LAX Becomes Nation's Second Busiest Airport

Touting the region’s burgeoning tourism industry, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced today that about 70.7 million passengers passed through Los Angeles International Airport in 2014, making it the nation’s second-busiest airport.

According to airport officials, LAX ranked as the nation’s third-busiest in 2013, behind Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International and Chicago O’Hare International. The Atlanta airport is the busiest in the world.

LAX had 66.7 million passengers pass through its gates in 2013, according to the airport. The airport also processed 1.9 million tons of cargo and handled 614,917 landings and takeoffs.

The 2014 passenger numbers broke the airport’s previous record of 67.3 million passengers, set in 2000.

The latest tourism numbers also surpassed previous years. Los Angeles was visited by 43.4 million people in 2014, including a record number of 6.5 million international visitors, the mayor said. Hotel stays were up 3.2 percent from 2013, with 28.04 million nights in 2014.

“The continuing, record-breaking growth and strength of tourism in Los Angeles is a shining light for our economy, creating good-paying jobs for our families, benefiting local businesses and generating significant revenue for the city that goes toward the public services our city needs,” Garcetti said at a news conference at LAX.

“Angelenos should be proud that our great city is such a desired tourist destination for visitors from across the U.S. and around the world,” he said.

Garcetti also announced that four new boarding gates are now operational at the Tom Bradley International Terminal, making a total of 12 new gates in service. Construction is continuing on six more.

• City News Service