There are four Los Angeles airports servicing the flight demands of people arriving and departing from the Los Angeles area. For most people however, especially those coming from overseas, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) will be their first introduction to life in LA. A vast airport catering to over 60 million travellers a year, LAX is in the top 5 of passenger airports worldwide. Travelling between terminals can be on foot, but if you are carrying luggage you might find it easier to travel on the free shuttle provided for passengers who need to catch connecting flights from a different terminal than the one they arrived at. There is also a free shuttle that connects to the Metro Rail Green Line Aviation Station (light rail). There are a number of options for travelling into the centre of Los Angeles from LAX including buses, shared ride vans, hotel shuttles (check if your hotel offers one of these and it operates at the time your flight arrives), taxis, and rental cars. Prices for the airport transfer vary greatly so check online before you fly so that you have the most up-to-date information available.

The second largest airport servicing Los Angeles is Ontario International Airport. Although it has "international" status, most of the flights which take off and land here are domestic commercial flights within the United States. Located only 35 miles from downtown LA, Ontario International Airport is probably the airport you would fly from if you decided to add a weekend in Hawaii to your Los Angeles vacation.

Van Nuys Airport (VNY), situated in the heart of the San Fernando Valley is one of the world's business general aviation airports. There are over half a million take offs and landings at VNY each year, and cover all kinds of aviation enterprise except for commercial and military flights. If you are in the San Fernando Valley area and are interested in airports and how they work, Van Nuys Airport offers guided tours which show the various roles and facilities the airport offers, and the role it plays in the community. Over the years, Hollywood has been a frequent visitor at VNY so some of the airport may even seem familiar! Tours last 90 minutes and are offered free of charge.

The last of the four Los Angeles airports, Palmdale Regional Airport (PMD) is located in Antelope Valley, northeast of Palmdale. Although capable of handling 300,000 passengers annually, PMD is mainly used for scheduled flights offered by one airline, Scenic Airlines who offer flights between LA and Las Vegas.

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