Karmactive TeamThe $15 billion capital improvement program at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) includes the modernization of Terminal 4/5 set to be completed by 202 with sustainable considerations. This multi-year project includes major upgrades such as a 30-gate complex, a new departure hall, and improved access. The first phase of the $1.62 billion project is the construction of the Terminal 4.5 Core which connects Terminal 4 and Terminal 5. A ground-breaking ceremony was held in July 2019, and the facility was opened to the public in November 2022, with more than 3,100 workers involved in its construction.
The modernization of Terminal 4/5 at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is set to reach its next phase in 2024. This phase includes the construction of a new Terminal 4 Headhouse, which will feature a consolidated security checkpoint, as well as ticketing and baggage claim counters for American Airlines. The entrances of T4 and T5 will be combined to create a centralized facility of 300,000ft². This new connection between the terminals will enhance passenger movement between T4, T5, and the Tom Bradley International Terminal.
The modernization aims to improve the passenger experience by providing smooth access from check-in to security screening areas, including 16 security screening lanes equipped with automated technology, advanced signage technology to assist passengers to reach the gates easily and additional power outlets, new retail and dining spaces at the gate areas. A new south concourse will be built inside T4 to provide additional space for restrooms, concessions, hold rooms, and a bus gate, and upgrades will also be performed at the north concourse to increase the efficiency of passenger mobility.
The Terminal 4.5 Core at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) provides passengers with easy access to all four levels of the terminal via stairs, elevators, and escalators for baggage claim, check-ins, and security checkpoints. It also includes office spaces for airlines, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and law enforcement agencies. Additionally, the core area connects T4 and T5 to the West Central Terminal Area station of the upcoming automated people mover (APM) train project via a pedestrian walkway, which is part of the $5.5bn Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP). The Terminal 4.5 Core project is designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification for its incorporation of environmentally friendly measures such as reduced energy and water consumption, and sustainable transportation options.
Terminal 4/5 modernisation project at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) was undertaken by Hensel Phelps, a leading general contractor and construction services provider based in the US, which also provided construction services for the Terminal 4.5 Core project. Gensler, a US-based architecture firm, was appointed as the chief architect for the Terminal 4.5 Core project and PGAL, an international design firm based in the US, partnered as the design partner for the T4 modernisation.
As the world’s fifth busiest airport and the second busiest in the US, LAX is owned by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) and is undergoing a massive capital improvement program that will modernize all nine terminals, adding new facilities such as a consolidated rent-a-car (ConRAC) facility, the West Gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal, and the APM train. With passenger traffic of 28.77 million passengers in 2020 and a significant increase to 48 million in 2021, the airport handled 2.46 million tonnes (Mt) of cargo in 2020 and 2.97Mt in 2021.
