Los Angeles International Airport facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Los Angeles International Airport
IATA: LAX ICAO: KLAX FAA LID: LAX
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	City of Los Angeles
Operator	Los Angeles World Airports
Serves	Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area
Location	Los Angeles, California, USA
Elevation AMSL	126 ft / 38 m
Coordinates	33°56′33″N 118°24′29″W / 33.94250°N 118.40806°W / 33.94250; -118.40806
Website	www.lawa.org/lax
Runway
Runway Length Surface ft m 6L/24R 8,925 2,720 Concrete 6R/24L 10,285 3,135 Concrete 7L/25R 12,091 3,685 Concrete 7R/25L 11,096 3,382 Concrete
[[Helipad|]]
Number Length Surface ft m H3 63 19 Concrete
Source: Federal Aviation Administration

Los Angeles International Airport, often called LAX, is a very busy airport. It serves the city of Los Angeles, California, in the United States. The airport's short code, LAX, is how most people know it.

LAX is located in the southwestern part of Los Angeles. It is in the neighborhood of Westchester. The airport is about 16 kilometers (10 miles) from downtown Los Angeles.

In 2007, over 61 million passengers used LAX. This made it the fifth busiest airport in the world. You can fly directly from LAX to many places. These include North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and The Middle East.

LAX is an important base for several airlines. It is a main hub for American Airlines and United Airlines. It is also a key airport for Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines. This means many flights for these airlines start or end here.

Airport Features and History

LAX has a long history. It started as a small airfield and grew into a huge international airport.

Early Days of LAX

The first building at LAX was Hangar No. 1. It was built in 1929. This hangar is still used today. It shows how much the airport has changed over the years. In the early days, passengers would walk right onto the plane. There were no jet bridges like we have now.

Unique Airport Buildings

LAX is known for its special buildings. The Theme Building is one of the most famous. It looks like a spaceship. This building was opened in 1961. It has been a landmark at the airport for decades. The light towers at LAX are also special. They were added in 2000. These towers can change colors at night.

Getting Around LAX

LAX has many terminals for different airlines. The Tom Bradley International Terminal handles flights to and from other countries. There are also buses that help people get to and from the airport. The FlyAway Bus connects LAX to places like Los Angeles Union Station. This makes it easier for travelers to reach the city.

Images for kids

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  Hangar No. 1 was the first structure at LAX, built in 1929, restored in 1990 and remaining in active use.

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  Los Angeles Municipal Airport on Army Day, c. 1931

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  Continental passengers arriving at CAL terminal, July 1962, before jet bridges were constructed

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  The light towers, first installed in preparation for the Democratic National Convention in 2000, change colors throughout the night.

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  LAX Theme Building, July 1962

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  An Avianca Airbus A321 with two American Airlines and one JetBlue aircraft in the background

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  A United 737-800 and a Lufthansa 747-400 taxiing

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  A Copa Airlines 737-800 taxiing.

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  International carriers at Tom Bradley International Terminal

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  Los Angeles airport diagram of terminals

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  LAX sign as seen near the entrance of the airport

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  Buses at LAX City Bus Center

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  FlyAway Bus at Los Angeles Union Station

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  Hotels next to LAX

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  LAX Airport Response Coordination Center used to coordinate emergency response

See also

In Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de Los Ángeles para niños