LAX Terminal 1

Easy breezy check in with United Airlines, went through TSA quickly. Clean airport with lots of shops and restaurants.

I got out of the airport so fast and straight to the terminal ! It was awesome ! I caught an early bus too which is fantastic ! The signs are marked pretty well so I had no problem finding where i needed to go

Why would TSA break my padlocks?!? You can always ask me for the key! their doing some renovation here. Security needs to check properly who takes the luggages. People are just grabbing the wrong luggage sometimes.

My list of complaints (I have nothing positive to add so this is all there is):
1. The food options are scant
2. It looks like it was under construction and then the projects were abandoned
3. The bathrooms don’t have mirrors, are cramped, and grimy (they remind me of a boy’s school locker room)
If you’re going to layover here make sure you pack a lunch. Next time I travel for work I’m avoiding this airport. I should have taken the Denver option when I booked.

I rarely travel through terminal 1 since I’m an Alaska flyer, but southwest offered the earliest flight to Sacramento for me. The employees in the terminal did not at all seem very friendly and almost frustrated that the airport was a bit busy this morning. Whatever, it’s your job just do it with a smile. Don’t make other people feel bad because you’re unhappy with your work life. The bathrooms were not clean but they were not dirty either. I gave it two stars because even though it served its purpose as a flight terminal, it was quite confusing and hard to hear when they had about 4 messages being spoken overhead at once.

This is the Southwest Airlines terminal at LAX. It is arguably the nicer terminal, which doesn’t say much. At least it looks clean and safe. There is still limited seating at the gates, and poor wifi.

Ok, LAX in general is a one-​star kind of airport. However this terminal is one of the worst among any terminal on earth.
They never have enough seats here so people are always either standing or sitting on floors.
WiFi is often too slow to do much.
I have traveled quite a lot and this terminal compares to the ones in developing countries.

How on earth is there an airport with a slower bag carousal or less helpful staff? I’m writing this from my phone and let me give you an update: I’ve been on the ground for almost an hour, just got my bag, and am still waiting outside for my shuttle. Why?
I also might add that I am squatting against a very dirty wall as there is literally nowhere to sit so you have to stand up the entire time, squat (my recommendation), or sit on the disgusting floor.
Yes I realize this is one of the largest airports in the world but that doesn’t change the fact that if I was able to get a flight into John Wayne (as I generally do), I would already be at home unpacking.

This is not s bad airport but it us very old and space is limited. The latest remodel us almost finished and it looks like it’s strictly cosmetic remodel. Lots of people go in and out of this airport. Security is difficult and the food court is small. You must give yourself lots of extra time again because it’s an airport built in the 1960’s running at 120%
Oh something else, Lyft and Über pick up and drop off upstairs, it’s crazy. My advice is to grab a hotel shuttle and then über from there. Today took 30 minutes just to get out of the airport.

It’s an okay airport but the staff could use some pointers on customer service. And this place is always super crowded.

Love the mobile app so checking in is so easy.
Security was fast and efficient.
Lots of food choices.
Fresh air. Good temperature.
Thanks for the free WiFi.

Overcrowded and packed like sardines. Also constant construction. That’s pretty much what you need to know. Make sure you get here plenty early.

This is UP from 1 star a few years ago. Construction continues, but they’re more efficient at routing people from before. Having just flown across country, LA is still at the bottom of the pile in comparing airports.

I used this terminal for a transfer only. It is under big renovations which are much needed. I had a 2 hour lay over and the food pickings are slim and seating scarce. Hope the new construction deal with these issues. It is one of the few airports that make St. Louis’s airport look good.

Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, Californians gotta fly out of LAX. Either you can only get flights to a certain destination flying out of LAX (there are a few other smaller airports in So Cal) or the rates are way cheaper flying out of LAX compared to other airlines.
For shorter trips the prices out of the airport closer to the OC are a little more comparable but for longer trips (like to Japan), you can’t avoid LAX.
Like most airports things are hectic: kids are running all over the place, pushy people are all up in your space, and everyone except me has a plane to catch in T minus 5 minutes. True story: I was lost and standing holding my boarding pass in my folder and some jerk stamps right into me… my folder and papers go flying everywhere… not one person helped me pick anything up. Some were sitting waiting for their plane and they just stared at me the entire time.
Guess at the airport you are on your own.

This is one of those terminals that you don’t want to spend any significant amount of time in. I suggest a delayed/​rushed arrival to the airport so you can rush through security, sprint to your gate and board the plane– eliminating any time spent in this sad little terminal. I don’t really eat at airports, but tons of other travelers do– and the options here are slim. A couple grab and go kiosks, Starbucks, La Brea bakery, CPK, a sports bar and pink berry are all I recall. So it’s not really the food options that disappoint. It’s the construction zone and humid atmosphere that makes this terminal so uncomfortable. They’ve got to crank the AC! Those trying to charge up or get some work done– good luck! Hopefully this renovation comes with upgraded seating with charging stations.
Highlights: Residents birds might pay you a visit for a bite of your breakfast croissant.
Rating boosted one star for a quick security line.
You can do better LAX.

If you fly Southwest, eventually you will hit Terminal 1 at LAX. LAX has several independent terminals that are not directly connected with independent baggage claim and ticketing. Terminal 1 serves Southwest and is currently being remodeled which may improve an overall lackluster flying experience.
Terminal 1 suffers from most of the legacy problems. The availability and selection of food is improving, but still lacking. There is a Pinkberry, and surprisingly In-​N-​Out is only about a 20 – 30 min walk from the terminal. Seating is pretty good, but they lack a lot of charging ports. Restrooms are just OK.
Hopefully the remodel will improve the terminal.

All I can say is that Southwest rules this terminal at LAX. Lots of construction was taking place during our latest visit here. Should look much better when it is all said and done.
As it is now, there are not much food options in the area near the gates. At the baggage claim area there was only 2 carousels. Took almost 1 hour before the baggage finally came out. Quite disorganized.

UGGGGGGHHH.
Airports are already a crappy experience and then you have LAX and Terminal 1.
The only good part is that it’s the first stop so you don’t have to go through what seems like the neverending loop of terminals. Torture, I tell you. Torture.
It’s so dingy and dark here. The place is under construction. TSA here is meaner than normal. Travelers here are not any better. With three people in front of me it took me 15 minutes to get through security because apparently no one has ever traveled before. Really?
There’s limited food options given the construction: CPK, Pinkberry, La Brea Bakery, a café, and Gordon Biersch.
There’s a vending machine two feet away from the food court so I suggest you get your $ 1.50 water there as opposed to the $ 4.79 rip-​off I paid for.
The gates have about three total charging stations with about six slots each and no other outlets in sight. In addition they’re in random spots so you can risk charging your phone and not being able to keep an eye on it or waiting for someone to finish and leave.
I will try to avoid this place on my next trip. Definitely try Burbank or somewhere else.

Stay away on holidays. I know, I know, you have relatives coming into town or you’re flying home for the holidays so you can’t. Christmas/​New Year’s crowds can be a little overwhelming and you can expect 30 to 45 minute waits for luggage when your visitors arrive. Parking actually isn’t too bad but if you have to wait that extra time for the luggage, you might wind up paying $ 5 for parking as you make your way out.
Terminal 1 is mostly Southwest so you can expect a wide variety of travelers. I saw a grown man in a head-​to-​toe sleeping outfit you’d expect on a 6-​month old and he was walking around like he was in a three piece suit. Hopefully your wait time won’t be as long and you’ll get some giggles from the visitors.
Good luck!