Driving to LAX and not sure where to leave your car? The process differs depending on whether you park onsite or at an offsite lot. This guide walks through what actually happens, from arriving at the lot to boarding the shuttle to getting picked up when you land. If you’re ready to compare prices and reserve a spot, see our page on LAX airport parking.
Onsite or offsite: what’s the difference?
Onsite parking is run by the airport’s operator, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA). The Central Terminal Area (CTA) garages sit inside the terminal loop, directly across from the terminals, so you walk to check-in. The LAX Economy and Budget lots are farther out, and free LAX shuttles link them to the terminals 24 hours a day.
Offsite lots are privately run, a short drive from the terminals, and run their own free shuttles, usually every 10 to 20 minutes. A CTA garage means no shuttle at all; the Economy, Budget, and offsite lots all add a shuttle ride. Rates change often, so we keep current onsite and offsite prices in one place: our LAX parking rates.
How offsite parking works, step by step
Before you leave home
Your reservation confirmation is the most useful thing you’ll carry. Check it for the lot’s street address, not just its name, its check-in steps, where its shuttle picks up, and a phone number. Each lot’s page on Way spells these out; The Parking Spot Century, ValuePark LAX, and WallyPark Express are examples of what to look for. On the day, check your LAX flight status and LAX TSA wait times before you set off.
At the lot
Pull in and check in, either with an attendant or at a self-service kiosk, depending on the lot. Most lots ask to see your confirmation, and some ask you to leave a printed copy on the dashboard. Outside peak travel days, check-in usually takes a couple of minutes. At a valet lot you hand over your keys; at a self-park lot you’re directed to a space and keep them.
The shuttle to your terminal
Take your bags to the lot’s shuttle stop. Most offsite shuttles run every 10 to 20 minutes, but don’t count on walking straight onto a waiting van, especially at busy times. The ride depends on how far away the lot is, the traffic, and which terminal you’re flying from. Private parking shuttles stop on the Upper/Departures level, so you’re not hauling luggage through a parking structure. The LAX terminal map shows where your airline checks in.
How onsite parking works
Central Terminal Area garages
The CTA garages (P1, P2A, P2B, and P3 to P7) have more than 7,000 stalls across from the terminals. Drive into the terminal loop, follow the signs to the garage nearest your terminal, park, and walk across. The first 10 minutes are free. Premium parking is on the Arrivals level of P1, P3, and P7, and valet is offered at P1, P3, P4, and P7. The LAX airport map helps you get your bearings before you drive in.
Check the height limit before you enter. LAWA lists these clearances:
- P1, P3, and P4: 7 ft 6 in (P1 valet: 8 ft 2 in)
- P2A and P6: 8 ft 2 in
- P2B: 6 ft 10 in
- P5 and P7: 7 ft (P7 valet: 8 ft 2 in)
LAX Economy and Budget lots
LAX Economy Parking (6100 W. 94th Street) has more than 4,000 stalls, and LAX Budget Parking (5455 W. 111th Street) has more than 2,000 uncovered stalls. Both work like an offsite lot: park, then take the free LAX shuttle. The shuttles run 24 hours a day, and Budget’s come every 20 to 25 minutes. At the Economy garage, they pick up on Level 1, in the southeast section. At the terminals, both use the pink LAX Shuttle zones on the Lower/Arrivals level. These lots can fill on busy days; LAWA takes reservations for both.
What about the LAX people mover?
The Automated People Mover, called SkyLink, will run between the terminals, the parking lots, the rental car center, and the transit hub. It is not open yet. NBC Los Angeles reported on September 24, 2026 that the opening had moved from October to January 6, 2027. It was first due in 2023 and has slipped to 2024, 2025, and 2026 since, so until it is actually carrying passengers, plan on the shuttles.
A day-of timeline
Airlines generally ask you to be at the airport two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international one. Here’s how that works out when you park, counting back from departure.
| Step | Domestic flight | International flight |
|---|---|---|
| Arrive at an offsite, Economy, or Budget lot | 2 hr 45 min before | 3 hr 45 min before |
| Parked, checked in, and at the shuttle stop | 2 hr 35 min before | 3 hr 35 min before |
| Off the shuttle at your terminal | 2 hr before | 3 hr before |
| Or: arrive at a CTA garage | 2 hr 15 min before | 3 hr 15 min before |
On a holiday or a peak weekend, add another 30 minutes to every line.
The return trip
- When you land, read the return instructions in your confirmation. Some lots ask you to call once you have your bags.
- Collect your bags.
- For an offsite lot, go up to the Upper/Departures level and wait at the red curbside pylons for hotel and private parking shuttles. For the Economy or Budget lot, wait at the pink LAX Shuttle zones on the Lower/Arrivals level. LAWA’s ground transportation page has a map of both.
- Look for your lot’s name on the shuttle before you board.
- Back at the lot, pay for any time beyond your booking, collect your car or keys, and check the car before you drive off.
If something goes wrong
- No shuttle after 20 to 25 minutes. Check you’re at the right curb: red pylons upstairs for private lots, pink zones downstairs for LAWA’s lots. Then call the lot. LAWA’s own shuttles have real-time tracking on its ground transportation page.
- The lot is full. A reservation holds your space, so show your confirmation to the attendant. Without one, the CTA garages and the Economy and Budget lots can all fill on busy days; head to another lot rather than circling.
- Your flight is delayed or your return changes. Extend your booking or call the lot; the FAQ below has more.
EV charging at LAX
LAWA has installed more than 1,200 chargers in the CTA garages and the Economy garage. The Budget lot has none. By garage:
- P1: 120 Level 2, 2 DC fast
- P2A: 55 Level 2, 1 DC fast
- P2B: 39 Level 2
- P3: 87 Level 2, 1 DC fast
- P4: 89 Level 2, 1 DC fast
- P5: 60 Level 2
- P6: 114 Level 2, 1 DC fast
- P7: 186 Level 2, 2 DC fast
- Economy garage: 514, on Level 1
Charging is billed per session plus per kWh, and you can stay plugged in for the whole trip with no idle fees. You start a session in the PowerFlex app, and EV spaces can be booked ahead. Some offsite lots have chargers too; they’re listed among a lot’s amenities on Way, so confirm before you book.
LAX-it is not a parking lot
LAX-it is the pickup area for taxis and rideshare, right next to Terminal 1, with free green LAX-it shuttles from the Lower/Arrivals level. If you’re parking your own car, you won’t use it, unless your shuttle never comes and you need a ride.
Picking someone up: the Cell Phone Waiting Lots
LAX has two free Cell Phone Waiting Lots, where you can wait for up to two hours: the 96th Street Lot (6217 96th Street, 100 stalls) and the Century Lot (5800 W. Century Boulevard, 23 stalls). Both are open 24 hours. You must stay with your car, and there’s no shuttle, so drive into the terminal loop once your passenger has their bags.
Parking during holidays and peak season
Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, the December holidays, and spring break are when LAX lots fill fastest, traffic slows the drive in, and shuttles run behind. Reserve as soon as your dates are set, add 30 minutes to the timeline above, and allow extra time for the shuttle on the way back too.
Ready to book?
To compare lots by price, shuttle, cancellation terms, and security, see our LAX parking page.
More for your LAX trip
- Los Angeles (LAX) International Airport guide
- LAX airport map
- LAX terminal map: Terminal 1, Terminal 2, Terminal 3, Terminal 4, Terminal 5, Terminal 6, Terminal 7, Tom Bradley International Terminal
FAQ
In the Central Terminal Area garages, P1 through P7, directly across from the terminals. They are the closest parking to check-in, and the first 10 minutes are free, which covers most quick drop-offs. If you are only meeting someone, the free Cell Phone Waiting Lots are the other option. See LAWA’s parking page for details.
Your car stays where it is. Most lots charge any extra time when you collect the car, at their posted rate. If you know you will be back much later than booked, extend your booking or call the lot.
Usually. Way’s lot pages note that you can edit or extend a booking; do it before the reservation ends. Reservations for LAWA’s own lots are managed under Manage Booking at parking.flylax.com. If you cannot extend, most lots simply charge the extra time when you leave.
LAWA’s Economy and Budget lot shuttles run 24 hours a day, and most offsite lots run theirs around the clock. Hours vary by lot, so check yours before you fly, and keep your confirmation and the lot’s phone number handy when you land.
Check the height first. In the Central Terminal Area garages the limits run from 6 ft 10 in (P2B) to 8 ft 2 in (P2A and P6). Level 1 of the Economy garage takes vehicles up to 14 ft; its upper levels allow 8 ft 1 in. Offsite lots set their own limits, so check the lot’s page or call before you book for a van, a pickup, or a car with a roof box.
At an offsite lot, you normally pay for the extra time at the lot’s rate when you collect your car. At LAWA’s lots, vehicles left for more than 30 days can be impounded at the owner’s expense; to stay longer, ask ABM, which runs the lots, for an extension on 310-646-2911.
Yes. The two Cell Phone Waiting Lots, on 96th Street and on Century Boulevard, are free for up to two hours. You have to stay with your car, and there is no shuttle, so drive to the terminal once your passenger has their bags.
Yes. There are more than 1,200 chargers across the Central Terminal Area garages and the Economy garage. The Budget lot has none. You start a session in the PowerFlex app, and EV spaces can be booked ahead at parking.flylax.com.
NBC Los Angeles reported on September 24, 2026 that the opening had moved from October to January 6, 2027. The date has slipped several times since 2023, so check that it is running before you plan around it.
Last checked on October 7, 2026. Parking, shuttle, EV, and Cell Phone Waiting Lot details are from LAWA’s Parking at LAX and Getting To, From, and Around LAX pages; the SkyLink date is from NBC Los Angeles.
Saul Jefferson is a car expert who knows the ins and outs of car ownership and makes even the most complex topics easy to understand. Driven by curiosity, he believes in constantly learning, unlearning, and relearning to stay ahead. Find him in his garage after hours, fine-tuning his car.
