Los Angeles International Airport is about to lose one of its busiest terminals—temporarily, at least. Starting this week, Terminal 5 will close for complete demolition as part of the airport’s massive $30 billion modernization plan ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
If you’re flying through LAX during that time, brace for a game of terminal musical chairs. JetBlue has already shifted to Terminal 1, Spirit Airlines has moved to Terminal 2 and American Airlines will finish its migration to Terminal 4 by today, Tuesday, October 28. Flights that would normally depart from Terminal 5 will instead be routed through other terminals and the brand-new Midfield Satellite Concourse South (MSC South), a sleek, 150,000-square-foot extension of the Tom Bradley International Terminal boasting eight new gates.
Doug Webster, chief airport operations and maintenance officer for Los Angeles World Airports, called the closure “a pivotal moment” in the airport’s evolution.
“Our goal is to minimize disruption during this transition, and we are working closely with our airline partners to ensure continued operations and smooth travel for our passengers,” he said in an official statement.
The new Terminal 5 is expected to reopen just before the 2028 Olympics, promising a next-generation passenger experience with more space, better wayfinding and the same offsite construction and relocation technique used for MSC South—meaning the new structure will largely be built elsewhere and assembled on-site to save time (and possibly some headaches).
Of course, this being LAX, travelers should still plan for chaos. Between ongoing roadwork, traffic snarls on 1 World Way and the constant shuffle of check-ins and shuttles, getting from curb to gate will likely require extra patience... and extra time.
Still, there’s a silver lining for anyone curious about what’s next. The freshly opened MSC South is already open to passengers, offering a taste of LAX’s future: brighter interiors, more dining options and boarding gates that actually feel modern. When the new Terminal 5 finally debuts in 2028, it’s expected to join that upgraded ecosystem, just in time to welcome the world to Los Angeles.
Until then, travelers might want to double-check their boarding passes. At LAX, “allow plenty of time” just took on a whole new meaning.