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AA: $1.6 B renovations to LAX Terminals 4 & 5 (began 17 Oct 2018)

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AA: $1.6 B renovations to LAX Terminals 4 & 5 (began 17 Oct 2018)

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Old Sep 4, 2025 | 9:16 pm
  #286  
 
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Is there an official date as to when Terminal 5 will close? Also, where are the affected airlines (including Spirit, assuming it doesn't go under) going during the rebuild?
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Old Sep 5, 2025 | 9:25 am
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Originally Posted by rudyjb
Is there an official date as to when Terminal 5 will close? Also, where are the affected airlines (including Spirit, assuming it doesn't go under) going during the rebuild?
Nothing has been announced since the original construction schedule was published in January.
Originally Posted by BillBurn
At the LAWA meeting yesterday they presented the T5 rennovation plan which is basically a "down to the studs" rennovation costing a total of $1.7BN. In order to get the entire rennovation done prior to the 2028 Olympics they intend to shut down T5 completely in October of 2025, so this means AA is moving its T5 operations somewhere in 9 months. They didn't specify where the current T5 airlines would move other than "three other locations". In addition to MSC South (which is supposed to be done by Q4 2025) I would guess another one is MSC North, but that's just a guess. No idea where the third one is. I guess it could be TBIT given that international flights remain subdued. Worst case for AA would be moving some mainline operations to Nest/Nest Area. No basis for that other than speculation.

FWIW, the T5 rennovation will not change the # or type of gates, so it looks like the Nest will not be moving to T5 anytime soon.


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Old Sep 5, 2025 | 1:17 pm
  #288  
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Originally Posted by BillBurn
Taxied past T4 last week. They have completely demolished the remaining old section between the Admirals Club and the newly opened gates at the end. The original plans had them doing this in two phases (the west half and the east half) but I am guessing they figured it made more sense to accelerate the project at the short term cost of a couple gates.. Not sure what the revised timeline is, but I would think this decision saves at least 6 months.
I was just there last week and asked the GA about this. She said that "they've been told" to expect T4 to be done by summer 2026 sometime.
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Old Sep 5, 2025 | 5:21 pm
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Originally Posted by rudyjb
Is there an official date as to when Terminal 5 will close? Also, where are the affected airlines (including Spirit, assuming it doesn't go under) going during the rebuild?
In June there were insiders posting on X that B6 was relocating to 3 common-use gates in T1 in October.

Source:
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Old Sep 5, 2025 | 7:56 pm
  #290  
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Originally Posted by norcalfiend
In June there were insiders posting on X that B6 was relocating to 3 common-use gates in T1 in October.

Source: https://www.threads.com/@mrerussell/...hared-with-sou
I had heard October when talking to an agent a few weeks ago.
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Old Sep 22, 2025 | 7:36 pm
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T5 Closes November 1st

At the most recent LAWA meeting they approved the closure and complete demolition of T5.
T5 is closing on November 1st.

When asked about the current airlines at T5, LAWA said that:

1. Jetblue is going to Terminal 1
2. Spirit will check in at Terminal 2 and fly out of MSC South
3. American will "fly more out of TBIT"

A couple other interesting points:
1. In response to a question the LAWA CEO said it is "not yet decided" whether the incumbent airlines will return to T5 when it is complete.
2. In mid-2027 they will determine if the project is on schedule enough to complete in time for the olympics, if it is not on schedule they will switch to a Plan B and only open 5 gates, instead of 15, in time for the Olympics.


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Old Sep 23, 2025 | 8:44 am
  #292  
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It looks like it's going to be a crowded 2.5 years in the T4 AC... although is AA building out additional lounge space in the new T4 headhouse?
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Old Sep 23, 2025 | 11:07 am
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Originally Posted by dw
It looks like it's going to be a crowded 2.5 years in the T4 AC... although is AA building out additional lounge space in the new T4 headhouse?
The initial renderings and floorplans of T5 indicate a new lounge on the western side of the top floor of the T5 headhouse that is directly over part of AA check-in so the assumption is that AA is planning new lounge space there although LAWA's CEO's comments that it hasn't been decided if incumbent airlines will move back to T5 call this a little bit into question.

The original plans for the T4 concourse included a big expansion of existing Admirals Club/Flagship lounge space, but latest plans/renders indicate that space has either been completely eliminated or scale back dramatically (perhaps because they decided to build out the T5 headhouse space instead).
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Old Sep 23, 2025 | 8:50 pm
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T5 was one of my favorite lounges.

Never crowded, good flow/design with lots of distinct seating areas, decent views, very well-located in the terminal (and even for T4.)
Sure the design and food was standard AA, but something about the T5 lounge, to me, made it EXACTLY what a standard domestic airport lounge should be. Functional in every way.

Sad to see it go away.
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Old Sep 25, 2025 | 8:44 pm
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Originally Posted by dw
It looks like it's going to be a crowded 2.5 years in the T4 AC... although is AA building out additional lounge space in the new T4 headhouse?
T4 AC is already largely unusable with overcrowding. I think they should really consider doing away with the Flagship lounge and combing it in the meantime. That side is often empty. I get that will come as a mild rub to those who are in the Flagship side. But if memory serves they did the same during COVID for "social distancing"

Maybe have the dining section still exclusive to Flagship people so they can get their spirits and better food. But the seating will help ease AC T4 overcrowding.
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Old Sep 26, 2025 | 5:37 am
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Originally Posted by Eyenigma
Maybe have the dining section still exclusive to Flagship people so they can get their spirits and better food. But the seating will help ease AC T4 overcrowding.
Even the FL can get crowded before the long haul flights depart. Its definitely a shame they never repurposed the FFD room for more seating- understand its in the back and many people may not even realize its there, but they could make it into a quiet room or something
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Old Sep 26, 2025 | 5:38 am
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Originally Posted by Eyenigma
T4 AC is already largely unusable with overcrowding. I think they should really consider doing away with the Flagship lounge and combing it in the meantime. That side is often empty. I get that will come as a mild rub to those who are in the Flagship side. But if memory serves they did the same during COVID for "social distancing"

Maybe have the dining section still exclusive to Flagship people so they can get their spirits and better food. But the seating will help ease AC T4 overcrowding.
They should re-open the FFD and quiet area (wasted space at this point, putting aside the fact theres no excuse not to have FFD going), but the FL is certainly not empty in the five visits that Ive had over the past couple of months at various times. Probably 70-75% capacity.
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Old Oct 1, 2025 | 5:56 pm
  #298  
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I've heard they are building a temp Admirals Club space at TBIT? Anyone see that yet?

Should there be a FT Meetup for the T5 closure and send-off?
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Old Oct 2, 2025 | 12:16 am
  #299  
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Originally Posted by fotoflyer88
I've heard they are building a temp Admirals Club space at TBIT? Anyone see that yet?
That would certainly help - more so given the prolonged delays constructions at LAX are known for!
Still surprised that this entire project will take some 10 years total time finish.

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Old Oct 2, 2025 | 12:54 am
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Originally Posted by fotoflyer88
I've heard they are building a temp Admirals Club space at TBIT? Anyone see that yet?

Should there be a FT Meetup for the T5 closure and send-off?
correct, there will be a temporary AC in TBIT as AA will be substantially increasing TBIT ops during T5 construction. I’m a little surprised because just feels cheaper to allow members to access the OW lounge which they’ve done in the past.
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