For a while now, Hawaii’s hometown carrier called Terminal 5 home at Los Angeles International Airport. That won’t be the case come tomorrow, though, as Hawaiian Airlines changes Terminal at LAX.
I recently flew Hawaiian out of Los Angeles for the first time in years – hell, maybe even ever. And while I’ll cover the entire experience in a future post, I will say that I’m not a fan of LAX’s Terminal 5. It’s not terrible, but it isn’t nice, either. I especially hated the fact that we couldn’t see our plane at all from the gate. So, news of them moving is great to me.
Hawaiian Airlines Changes Terminals at LAX
So, the big question now is, where in LAX is Hawaiian moving to? I’m happy to report that Hawaiian is relocating to the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT). Unfortunately, they’re moving into the West Gates (midfield terminal) at TBIT. So, on the one hand, Hawaiian and its passengers are getting a massive upgrade. But, on the other hand, the new terminal is a bit less convenient too.
West Gates
Luckily, the West Gates don’t require to use of shuttle buses to get to. That said, the walk from the main terminal at TBIT to West Gates is a bit long. In fact, Hawaiian Airlines is warning passengers to budget 15 minutes for that walk over. What’s more, when you get there, there isn’t much in the way of amenities. Stunningly, for a newer terminal, there aren’t any restaurants, shops, or lounges there at all. Those are all in the main TBIT terminal. That said, there are sterile corridors connecting to Terminals 4 through 8 too. Plus, TBIT’s main terminal does offer a plethora of options for travelers.
Amenities
While TBIT West Gates is an amenity wasteland, the main terminal is home to many. Unfortunately, there are no Priority Pass lounges in TBIT. But what it lacks in free lounge access, it more than makes up for in restaurants. For example, TBIT is home to an Umami Burger and an 800 Degrees Pizza. Sure, those options might not be as interesting as other airports, but they’re far better than what we’ve got at my home airport. They’re also better than the options in Hawaiian’s old Terminal 5.
Final Thoughts
So when does this change take effect? Tomorrow, Tuesday, October 12. And when it does, Hawaiian will be joining a very small number of domestic airlines at the primarily international terminal. The other domestic airlines that do operate at TBIT, though, are quite an interesting collection. For example, both Frontier and Sun Country operate out of TBIT, though Sun Country uses check-in lobbies and baggage claims at Terminal 1. Delta and JetBlue also use the terminal, though JetBlue uses TBIT exclusively for international flights.
For its part, Hawaiian operates six flights per day at LAX – three to Honolulu and one each to Lihue, Kahului, and Kona. All six of these flights will, as of tomorrow, shift to TBIT. So plan accordingly if you’re flying out of LAX.
The walk to the gates is extremely long. Worse is the long walk on arrival flights to the baggage claim area. There are so many turns that there are actually people along the way with Hawaiian Airlines signs instructing passengers which way to turn at various points and at one final point having to walk out of the building and back in to the luggage carousels. LAX needs to do better.
Yikes! So nice new digs with far less convenience, huh? LAX probably should’ve built a tram for this midfield terminal. I guess that’s why some ULCCs are in the same area too. Bummer! Either way, though, flying in and out of LAX isn’t fun…
Thanks for this! We are due to get a flight after an SFO to LAX and then LAX to Honolulu. Do you know of we need to clear security again or does the sterile walkway mean we just need to check baggage? These are separate tickets. We have a 2 hour layover so wondering if that be enough! Thanks.
Aloha Cait,
The sterile walkway means you can transit between the terminals without going through security again. Unfortunately, if you’re having to collect and re-check your bags, you won’t be able to use the walkway and will need to clear TSA at TBIT once again. I’m hearing that the walk from Hawaiian’s ticket counter to the gate takes about 15 to 20 minutes. That makes me feel like two hours is doable but tight. It all depends on if your first flight is on-time or not, how long it takes to get your bags, how long you need to check your bags at LAX, and how long security queues are. Plus, don’t forget to allow time to obtain your Hawaii Pre-Clear band so you can avoid the arrival screening in Honolulu. Good luck!
Thank you thank you! This is seriously helpful info!
Aloha!