With air traffic getting busier in the late stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Los Angeles International Airport officials warned this week that terminals will likely be busy during the upcoming Memorial Day weekend and travelers should plan ahead.
“We are seeing passenger numbers rise quickly as the demand for air travel surges across the U.S., so we want to make sure our guests know they will be returning to an airport that is bustling with travelers and at times experiencing heavy traffic,” said Justin Erbacci, CEO of Los Angeles World Airports, the city agency that oversees LAX.
Airport officials said May has been the busiest month at LAX since early 2020 before the onset of the pandemic, with an average of 61,400 passengers passing through security checkpoints each day. That is only about half of the passenger volume from the same period in 2019.
On Sunday, a reported 74,881 passengers moved through security checkpoints, a record for this year, according to the airport.
The Automobile Club of Southern California this month predicted that more than 2.8 million Southern California residents will be traveling over the holiday weekend, up 64 percent from last year.
LAX officials urged airline travelers to arrive early, noting that parking garages are likely to fill beginning early today. Face masks are mandatory.
