LAX expects 2024’s holiday passenger numbers won’t meet pre-pandemic levels

Passenger numbers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), one of the world's busiest airports, are expected to surpass 3.2 million. While this might seem high for many, it is still short of what was seen pre-pandemic.

While the numbers are still shy of 2019, the number of passengers passing through the terminals at LAX is still enough to raise tensions.

The Los Angeles Times reported that travel stress was high for many passengers. This has led those transiting to LAX to consider utilizing the city's public transport system.

Currently, the city's C line travels from Norwalk in the East to Aviation / Century in the West. By 2025, the line is expected to travel to the LAX Metro Centre and into the LAX People Mover (anticipated completion in 2026).

Passengers this festive season can ride the light rail to Aviation / Century and then board the LAX shuttle bus currently in operation. The use of the C line is hoped to decrease the use of other modes of transport and congestion at the airport.

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is one of the busiest airports in the United States and globally.

A number of new investments have been made to improve the airport's overall visitor experience. These include a new rental car facility and parking lot with easier pick-up and drop-off zones.

The airport's ride-hail lot, which first opened in 2019, has received some criticism. Many passengers still complain that it is difficult to find and use.

In the lead-up to Christmas, 215,000 passengers were forecasted to travel through the airport terminals on the weekend before Christmas, and this high number is expected to appear again on December 27 and 30.

Reporters from the Los Angeles Times spoke with several passengers during this busy period, including Edgar Menu, who was en route to Salt Lake City and stated:

While the airport remains busy, passenger numbers are still down from pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, the airport welcomed 88 million passengers, and this year, airport officials have estimated that 78 million will travel through the airport. This is a 3% increase from 2023.

Earlier projections estimated that 100 million travelers could travel to/from or through LAX in 2024; this has seen the airport drop its estimations for the year of the Los Angeles Summer Olympics, which is expected in 2028, from 110.8 million passengers, to 90 million for that year - however, the proof will be in the numbers once that year rolls around.

As previously mentioned, Los Angeles is one of the busiest airports in the United States. Since the pandemic, it has seen a slow but steady rise in overall aircraft movements.

According to Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), aircraft movements peaked in 2018 at 707,833.

This dropped to 379,364 in 2020, and between 2021 and 2023, it has hovered within 500,000 - 600,000 annual movements. In November 2024 alone, the airport recorded 44,304 air carrier movements, a decrease of 0.2% compared to November 2023, which saw 44,311, winning by a slim margin.

In 2025, LAX will welcome a number of new routes, including Delta Air Lines resuming services to Shanghai-Pudong (PVG), Norse Atlantic Airways, with flights to Rome-Fiumicino (FCO), TAP Air Portugal, to Lisbon Humberto Delgado (LIS), and United Airlines to Beijing Capital (PEK).