LAX Thanksgiving travel crunch underway
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles International Airport officials said it predicts a very busy holiday travel period expected to draw an average of more than 200,000 passengers per day now through Nov. 28.
That's an expected increase of about 20,000 passengers per day compared to the same time last year, LAX officials said.
You know what that means - parking garages will have extremely limited drive-up availability. LAX recommends travelers reserve a space online ahead of time, or use an alternate means of transportation.
RELATED COVERAGE:
- VIDEO: Smoke forces LAX-bound Delta flight to make emergency landing
- Airplane ticket prices from LAX, other CA airports to increase as holiday season nears: study
- Pursuit suspect in custody after wild 3-county chase, hour-long standoff near LAX
Additionally, United Airlines or Southwest Airlines travelers are invited to participate in the LAX Fast Lane program, which allows travelers using participating terminals (Terminals 1, 7 and 8) to reserve a 15-minute window at the Transportation Security Administration screening areas for the fastest service using a dedicated lane, at no cost. This pilot program was extended to include Terminal 1 and Southwest Airlines just in time for the holiday travel season. The LAX Fast Lane is operational in Terminal 7-8 and will begin in Terminal 1 on Friday, Nov. 18.
As usual, allow extra time to get to the airport and get through those long security lines to reach your gate on time.
Travelers should arrive at the terminal at least two hours before the boarding time for domestic flights and three hours for international flights.
According to LAX, the busiest times at the security checkpoints at LAX are early morning from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. and again 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Mid-afternoons can also be busy as well as evenings at the Tom Bradley International Terminal.