LAX proposes new access fees raising terminal-area pickups to $12 and Skylink pickups to $6, with similar increases for drop-offs, in a move aimed at steering riders to the Automated People Mover and easing terminal-area congestion.

Current fee structure would see Uber and Lyft paying $4 to pick up and nothing to drop off, as officials push for market-rate pricing.

Airport officials emphasize traffic and environmental goals, noting that distributing trips across more locations could improve safety and reduce gridlock, while acknowledging potential impacts on travel budgets and hotel shuttles.

The Skylink, delayed from its 2023 opening, is positioned to open in early summer, operate 24/7 with four-car trains, two-minute headways, and a capacity around 200 passengers per carset, potentially moving as many as 85 million passengers annually.

LAWA argues higher fees reflect market rates and help reduce congestion, though critics warn of affordability concerns and timing.

The fee increase is part of a broader effort to modernize LAX ahead of major events and reduce vehicle traffic entering the airport.

Officials say the increase is about valuing access to a multi‑billion dollar airport investment, not a passenger tax.

Context includes comparisons to fee levels at other airports and prior Skylink delays due to contractor disputes.

This would be the first access-fee change at LAX in a decade, with opponents citing insufficient public process and broader impacts on transportation costs in California.

LAWA approved the fee hike for private transportation companies serving LAX, including Uber, Lyft, taxis, and limousines, with the board set to vote on the changes.

Some travelers are considering hotel shuttles or asking friends for pickups as workarounds to higher costs.

Officials project first-year revenue from the fee increase could reach up to $100 million once Skylink becomes operational.