LAX will close Terminal 5 for renovations ahead of the Olympics

Los Angeles International Airport will close Terminal 5 for a “complete demolition” and renovation project, it was announced Monday.

The closure, on Oct. 28, comes as part of a $30 billion overhaul of LA ahead of the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics that will “deliver a new terminal and airport experience, according to an airport news release.” It’s just the latest in a series of expansion and renovation projects that have kept LAX in what feels like a permanent building.

Doug Webster, director of airport operations and maintenance at Los Angeles International Airport, said the planned renovation “marks an important moment” for the airport.

Passengers make their way through Terminal 5 at Los Angeles International Airport.

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

“Our goal is to minimize disruption during this transition, and we are working closely with our airline partners to ensure smooth operations and smooth travel for our passengers,” Webster said. Webster said.

In 2017, the airport began an extensive terminal reshuffle so that Delta Airlines could move its LAX operations from Terminals 5 and 6 to Terminals 2 and 3, forcing 19 more carriers to relocate. This move connected Terminals 2 and 3 to each other and to the Tom Bradley International Terminal. The project paved the way for Delta’s $1.9 billion renovation project to be completed in 2022.

As part of the latest construction project, airlines based in Terminal 5 have begun to relocate to other parts of the airport.

Beginning this week, JetBlue will operate out of Terminal 1, and Spirit Airlines will operate out of Terminal 2. American Airlines will operate from Terminal 4 starting October 28.

Passengers wait for their flights in the Midfield Satellite Concourse South (MSC South) at LAX. While the closure of Terminal 5 is underway, the airport’s new MSC South will also be used.

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

The airport’s new Medfield satellite concourse south will also help maintain operations, according to airport officials. The concourse, open to the public through the end of this week, is an extension of the West Gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal and adds more than 150,000 square feet and eight gates to LAX.

In February, the LA City Council approved $5 billion worth of contracts as part of a massive $30 billion renovation. 51 agreements between the airport and several local businesses have been approved to renovate Terminal 5, update the Tom Bradley International Terminal and make improvements to how passengers will navigate the airport’s horseshoe loop on International Route 1, where traffic usually delays motorists.

Terminal 5 is expected to open before the 2028 Olympics.