Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is now offering onsite, standard COVID-19 PCR testing, with results available within just three to five hours. The lab is housed in a shipping container next to Parking Structure 6, across from Terminal 6 on the lower, ‘Arrivals’ level. Appointments are required at this primary testing site, which is open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily.
Testing is also offered on a walk-up basis at two other, satellite locations—on the Arrivals level at Terminal 2 near baggage claim and at the Tom Bradley International Terminal’s ticketing level. There, tests are collected and samples are then brought to the lab for processing, which requires some additional turnaround time, but still yields results in less than 24 hours.
Operating hours at these two in-terminal testing booths are between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. daily. LAX’ testing services are being provided by Clarity Labs and the cost for a PCR test at any of these three airport sites is $125—half of what’s being charged for same-day PCR tests at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). LAX is presently one of just 26 U.S. airports to provide onsite PCR testing.
According to The Points Guy, over 26,000 million passengers made their way through LAX, which is among the world’s busiest airports, between January and November 2020. Although that’s only about one-third of 2019’s passenger volume, it still represents a good portion of people who have continued to travel during the pandemic.
The test collection sites at Terminal 2 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal have already processed 14,000 tests since opening in November 2020. Officials reportedly anticipate that LAX’ new, state-of-the-art, onsite laboratory will soon be processing around 1,000 COVID-19 tests daily—a substantial increase from the current 250-300.
With COVID-19 vaccines expected to become more widely available over the next few months, it’s assumed that more people will begin traveling again; and the lab is predicting a commensurate increase in consumer demand for PCR testing, as well. LAX’ testing facility is certified as a trusted testing partner by the State of Hawaii, and also satisfies entry requirements for destinations like Alaska and French Polynesia.
