LAX-It Status

[lx200gps]

Question for you LA locals:  It was my understanding that LAX-It is only a temporary measure with a finite lifespan, and according to their own website: "During construction, lanes in the central terminal area will be reduced, making it necessary to temporarily move taxi and ride app pickups to LAX-it until the people mover is completed in 2023. "  Is there any sign that the LAX-It experience will end this year? We're due to use it for the first time in October.

 

Around noon on a Friday, for a trip down to our hotel in Torrance, is a taxi easier than trying to find our Uber amongst the hundreds of other cars. I've read reports that getting a taxi tends to be easier as they are lined up waiting. The next morning we will use Uber to get down to San Pedro from Torrance.  Thanks for any insight.

[palolake]

Hi, I'm so sorry I don't have an answer for you.  But I'm curious what hotel you picked and why.  I'm going crazy trying to figure it out but did think that Torrance might be a good city to try.  Thanks.

[BOB999]

LAX-It is still going strong and will exist until at minimum the new Automated People Mover opens sometime in 2024.  

 

After that, I haven't seen definitive plans but my expectation is that something similar will be set up at one of the new transportation centers being built east of the airport and connected to the APM.

[lx200gps]

14 hours ago, BOB999 said:

LAX-It is still going strong and will exist until at minimum the new Automated People Mover opens sometime in 2024.  

 

After that, I haven't seen definitive plans but my expectation is that something similar will be set up at one of the new transportation centers being built east of the airport and connected to the APM.

Thanks, that's what I figured. A public-works project that is late, how unusual ;o)  It's funny how their website still claims that it will be finished in 2023. In any case, I'll have to decide whether to use the LAX-It shuttles to the lot, or spring for one of the ultra-expensive Uber variants which I understand are still allowed to pick up at the terminals (T6 in our case)

[lx200gps]

15 hours ago, palolake said:

Hi, I'm so sorry I don't have an answer for you.  But I'm curious what hotel you picked and why.  I'm going crazy trying to figure it out but did think that Torrance might be a good city to try.  Thanks.

When we cruise from San Pedro, we stay in one of three areas, Long Beach, Torrance or San Pedro. There are a number of determining factors in our decision of where to stay, but generally our choice is driven by the time of year (so hotel pricing is a factor) and also when we arrive into LAX. As Canadians, we pay a 35% premium due to our weak dollar, so hotel pricing is a major factor for us.

 

If we arrive late in the day into LAX, we generally just head to San Pedro and stay at the Crowne Plaza, which is a short walk to the Cruise Port. It's in a pretty "remote" area and there's little to do, but it's very convenient. We do tend to find that the CP sells out a lot, probably because it's the biggest (and pretty much only) hotel near the port. There's also a Hilton Doubletree a bit farther away in SP which comes highly recommended here on CC but we've never stayed there

 

If we have a lot of time after arriving in LA, we have stayed in Long Beach. LOTS of nice hotels, restaurants etc, but can be pricey at certain times of the year. It's slightly out of the way, requiring as long a drive from LAX as San Pedro, then a bit of a taxi/Uber drive on embarkation day. That's why we've taken to staying in Torrance when we arrive into LAX early in the day. Torrance is in pretty much a direct line from LAX to San Pedro so is not much of a diversion. We stay in the general area of the massive Del Amo mall with lots of hotels, restaurants and last-minute shopping.  We've tended to use the Doubletree by Hilton on Hawthorne Blvd (we're there again this October). Large, full service hotel right across the street from the mall. There's also a nice Marriott right in the mall but it's always too $$$ for us.

[palolake]

@lx200gps Thank you so much.

[BOB999]

2 hours ago, lx200gps said:

Thanks, that's what I figured. A public-works project that is late, how unusual ;o)  It's funny how their website still claims that it will be finished in 2023. In any case, I'll have to decide whether to use the LAX-It shuttles to the lot, or spring for one of the ultra-expensive Uber variants which I understand are still allowed to pick up at the terminals (T6 in our case)

T6 is pretty much at the end of the line so the shuttle to LAX-It would be relatively short.

 

There is also a taxi queue at the very end of T7, so that would be another option.

[lx200gps]

15 minutes ago, BOB999 said:

T6 is pretty much at the end of the line so the shuttle to LAX-It would be relatively short.

 

There is also a taxi queue at the very end of T7, so that would be another option.

That I didn't know. I assumed all taxis had to be picked up at the LAX-It lot, thanks for the heads up. I realize that LAX-It works OK, but I had been reading a lot of negative comments about issues with the bus service, difficulty in finding your Uber, etc. Rather than hoicking a ton of luggage on and off a bus (my wife doesn't travel light ;o), a short walk to a taxi stand at T7 seems pretty easy.

[lx200gps]

3 hours ago, palolake said:

@lx200gps Thank you so much.

You are quite welcome, have a great trip.

[JGmf]

11 hours ago, lx200gps said:

Rather than hoicking a ton of luggage on and off a bus (my wife doesn't travel light ;o), a short walk to a taxi stand at T7 seems pretty easy.

 

Last month we were in the furthest gate (International gate T1 for Breeze airlines) away from LAX-it pick-up.  Couldn't get further away: long walk to bus, poor signage, and long walk to LAX-it.  We are in good health, so no problems, but really wonder how frail or injured make that trek.  (Once at LAX-it, Uber was good about identifying exactly which Uber stand -- they are numbered.  No problems).

[KeepCalmBearOn]

13 hours ago, lx200gps said:

That I didn't know. I assumed all taxis had to be picked up at the LAX-It lot, thanks for the heads up. I realize that LAX-It works OK, but I had been reading a lot of negative comments about issues with the bus service, difficulty in finding your Uber, etc. Rather than hoicking a ton of luggage on and off a bus (my wife doesn't travel light ;o), a short walk to a taxi stand at T7 seems pretty easy.

 

A taxi is likely to cost as much as an Uber or Lyft Black (curbside pick-up), so I'd looking into that.

[lx200gps]

9 hours ago, scottca075 said:

 

A taxi is likely to cost as much as an Uber or Lyft Black (curbside pick-up), so I'd looking into that.

Already have been, thanks. I was aware that certain "flavors"of Uber are allowed to pick up at the terminal, though I didn't know which ones, so I did a quick and dirty search of options. Regular UberXs from LAX-It to our hotel in Torrance run about $32 without tip or any possible surge pricing. An LA taxi estimator say a taxi would be about the same. The Uber website says an Uber Black from our Terminal 6 would be about $100. Bizarrely, the Uber web site also allowed me to choose Terminal 6 as a pickup point for UberX, which is incorrect.

 

Small differences in pricing between a taxi and an UberX don't bother us, so if there is an easily walked-to taxi stand at T7, right next to our T6, we'll drag our bags the short distance and grab a taxi.  Sounds easier than using the LAX-It buses.  It's been a few years since we were last in LA, can't wait to get back. 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

Not sure which cab fare calculator you used, but I'd be surprised if a taxi from LAX to Torrance is less than $50+ tip. Because the taxi is metered, it could be much more if traffic is bad. If traffic is very light (not common in LA coming out of LAX), it could be as low as $38+ tip.

[lx200gps]

14 hours ago, scottca075 said:

Not sure which cab fare calculator you used, but I'd be surprised if a taxi from LAX to Torrance is less than $50+ tip. Because the taxi is metered, it could be much more if traffic is bad. If traffic is very light (not common in LA coming out of LAX), it could be as low as $38+ tip.

Fair enough. Those taxi estimators are only estimators after all ;o)  I simply Googled "LA Taxi Estimator" and ran the first three that came up. One gave me $38 and the other two, which used the same engine, gave me $43, all pre-tip of course. LAX to 21333 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503, United States.  Assuming the taxi stand at Terminal 7/8 is still there, that's how we will get down to the hotel. We'll definitely be Uber-ing it from the hotel to the pier the next morning.

 

Now I have to figure the best way to get from SP back up to LAX on our return, in time to catch a 12:30 flight on a Saturday. We've had decent service from Supershuttle, but they're long gone. I remember that the last few times we returned back into San Pedro and did early walk-off, there were no taxis to be found even at 7AM. We'll be trying Uber this time I suspect. Looks like a Comfort will be about $50 + tip.