LAX officials plan to change the names and numbers of gates and terminals to make the airport more user friendly, according to planning documents. Those changes are outlined in a request for a proposal to tackle a broader project called the LAX Wayfinding Enhancement Program.
Why now
The plans call for transforming how you get around the busy airport — which handles some 88 million passengers each year. That includes updating airport signage “to a world class system and provide a user centered approach to achieving a clear, consistent" system of communication.
The proposal asks that the project designer go "beyond signage" to “develop and implement a holistic wayfinding solution... which includes broader concepts of psychology.”
It's unclear when the project will be completed.
Combining and renaming terminals
Stay with us here, it's a little confusing.
Here's LAX now:
And here are the proposed changes:
- Terminal 1 and Concourse 0, the future terminal of the Southwest Airlines expansion, will be consolidated to create a a new Terminal 1
- Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 will be consolidated into a new Terminal 2
- Terminal B, Tom Bradley International Terminal, and the Midfield Satellite Concourse (MSC) wil be renamed to Tom Bradley Terminal 3
- Terminal 7 and Terminal 8 will be consolidated to create a new Terminal 7
Terminals 4, 5, and 6 would remain the same.
The planned future Terminal 9 would be named Terminal 8.
New gates go from numbers to letters
The proposal also calls for a new gate numbering system.
“The gate renumbering shall be an alphanumeric system consistently airportwide, starting over at each boarding area,” the proposal states.
- Terminal 1 would include “A” and “B” gates.
- Terminal 2 would include “C” and “D” gates.
- Tom Bradley Terminal 3 would include “E” and “F” gates.
- Terminal 4 would include “G” gates.
- Terminal 5 would include “H” gates
- Terminal 6 would include “J” gates.
- Terminal 7 would include “K” and “L” gates.
Go deeper
Read the full request for proposal for this project below or via this link. This document is from the start Board of Airport Commissioners meeting minutes for April 4. Also, check out our full guide to navigating LAX.
