Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Tel: (310) 646 5252.
Website: www.lawa.org
On Santa Monica Bay, just 24km (15 miles) from the city centre, LAX is one of the busiest airports in the world and is particularly important as the US gateway to the Pacific.

Airport facilities: Facilities include foreign exchange and banking services, ATMs, medical and first aid, language assistance and a variety of shops and restaurants. Directions and information can be found at 11 Travelers Aid information centres on the lower level. Car hire is available from all the major operators, including Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty, as well as many local operators. Business services are available at the ICE Currency Exchange Booth. Wi-Fi is available throughout the airport and kiosks provide Internet access. Public telephones throughout the airport offer Internet data port access.

Transport to the city: Taxis can be found at the lower level - although due to LA's car culture, they're not as common as at other major airports. Nine official taxi companies operate in the city; look for the Taxicab Seal. A fixed fee of US$46.50 applies for trips between LAX and downtown. Several private shuttle services will drop airport passengers at the door of their hotel or other destinations. These include Super Shuttle (tel: 1 800 258 3826; website: www.supershuttle.com), Xpress Shuttle (tel: (310) 323 7222 or 1 800 427 7483; website: www.xpressshuttle.com) and Prime Time Shuttle (tel: (310) 536 7922 or 1 800 733 8267; website: www.primetimeshuttle.com). Charges are reasonable and vary depending on the destination, although shuttles invariably take a lot longer than a taxi.

A free shuttle bus runs between terminals and from the airport to Parking Lot C, where passengers can connect with MTA (tel: 1 800 266 6883; website: www.mta.net) buses, which run to most places in the city. There is also a free shuttle to Aviation Station on the MTA Metro Green Line. Pick-up is on the lower arrival level under the LAX Shuttle sign.


Ontario International Airport (ONT)
Tel: (909) 937 2700.
Website: www.lawa.org

56km (35 miles) east of Downtown Los Angeles, Ontario International is the city's newest airport. It handles international and domestic flights and is the closest airport for the heavily settled Orange County.

Airport facilities: Facilities include information kiosks, ATMs, foreign exchange and a variety of shops and restaurants. Car hire is available from Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty. Wi-Fi is available in all passenger areas of Terminals 2 and 4. There is no business centre at the airport.

Transport to the city: Taxis and several shuttle bus services (see above under LAX) provide transportation throughout the region.


Bob Hope Airport (Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport) (BUR)
Tel: (818) 840 8840.
Website: www.burbankairport.com

Bob Hope Airport is served by seven domestic airlines. It is the closest airport to Downtown LA (20km, or 13 miles, away), Hollywood and the Valley.

Airport facilities: Facilities include shops and restaurants, ATMs and tourist information. Car hire is provided by Alamo, Avis, Hertz and National. There are no business facilities at the airport.

Transport to the city: Metrolink (Monday to Friday only), MTA Bus lines and Amtrak (see Rail) have nearby stations at Burbank and there are free connecting shuttles to/from the airport. The airport is also connected by many MTA bus lines. Taxis are available.


John Wayne Airport (Santa Ana, Orange County)
Tel: (949) 252 5200.
Website: www.ocair.com

67km (42 miles) south of downtown Los Angeles, John Wayne Airport is served by 10 domestic airlines.

Airport facilities: Facilities include shops and restaurants, ATMs and tourist information. On-site car hire is provided by Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty. There are no business facilities at the airport.

Transport to the city: Taxis, limousines and shuttles (see above under LAX) provide service to the city.

Approximate flight times to Los Angeles: From London is around 10 hours 15 minutes; from New York is 5 hours 30 minutes; from Toronto is 5 hours 30 minutes and from Sydney is 14 hours 30 minutes on non-stop flights.