
The view from Delta’s recently revamped Sky Club at LAX (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
It was just last June that Delta put the finishing touches on a $229 million overhaul of its Terminal 5 home at Los Angeles International Airport. And now it’s planning to move out.
Delta chief executive Richard Anderson told employees that the airline has signed a letter of intent with Los Angeles to relocate its LAX operations to Terminals 2 and 3 after it renovates them. The plan is still subject to approval by directors of Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), the operating authority for LAX.
Terminal 3, which dates back to 1961 and used to be home to TWA, is currently used by Virgin America, Spirit, JetBlue, Frontier and Allegiant. Terminal 2, the airport’s original international terminal, handles Aeromexico, Air Canada, WestJet, Virgin Atlantic, Hawaiian and a few smaller carriers, according to the LAWA website.

Los Angeles International terminal map. (Image: Los Angeles World Airports)
Delta is the fastest-growing large airline at LAX, and it is straining at the limits of expansion with the 14 gates it currently controls in Terminal 5 (it also has some access to Terminal 6 gates). Terminals 2 and 3 together have 24 gates, although it’s uncertain what the gate count would be if Delta does substantial rebuilding of the facilities.
The airline provided no information on exactly what its plans are for rebuilding the two terminals, or the timetable for its eventual move. LAWA is also building a new midfield satellite concourse west of the Bradley Terminal; the first section is due by 2020, and that could accommodate some carriers affected by Delta’s transition.
See a history of Delta’s moves around LAX here.
What do you think of Delta’s facilities at LAX? Flown to or through there since the latest facelift? Please leave your comments below.
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