Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is in the midst of a $14 billion transformation that will make it one of the smartest airports in the world.
TravelPulse recently chatted with Kathryn Smits, vice president, tourism, for the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, about the latest technology updates and other news surrounding the massive, in-progress project that is expected to be fully complete by 2023.
Here’s what you need to know about the progress already made, what to expect before the renovations are fully completed and what travel experts are saying about the upgrades.
MORE Airlines & Airports
Smart Ways to Attract Millennials
The project’s first main milestone came back in 2013 with the opening of the fully-revamped Tom Bradley International Terminal, which Smits described as a “game-changer for the international experience.”
The new Midfield Satellite concourse, an extension of the Tom Bradley International Terminal, is slated to open in 2020, and “is poised to become one of the ‘smartest’ concourses with automated biometric boarding gates and flight information display scanners allowing passengers to receive personalized maps on their boarding passes,” said Smits.
Smits told TravelPulse that, while the improvements will please all generations of travelers, millennials will especially appreciate the advancements in both technology and culinary offerings.
“We know millennial travelers are digitally savvy and the airport is utilizing smart technology to ensure the guest experience is frictionless,” said Smits.
Other enhancements to the guest experience will ultimately allow LAX visitors to book a car, and pre-order food and beverages, or other retail experiences before even arriving at the airport.
Visitors to the airport will also be able to utilize self-selecting services like the option to check their own bags and board the plane using their face as a boarding pass.
“We also know that millennial travelers are huge foodies and want to authentically experience a destination,” said Smits. “LAX has done a phenomenal job of ensuring LAX’s culinary options reflect Los Angeles, offering airport outposts of L.A. favorites Trejo’s Tacos and Urth Café in Terminal 1; Border Grill and James Beach in the Tom Bradley International Terminal; Lemonade and Ford’s Filling Station in Terminal 5; The Habit Burger Grill and BLU2o in Terminal 6. The list goes on.”
So what do travel agents think of both the already-completed and expected improvements?
We asked several travel experts who were on hand for travAlliancemedia’s domestic debut of the Millennial Travel Forum in Los Angeles last month.
“Los Angeles is proving to be one of the most forward-thinking cities in the U.S., placing a high priority on what up-and-coming generations value, including technology,” said Cassandra Valentin, an independent contractor with Roman & Erica and owner of Travel Cassandra Rose in New York City. “One major standout is the tech-forward renovations that are coming to LAX, LA’s main airport. With things like face-recognition boarding passes and an app which allows you to pre-order food and drinks, L.A. is innovating the way that we travel. I hope that other cities follow in LA’s footsteps, helping to make travel easier and more seamless for us all.”
“My impression of all these expansion plans is positive, as the airport badly needs these to keep operating on the level it is now, and to continue being a cornerstone for all airlines operations for decades to come,” said George Andritsakis, an advisor with Snelgrove Travel Center in Layton, Utah.
Travel agent Katherine Scott, co-owner of Travel Hub 365 and an advisor with Protravel International in Chicago, told TravelPulse LAX’s improvements might even make a flight cancellation a little more tolerable for clients.
“Worst comes to worst and you end up missing your flight, know that you won’t be hungry as this airport offers a selection of food for you to choose from or you can just enjoy the art pieces they have around the airport,” she said.
LAX’s Gateway to More Business
So, how important is LAX as a gateway to some of the world’s most popular destinations from Hawaii to Australia?
“The number of travelers who utilize LAX en route to long-haul destinations or as a point of entry to the United States on the return is enormous,” said Smits. “One of our priorities for Los Angeles is capitalizing on this gateway opportunity, trying to capture those two or three nights before travelers head off to or return from their next destination.”
But obviously Los Angeles, one of the most vibrant cities in the U.S., should not be ignored for a standalone vacation as well.
“Los Angeles is perfect as a standalone vacation or part of a multi-stop, multi-itinerary,” said Smits. “Whether clients are looking for fun before a long flight or relaxation on the way back, Los Angeles offers either opportunity.”
Los Angeles also offers the LAX FlyAway, an inexpensive bus that picks up travelers arriving to LAX and transports them to various areas within L.A. – the perfect mode of transportation for those wishing to explore the city quickly and without renting a vehicle.
There is also an array of 24-hour and 48-hour itinerary examples on Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board’s consumer website, www.discoverlosangeles.com, and also through the L.A. Insider program, which is Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board’s agent training portal.
LA’s Strongest Markets
Smits said domestic visitation accounts for about 85 percent of Los Angeles’ overall visitation. Of the 50 million, record-breaking visitors Los Angeles hosted last year, 42.5 million were domestic, said Smits.
She said New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., Boston, Dallas and Denver are L.A. biggest domestic, long-haul feeder markets, while San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, Sacramento serve as the cities biggest short-haul feeder markets.
