LAX and beyond: an airport travel guide for L.A. County
Airport days are where a car service earns its keep. Here’s what we tell clients about each airport, how we time pickups and what to expect when you land.
Los Angeles International (LAX)
LAX is the big one, with nine passenger terminals arranged around a single loop road, including the Tom Bradley International Terminal. The loop gets congested, especially in the afternoon and evening. Rideshare and taxis use the LAX-it lot, which means a shuttle ride first. Pre-arranged chauffeured cars meet you at the terminal, so you can walk out with your bags and get in.
Before your flight we confirm the meeting point. Some clients like a chauffeur waiting in baggage claim with a name sign, while others prefer a text and a curbside pickup. Either works.
Hollywood Burbank (BUR)
Burbank is smaller and much easier to get through. For anyone in the Valley, Glendale, Pasadena, Hollywood or Los Feliz, it’s often the faster choice even if the flight costs a little more. The drive is shorter, the walk from the gate to the curb is short and pickups take minutes, not half an hour.
Long Beach (LGB)
Long Beach Airport is known for its compact, low-key terminal. It suits travelers from Long Beach, the southern South Bay, the Gateway Cities and north Orange County. Curbside pickups are simple, and the drive out avoids most of the LAX traffic.
Van Nuys (VNY) and Santa Monica (SMO)
These are general aviation airports used by private and charter flights. Van Nuys is one of the busiest of its kind anywhere, with several private terminals (FBOs) along its runways. We pick up at the FBO and, where the operator allows it, can meet you planeside. Santa Monica handles private traffic for the Westside.
Timing your arrival pickup
For domestic arrivals, your chauffeur is in position before the flight lands and adjusts if it’s early or late. International arrivals at LAX take longer because of passport control and customs, so we plan the pickup around a realistic exit time instead of the touchdown time. You don’t need to message us when you land, but you can text your chauffeur once you have your bags.
Timing your departure
The TSA suggests arriving about two hours early for domestic flights and three for international ones. We work backward from that, adding the drive time for your start point and the hour of day. A 7 a.m. flight from Woodland Hills needs a very different pickup time than a 1 p.m. flight from El Segundo. When you book, we’ll suggest a pickup time and you can adjust it.
Families, groups and lots of luggage
Traveling with kids? Add a child seat when you book. Moving a group? Our SUVs seat up to six with luggage, and we can send more than one car so everyone arrives together. Golf bags, surfboards or sample cases are fine. Just tell us ahead so the right vehicle shows up.
Leaving the county
Sometimes the best flight leaves from Ontario or John Wayne. We drive to both regularly, and the price is quoted the same way: one fixed number for the whole trip. Starting inside the city? See our Los Angeles airport car service page.
