I've always hated LAX airport, but this trip changed my mind

I may have discovered how to navigate Los Angeles’ infamous arrival point with a smile.

Want to know the best way to get through Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)? Until recently, my answer to this question would have been simple – skip it and fly through San Francisco. Or Honolulu. Or Dallas Fort-Worth. Or head to Vancouver, visit Canada for a bit, and enter the US from there instead.

LAX is a colossal operation – almost 50,000 aircraft and seven million passengers passed through it in June this year alone, more than one million of whom cleared US customs. Navigating LAX is like diving into a heaving sea of humanity; you need to don a mental lifejacket just to stay afloat. Yes, it will get you from A to B eventually. No, it’s not a warm welcome to a country renowned for its customer service.

The arrival side of Tom Bradley International Terminal doesn’t have enough gates to accommodate all its daily arrivals, so there’s a reasonable chance you’ll get dropped off in the airport’s boondocks and have to take a bus to immigration. You’ll stop at a seemingly empty building, wondering whether you’ve arrived in sunny California or an eerie post-rapture world, and relief will flood your body when you eventually see people. At least, until you realise you’re going to join the river of people about to flood customs.

With space at a premium, one hiccup can create a tsunami that smashes wait times to smithereens. Once, when I arrived during an apparent staff shortage, only four of the many customs counters were staffed. The wait took hours – it was so long I read an entire novel (a rom-com, to be fair).

And if you think you can slip through the airport for a smooth getaway on the other end, think again, because the woe also extends to departures – security is cumbersome and you’ll be sorely disappointed if you’re looking for a decent feed. Theoretically, the “Great Hall” has a bunch of options, but there’s a reasonable chance the best spot – a wine and food bar called Vino Volo – will be chockers. The others may be running out of supplies or already closed, leaving you a choice of greasy fried rice or greasy fried chicken.

The best bit is the brand-new Delta One Lounge, a chic and shining example of American hospitality. Picture: @Jason Dewey

The final straw will inevitably be something inane, such as the fact the toilet doors are seat-high with huge gaps, leaving you totally exposed. Or that you can never find (a) a power point that is (b) working and (c) free. No drama, you think, you’ll just avoid LAX on your next trip Stateside.

But what if you can’t opt for a different airport? What if you’re visiting Los Angeles itself, it’s the most logical launch point for your trip, the meeting point for your tour, or you’ve snapped up a great deal?

A recent experience drastically changed my answer to the LAX dilemma. Dare I admit it was a breeze? Or that I had an excellent time? The key, in my case, was US-based Delta Air Lines. For arrivals, the airline has secured gates at a plum position in Terminal B, giving you an automatic head start as you begin the foot race to immigration. Its economy tickets can be competitively priced and worth a look if you’re flying from Sydney or Brisbane.

The food is delicious, with fun options such as a make-your-own taco bar. Picture: @Jason Dewey

But the true magic happens when you’re homebound. LAX and Delta recently opened the $3.6 billion Delta Sky Way, which links the Tom Bradley International Terminal with Terminal 3. It offers access to a new central check-in area, an expanded security checkpoint and baggage claim, and nine new gates, slashing wait times. But the best bit is the brand-new Delta One Lounge, a chic and shining example of American hospitality and a game-changer for those lucky enough to find themselves sitting at the pointy end.

The joy starts with a hot shower in a spacious bathroom (with full-length doors, no less). The food is delicious, with fun options such as a make-your-own taco bar and there are enough power points to charge all your devices at once.

But the moral of this story isn’t that Delta is a great airline (although it is), or that you need to splash out on a business-class ticket (although you should consider signing up for SkyMiles). Rather, it’s that LAX is maturing, losing the frazzled air of an organisation struggling to keep up with the demands of the job.

LAX is maturing, losing the frazzled air of an organisation struggling to keep up with the demands of the job. Picture: @Jason Dewey

Besides the Delta Sky Way, TV chef Guy Fieri opened his first airport restaurant in the Tom Bradley terminal last year, while local sandwich institution Fat Sal’s and sushi brand Yakumi opened in Terminal 3 early in 2024.

Then there’s the automated train set to open in early 2026, which will improve connections in the terminal and deliver you straight to the rental cars or the metro.

My last visit gave me hope. So what’s the best way to get through LAX? It’s not to fly through San Francisco, Honolulu, Dallas-Fort Worth or Vancouver. It’s to book a trip and give it another chance.

The writer travelled as a guest of Delta.

Originally published as I've always hated LAX airport, but this trip changed my mind