What are the main Los Angeles airport hubs?
Los Angeles has five main airports, all of which serve slightly different areas. LAX (Los Angeles International) is the largest for both domestic and international travel and the best option for exploring the city proper. The others are smaller airports that serve areas a bit further from the city.
Los Angeles International / LAX: LAX is the main airport in LA and is located about 12 miles from the center of Los Angeles. If you’re flying from out of state, chances are likely flights into LAX will be the cheapest and have the most options. From LAX, you can get downtown via Uber/Lyft, the Flyaway Bus Shuttle ($10) or the Metro ($2). The Metro is the cheapest, but longest options (you’ll have to transfer lines and it takes about an hour). Uber is the most convenient but can be quite expensive depending on the time of day.
Long Beach / LGB: The Long Beach airport is located just 3 miles from Downtown Long Beach, so if you’re wanting to head straight from baggage claim to beach day, it’s the perfect spot to fly into. It primarily services short-haul flights for American and Jetblue. Bonus: it’s much less crowded than LAX and it has an open-air courtyard in the airport for you to enjoy some fresh air while you wait.
John Wayne Orange County / SNA: Of the main airports in LA, this one is the furthest south, situated in Orange County. It’s nearest to Disneyland and other theme parks in the area and Disney offers a shuttle if you're heading to the park. It’s located about 15-20 minutes from both Irvine and Downtown Orange County and about 20-30 minutes from Disneyland.
Ontario Airport / ONT: The Ontario airport is located, as the name suggests, in Ontario, with easy access to cities like Claremont, Riverside and San Bernardino. If you’re studying in one of the Inland cities, the Ontario airport will likely save you a lot of time from not having to drive across the city.
Burbank / BUR: The Hollywood-Burbank airport (sometimes referred to as the Bob Hope Airport) is located north of LA, 3 miles from downtown Burbank. It’s a good choice if you’re flying in from somewhere in the western half of the US and staying in the Hollywood area. Burbank does offer Metrolink and Amtrak service directly from the airport, making it one of the easiest airports to connect to public transportation from.