Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) set a new all-time record for passenger traffic in 2019 with nearly 88.1 million travellers.

“Los Angeles is a global crossroads – a city known the world over as a creative capital, a hub for commerce, and a leading tourist destination,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “Another year of record passenger traffic at LAX is the latest milestone in our work to bring Los Angeles to the world and the world to Los Angeles.”

The passenger total at LAX is an increase of 0.62% over 2018, topping the previous record of 87.5 million travellers. While the number of international passengers was down 1.37% from 2018, a difference of approximately 350,000, the number of domestic passengers grew by 1.45%, or nearly 900,000.

“LAX’s multi-billion-dollar modernization investment and terminal upgrades are beginning to bear fruit. Today’s airline passenger has many choices, and with scores of popular domestic and international routes and highly competitive fares, LAX continues to lead the way as the world’s top origination and destination airport,” said Sean Burton, president, Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners. “In 2020, the airport will continue its role as a critical driver of the local economy, generating hundreds of thousands of high paying jobs while keeping Southern California connected to the world.”

For 2019, the total passenger count at LAX was 88,068,013. That total comprises 62,371,691 domestic passengers (versus 61,479,610 in 2018) and 25,696,322 international passengers (versus 26,053,567 in 2018). While the number of international travellers dipped in 2019 for the first time since 2009, last year’s total is 3.4% higher than the 24,829,363 international passengers who travelled through LAX in 2017. Domestic passengers accounted for 70% of the total traffic in 2019, with international passengers at 30%.

The most popular international destinations from LAX in 2019 were Guadalajara, Mexico (885,882 passengers), London-Heathrow (757,855) and Paris-Charles de Gaulle (687,985).

The $14.3 billion modernization program at LAX took big steps forward in 2019, with construction starting on several major projects, including an Automated People Mover (APM) train, Consolidated Rent-A-Car (ConRAC) facility and the Intermodal Transportation Facility-West (ITF-West), which will include a 4,300-space parking structure.

This year, the $2 billion Midfield Satellite Concourse will open, while work is expected to wrap up on Terminal 1.5, a $490 million connector between Terminals 1 and 2 that will include space for additional ticketing counters, baggage carousels, a bus port and a security screening checkpoint.