Delta’s LAX inter-terminal shuttle bus recently changed its departure and arrival location at Terminal 2. Here’s where to find it.
Quick Background
As part of its LAX expansion, Delta moved from terminals 5 and 6 to terminals and 2 and 3.
LAX was outdated before the Wright Brothers first took flight. 😉 So of course Terminals 2, 3, and Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) aren’t connected airside through traditional methods (walkways, trams, trains).
While Delta undergoes its renovations of Terminals 2 and 3, and connects 2, 3, and TBIT, buses shuttle passengers between all three.
T2’s departure point was originally gate 22. It’s now moved across the hall to GATE 21.
Farther Yet Faster
Despite gate 21 being farther from T3 than gate 22 was, the ride from T2 is actually now faster.
How?
The original shuttle bus route was sandwiched in the alley between T2 and T3. That side is full of planes either pushing or arriving — which meant the buses had to wait for planes to clear the way. Buses encounter less traffic now when departing from gate 21.
Delta Terminal 2 Shuttle Bus Departure and Arrival Location
After clearing security — hopefully, you have CLEAR and TSA PreCheck...
…take a hard right. You’ll see gate 21 — which is an active gate boarding and deplaning flights.
Keep venturing right and you’ll see the two shuttle bus queues: one for Terminal 3 (gates 30-39) and the other for TBIT. (Yes, the sign above says gates 130-150 and the one below 120-160…)
Escalators or the elevator will take you down to the tarmac.
From there, board the bus and grab a seat.
The ride from T2 to T3 is about 3 minutes, door to door. It’s about 10 minutes from T2 to TBIT — and then a nice, long walk to the Delta gates. (Or if you have a driving desire to visit the KAL Lounge, you can take the shuttle to TBIT)
Regardless of your destination terminal, add another 10 minutes for the bus to arrive and board.
We at RenesPoints prefer the T2 Sky Club to the T3 “main” lounge and its satellite counterpart. So even if your flight departs from T3, you can clear security at T2, enjoy the T2 Sky Club, and then shuttle over to T3.
Score a Porsche?
Diamond Medallions: keep your eyes peeled for Delta Porsche reps. They occasionally ferry passengers between terminals and offer rides to Delta Diamonds!
Planespotting and #AvGeek Tips
During the T2 to T3 ride, the right side of the bus features runway and taxiway views — which can be pretty cool, especially during the mid-to-late afternoon international departures, which feature A380s, A350s, and a stray 747 here and there!
The left side presents an up-close view of Delta jets big and small. – Chris
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Thanks for the heads up, Chris. I’m headed to LAX early next week and indeed will be using the shuttles.
@Christine: Hopefully they won’t move again by that point!
keep us posted if they move it again!! Thanks
@Chris, very timely. I have a 1:10 connection at LAX from Domestic T2 to Tom Bradley Intl. I’m Diamond. How do I know if I scored a Porche? Do they wait for you at the aircraft door with a sign with your name on it????? Thanks.
@Don in ATL: Keep an eye out in the jetbridge for a rep holding a sign with your name on it. Reps occasionally are at the shuttle bus boarding areas and ask if there are any DMs.
THANKS, Chris!
@Don in ATL: My pleasure. Closer to departure date, you may want to direct message @Delta on Twitter and ask them if it’s possible to please have a Porsche waiting. Also, terminals change *all the time* — my HND flight left from TBIT one day but T2 the previous day. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve been scheduled to go into or out of T2 and been moved to T3.
@Chris, you said a long walk in TBIT to the Delta Gates. Which gate at the TBIT does the shuttle drop you off at? Thanks.
@Don in ATL: If you look at this PDF, the bus drop off — depending on construction, because a midfield terminal is being built, causing all sorts of additional changes — is at the far right end (I think it says “Bus Gates.”)
The walk isn’t “OMG!” long but it still takes a bit and there are some twists and turns. FWIW, my LAX-HND flight left from gate 134.
@Chris, Great. Thanks.