The massive transformation of terminals at Los Angeles International Airport hit two key milestones in recent weeks.

A groundbreaking was held on June 28 for the $400 million Midfield Satellite Concourse – South addition to the West Gates on the tarmac behind the Tom Bradley International Terminal. When completed around 2025, this concourse will add 8 gates to the already operating 12 gates at the Midfield Satellite Concourse – North.

Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines and Los Angeles World Airports held an opening ceremony on May 31 of a new entry area and check-in ticketing lobby at Terminal 3, the second-to-last major phase of the $2.3 billion Terminal 3 renovation project that’s now expected to wrap up by summer’s end.

The 150,000-square-foot Midfield Satellite Concourse (MSC) – South will be an L-shaped structure tacked on to the $1.6 billion, 750,000-square-foot MSC – North complex that opened two years ago. 

The south concourse complex was originally envisioned as a nearly identical extension to the north MSC complex, but was scaled back in 2019 in order to bring the extra gates online more quickly. 

Another time-saving technique is the first-of-its-kind – for LAX at least – offsite construction process, where nine segments of the MSC-South concourse will be built at a site nearly 1.5 miles away and then transported and assembled in place.

“It is a testament to LAWA’s consistent focus on innovation that LAX’s new Midfield Satellite Concourse South is being delivered with a first-of-its-kind offsite construction and relocation technique that will enable an accelerated project timeline, save money, and be flexible enough to adapt to meet future needs if required,” Justin Erbacci, LAWA’s chief executive, said in his groundbreaking remarks. 

When completed, the concourse will have eight gates designed for narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft, the type used for most domestic flights.

Design work for the concourse has been led by the downtown Los Angeles office of Adelaide, Australia-based Woods Bagot.Chicago-based W.E. O’Neil Construction is serving as the prime contractor for the project.

One unique feature of the MSC – South project is a solar-shading system known as brise soleil. It allows for passive cooling and energy conservation.

Delta terminal overhaul

Atlanta-based Delta Airlines’ overhaul of Terminal 3 began in spring of 2017 with a massive switchover of airlines at terminals at LAX. Delta moved from Terminals 5 and 6 to Terminals 2 and 3; the 20 other airlines that had been using Terminals 2 and 3 moved to other terminals.

The switchover allowed Delta to renovate Terminals 2 and 3 into a single consolidated 1.2-million-square-foot terminal complex with 27 gates (nine more than before). The total project cost is pegged at $2.3 billion, with funding from both Delta and LAWA.

Delta was able to accelerate the project’s timeline by roughly 18 months, in large part because the sharply reduced passenger traffic at LAX during the early phases of the Covid-19 pandemic allowed officials to close Terminal 3 for several months.

The first major phase of the project – the opening of seven new gates and related passenger seating space within the terminal complex – was completed last October.

Just after the Memorial Day holiday weekend, the new entry area and ticketing kiosk lobby opened. The entry area, known as the “west headhouse,” features self-service kiosks to drop bags and/or print boarding passes, giving customers another entry point to easily check in and get to the Transporatation Security Administration screening checkpoints.

“We’re building on our position as LAX’s leading premium global carrier and achieving yet another infrastructure milestone ahead of schedule,” Scott Santoro, vice president of global sales for Delta Air Lines, said in the air carrier’s announcement of the milestone.

Later this summer, Delta expects to implement digital identification technology at bag drop and security checkpoints, allowing eligible customers to use their biometric data to more seamlessly move through the airport.

Further enhancements to be added in the next several weeks include the addition of 100 more seats to the Delta Sky Club, the re-opening of the original Terminal 3 passenger tunnel with direct access to baggage claim, an enlarged help center and a second connection point to LAX’s People Mover train when it opens in 2024.

In addition, a tunnel from Terminal 3 to the adjacent Tom Bradley International Terminal is expected to be completed in August, eliminating the need to bus between terminals.

“I am eager for guests to enjoy Delta’s new West Headhouse and Delta One Check-in and Ticketing Lobby at LAX’s Terminal 3, in addition to the entire Delta Sky Way project when it opens later this summer,” LAWA’s Erbacci said in the announcement. “These projects truly are establishing the new norm of first-rate guest experiences passengers will find across LAX,” he added.

Erbacci then paid tribute to the workers at the project’s prime contractor, Greeley, Colorado-based Hensel Phelps Construction Co., among others.

He also noted a wide array of sustainability measures integrated into the project, including low-flow plumbing fixtures that make use of recycled water and other building infrastructure systems designed to meet CalGreen 2016 and LEED Silver certification standards.

The check-in area also has works from local artists in partnership with ArtLifting, a social enterprise that champions artists impacted by disabilities and housing insecurity.