• GREATER LOS ANGELES METRO AREA AIRPORTS

In the densely populated area of Greater Metro Los Angeles, you have a choice of airports; however, aside from the Los Angeles LAX Airport, none even closely compare to it in size and scope. Second and third are LA/Ontario International Airport ONT and John Wayne Airport SNA. Other area airports include: Bob Hope Airport BUR, Long Beach Airport LGB, LA/Palmdale Regional Airport PMD and Palm Springs International Airport PSP.

1. Los Angeles International Airport LAX, located to the west of the City, is by far the busiest Airport in the Greater Los Angeles Region, handling over 61.5 million passengers a year. For the uninitiated traveler the airport can be a real challenge. Walking distances to gates are longer than they may expect and the rush to get to the gates may exhaust and confuse lesser agile passengers. It is strongly recommended that you board one of the terminal's courtesy vehicles making its round, if you feel that you might not be up to the task. The Airport is host to all major US, and most major international airlines, with direct and connecting flights to every corner of the globe. Direct bus service every 30 minutes is available by FlyAway Bus to Westwood, Union Station and Van Nuys, and other buses, and shared-ride vans are serving the Airport to destinations farther away. In terms of customer satisfaction, LAX Airport does not fare too well. Passenger complaints center on endless walks to connecting gates, and lack of available time to make your connecting flight. It is best to plan for at least a three-hour early arrival for international departures and two hours for domestic departures prior to your scheduled flight.

2. LA/Ontario International Airport ONT is located 38 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, 18 miles west of downtown San Bernardino, and 14 miles northwest of downtown Riverside, in Ontario, San Bernardino County, and ranks second as Los Angeles area airport, serving more of the inland communities. This Airport is becoming the choice of business travelers who see the advantages of this full-service airport and its modern, passenger-friendly twin terminals. It offers shorter walking distances between parking lots and terminals and between the gates and ticketing or baggage claim. Daily non-stops to major US cities and international destinations are available, even though the choice is considerably less than at LAX Airport. It is estimated that nearly 5 million residents are served by ONT in the greater Ontario area who like to take their flights closer to home.

3. John Wayne Airport SNA, is located 35 miles northeast of Los Angeles, 14 miles from Disneyland Resort and 35 miles from Disneyland (California). It serves the cities of Santa Ana, Newport Beach, Irvine and surrounding areas and much of Orange County, and ranks third as Los Angeles area airport. For transportation to/from the Airport, taxis, OCTA buses Nos. 76 & 212, as well as Irvine shuttles are available. SNA airport is very easy to get into/out of, and is ideal for flyers who live south of LA and want to avoid LA's famous traffic.

4. Bob Hope Airport BUR is located in the middle northeast of Los Angeles and serves the cities of Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena and the San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys, but is limited to a small number of passenger airlines.

5. Long Beach Airport LGB, located south of Los Angeles, serves the Long Beach area.

6. LA/Palmdale Regional Airport PMD is located north of Los Angeles in Palmdale and serves the northern outlying communities of the Santa Clarita and Antelope Valleys.

7. Palm Springs International Airport PSP is quite far east of Los Angeles near the city of Palm Springs and serves the Coachella Valley area of Riverside County.

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