Flights to Los Angeles

Vibrant metropolis

Los Angeles boasts a fascinating history, world class cultural attractions, and a diverse local population.

Best time to travel - holidays and festivals

Featuring warm weather throughout the year, anytime is a good time to visit Los Angeles. For those wishing to join in city celebrations, there's plenty to choose from. In January there is the Tournament of Roses Parade with its attractive floats and live music. In late February world-famous celebrities visit the city to attend the Academy Awards. There are several events in October, including West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnival, which attracts over 400 thousand people. New Years eve is celebrated across the city, including at Grand Park and Long Beach where spectacular firework displays are hosted.

Useful information before departure

Those with a valid British citizen passport have the option to visit Los Angeles under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) for a maximum of 90 days. A valid visa is required for British passport holders of 'other' nationalities. In restaurants and bars, a typical tip is around 20% of the bill. Be aware that the regulations governing the sale of tobacco and alcohol are stricter in the US than the UK. Designer clothing and groceries tend to be significantly cheaper than in London.

LA accommodation and transport

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is situated 24 kilometres south west of Los Angeles. Various transport options are available at LAX, including taxis, buses, trains, and rental cars. To travel from the airport to the city centre by taxi costs about $45. The LAX FlyAway bus service operates frequent trips between the airport and Vans Nuys Bus Terminal, Westwood, and Union Station. A free shuttle bus connects LAX with the Metro's Green Line Light Rail. Accommodation is widely available throughout the city. In popular hotel spots, such as Santa Monica, Hollywood and Venice Beach, a cheap room can cost from $25 per person for one night. In up-market areas, including Beverly Hills, the cost of hotel rooms can be $100 upwards. Getting about the city via public transport can be quite daunting. First time visitors may find it easier to travel about the city by taxi or rental car.

Airport Los Angeles International LAX

Los Angeles International Airport is an important airport in the US state California. By annual flights, passenger number and amount of freight, it is one of the top ten airports worldwide.

Along with Los Angeles International, LA/Ontario Int. Airport in San Bernadino County and Van Nuys Airport in San Fernando Valley are also airports in the Greater Los Angeles Area. Van Nuys Airport is currently not in commercial use. "FlyAway" operates a regular shuttle service between the 3 airports.

• URL: Official website
• Parking: Yes, more than 21100 short and long term parking spaces.
• Nearby cities: Inglewood (5 km), Torrance (13 km), Los Angeles (19 km), East Los Angeles (24 km), Downey (25 km), Glendale (26 km), Burbank (28 km), Long Beach (28 km), North Glendale (28 km), Norwalk (30 km)
• Directions by car: Interstate I-405 (Exit 47+48); Interstate I-105 and State Route #1 (Highway #1)
• Stations: The Amtrak routes "Coast Starlight"; "Pacific Surfliner"; "Southwest Chief"; "Sunset Limited" and "Texas Eagle" regularly serve L.A. Union Station

Location

Officially opened in 1937, the airport is about 25 km or 18 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles. The airport may be reached on the Interstate I-405 using exits 47 and 48 (San Diego Freeway), via Interstate I-105 (Glenn Anderson Freeway) or California State Route #1 (Highway 1).

In the transfer area all area signs for taxis are yellow, those for rental cars are purple and for the shuttle buses within Los Angeles, blue. Those areas where shuttle buses stop which are going further afield, for example to Santa Barbara, are signposted green, for vans and limousines, they are orange and hotel buses, red.

All free shuttle buses are labelled with letters. The A bus shuttles connect the terminals. C bus shuttles go to the parking area C, G bus shuttles take passengers to the Green Line Metro Station. In order to go to downtown LA please take the Green Line to Imperial/Wilmington Station (LACMTA Station) and then change for the Blue Line.

Several local buses stop at LAX City Bus Center for example bus number 3 to Santa Monica, 6 to Westwood, 8 to Torrance, 42 to Wilmington, 111 to Norwalk Station, 117 to Lakewood Station, 232 to Long Beach, 439 to Downtown, 625 to Jefferson or 715 to Downey.

The "FlyAway" Shuttlebus operates a regular service between L.A. International and Ontario airport 80 km or 50 miles further east in San Bernadino County. FlyAway also takes passengers to Irvine Amtrak Station about 80 km or 50 miles further east, to the district of Westwood about 20 km or 14 miles north, and to Union Station (AMTRAK) in downtown LA.

Southern California Gray Line also provides several daily bus services going for example to the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, an airport bus to Bakersfield, the "Antelope Express" to Acton, Lancaster and Palmdale (Antelope Valley), "SB-Airbus" to Carpinteria, Goleta and Santa Barbara or the "Ventura County Airporter" to Ventura. All current departure times are available locally or on the internet. Alternatively, please take a taxi for the onward journey.