art installation that presents a tapestry of compositions reflecting Los Angeles' acoustic offerings.

In December, the Sounds of the Season holiday entertainment program returned with three musical and dance performances. Since 2012, the program has sought to improve the overall guest experience and bring cheer to travelers during the busy holiday season.

In February, Airports Council International (ACI) World announced that LAX had received the airport trade organization's "2020 Voice of the Customer" recognition, celebrating LAX's efforts to prioritize airport guests and ensure that passenger voices continue to be heard during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In March, LAX was among the first airports be accredited by Airports Council International's (ACI) Airport Health Accreditation (AHA) program. This accreditation, which is issued by the world's leading airport industry trade organization, acknowledges LAWA's efforts to provide all who travel through LAX with a safe experience that is in line with recommended health measures established in the ACI Aviation Business Restart and Recovery guidelines and industry best practices.

In May, the California Transportation Foundation held its annual Transportation Awards, at which LAWA Utilities and LAMP Enabling Projects was recognized as the winner in the aviation project category. A collaboration between LAWA and Myers & Sons/Griffith Joint Venture (MGJV), the three-year $300 million progressive design-build contract included 38 projects that set the foundation for the broader transformation underway, which includes the APM system, Consolidated Rent-A-Car facility and Economy Parking Facility.

Following its opening earlier in the year, the West Gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal earned Gold certification in September from the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The Council recognized the many sustainability features of the new facility, including cool roofing, dynamic electricity and water management, a grey water system to reduce potable water consumption, and others.

In October, LAX released the inaugural report from its Fly Quieter Program. Nine airlines were recognized as leaders in their efforts to reduce noise from their aircraft operations. Since airports cannot impose mandatory aircraft noise limits, the Fly Quieter Program recognizes airlines for following LAX noise abatement procedures, using quieter aircraft and taking voluntary noise-reduction measures where feasible, by evaluating and scoring these efforts. The program is part of LAWA's ongoing commitment to address community concerns about aircraft noise that may affect neighborhoods surrounding the airport. Read the full report here.