Airlines relocate at LAX as major rebuild begins ahead of Olympics

American Airlines, LAX's second-largest carrier by flight volume, will consolidate operations in Terminal 4 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal starting Oct. 28.

The $1.4 billion redevelopment of Terminal 5 is part of several projects intended to prepare LAX for increased demand during the Olympics. The largest project includes an automated train system connecting all terminals with a new Metro station and consolidated rental car center; LAWA CEO John Ackerman anticipates this will open by June 2026. Other improvements involve reconstruction of Terminal 4 and upgrades across other terminals.

Renderings of the new Terminal 5 show a glass-walled concourse with multiple levels and an outdoor patio accessible to all travelers. Courtney Moore, deputy executive director of strategy, innovation and experience at LAWA, commented on plans for public spaces: "We are going to make sure that it's a lovely space." She added that the terrace would feature telescopes similar to those at Griffith Observatory for planespotting and viewing the surrounding landscape.

Aviation expert Brett Snyder noted in his Cranky Flier blog that rebuilding was necessary due to outdated design elements in the original terminal: "The terminal was built [in 1988] with a weird food concept that saw it go down to a lower level in the middle. The gates on each side sat higher. And many of those gates had just about no room," he wrote.

Snyder also described the planned design as more functional with improved connections between adjacent terminals.

American Airlines stands to benefit most from these changes, gaining preferential use of ten out of fifteen gates when the new concourse opens in May 2028—up from five gates currently used in Terminal 5—according to LAWA board documents from October.

However, American may lose access to its remote regional jet facility known as "Eagle's Nest" once construction is complete.

The timeline calls for closure of Terminal 5 by Oct. 28, three months for demolition, followed by two years of construction—a schedule intended to finish before Olympic opening ceremonies on July 14, 2028.

Ackerman addressed concerns about readiness: "Because our traffic is down, we don't actually need the capacity in this terminal to deliver an excellent experience for the Olympics," he said at the September board meeting. "Our minimum plan is we do the [Terminal 5] headhouse and, kind of, the front five gates and then be buttoned up so it presents a beautiful, excellent experience for the Olympics."

LAWA must decide by mid-2027 whether it can present either a partially completed or fully finished terminal during the games.