- Marina del Rey Summer Concert Series
- LA Original Farmers Market Summer Music Series
- L.A.’s First Luxury Gas Station
- L.A. French Fry Festival
- Watts Towers Rebuild into a Park
- San Pedro Waterfront West Harbor Project
- LAX Automated People Mover (APM)
- Baldwin Hills / Baldwin Village Costco Mixed Use Project
- USA Vs. Belgium
- Summer Night Lights
LAX Automated People Mover (APM)
The long-awaited LAX Automated People Mover (APM)—officially branded SkyLink—is getting much closer to opening, but it is not yet carrying passengers. After several years of delays, the project is in its final testing and certification phase.
Latest update (July 2026)
- Passenger trains have been running without passengers since April as part of “simulated operations,” a major testing milestone required before public service can begin.
- During testing, the system must demonstrate extended periods of safe, reliable, uninterrupted operation before regulators approve passenger service.
- Recent reports indicate the current target for public service is October 6, 2026, although Los Angeles World Airports has not yet announced a final opening date.
What is the People Mover?
The SkyLink system is a:
- Fully automated, driverless electric train
- Approximately 2.25 miles long
- Operating 24 hours a day
- Free for airline passengers, airport visitors, and airport employees
- Expected to carry approximately 30 million passengers annually once fully operational.
Seven stations
The system includes seven stations:
- LAX/Metro Transit Center
- Connects directly with the C Line (Green Line)
- Connects directly with the K Line (Crenshaw Line)
- Serves Metro buses and municipal transit.
- Intermodal Transportation Facility East (Economy Parking)
- Consolidated Rent-A-Car Center (ConRAC)
- West Central Terminal Area
- Central Terminal Area
- East Central Terminal Area
- Terminal 9/West Station (future terminal area).
Why it’s a major improvement
Once it opens, travelers will be able to:
- Skip much of the traffic entering the Central Terminal Area.
- Ride directly from Metro Rail into the airport terminals.
- Walk only a short distance from station platforms into terminals.
- Reach the Rental Car Center without shuttle buses.
- Connect with Economy Parking without riding crowded buses.
Travel times
Expected service includes:
- Trains approximately every 2 minutes during peak hours.
- About 10 minutes from the Rental Car Center to the terminal area.
- Continuous 24-hour operation.
Why was it delayed?
Originally planned to open in 2023, the project experienced multiple delays caused by:
- Contract disputes between project partners.
- Software integration challenges.
- Safety certification requirements.
- Extensive testing needed for a fully automated, driverless system.
Why this matters for Los Angeles
The People Mover is one of the largest pieces of the airport’s modernization program and is expected to significantly improve access for:
- The 2028 Summer Olympics
- Future Super Bowl LXI visitors
- Everyday airline passengers
- Metro riders
- Rental car customers
- Airport employees.
For Los Angeles travelers, the biggest change will be the ability to ride Metro Rail directly to the airport and transfer to the automated train instead of relying on shuttle buses or driving into terminal traffic.
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