LAX raises rideshare fees to levels no US airport has matched

LAX board votes to raise rideshare fees

The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners voted unanimously on March 10 to raise access fees for rideshare, taxi, and limousine companies at LAX.

The increase is the first since 2016 and hits all commercial for-hire vehicles, including Uber, Lyft, taxis, and limos. Airport officials say the goal is to cut down on traffic congestion around the terminals.

Both rideshare giants and California state lawmakers pushed back hard before the vote.

New fees hit $12 for curbside access

Every commercial for-hire vehicle will pay a $6 base fee for each pickup and each drop-off. That rate applies at the current LAX-it lot and at the future Ground Transport Center.

But once the delayed SkyLink people mover opens, curbside service at Terminals 1 through 8 jumps to $12 per trip. Uber said the curbside increase amounts to roughly 140%.

A round-trip rideshare ride with curbside terminal access could add up to about $24 in airport fees alone.

SkyLink delays push back the timeline

The $6 base fee could kick in as soon as 30 days after the vote. The $12 curbside charge, though, won’t start until SkyLink begins running.

As of March 2026, there’s no firm opening date for the people mover, though officials have said it could launch later this year. That timeline comes with a big asterisk.

SkyLink was supposed to open in 2023 and has hit repeated delays since then.

Congestion drives the fee increase

Between 80,000 and 100,000 vehicles pass through LAX every day.

Rideshare and taxi services alone account for nearly 30,000 of those daily trips to the central terminal area.

Airport officials say the current fees no longer cover the cost of running one of the world’s busiest airports.

The higher rates should bring in about $100 million in the first full year, and that money will go toward capital projects and airport improvements.

Board caps terminal pickups and drop-offs

The board didn’t stop at fees. Commissioners also approved limits on how many passengers rideshare and taxi companies can serve at the central terminal area.

Companies can pick up no more than 30% of their fares within the terminal horseshoe and drop off no more than 70% there. The rest of those trips have to go through SkyLink stations instead.

The limits aim to push traffic away from the congested terminal loop and onto the new train system.

SkyLink connects LAX with a free train

SkyLink is a 2.25-mile elevated automated train that will link six stations across the airport. It connects the central terminal area to parking, rental car facilities, and the LAX/Metro Transit Center.

Trains will run 24 hours a day, arriving about every two minutes during peak hours.

The ride from the Ground Transport Center to the Tom Bradley International Terminal will take about five and a half minutes. SkyLink will be free for ticketed passengers, their guests, and employees.

LAX says its fees lagged behind rivals

Airport staff noted in their own report that LAX’s current fees fall below what peer airports charge, including SFO, Boston Logan, Seattle-Tacoma, and Chicago O’Hare.

Officials argue the new rates simply bring LAX in line with industry standards. Lyft sees it differently.

The company said in a statement that even at the new rate, LAX would become the most expensive airport for rideshare travelers in the country. That claim has not been independently verified.

Uber and Lyft fight the fee hike

Both companies came out against the increase. Uber called the hike a direct burden on riders and warned it would cut demand for drivers who depend on airport trips.

Before the vote, Uber emailed passengers urging them to contact city officials.

Lyft criticized the process, saying the airport’s governing body moved the rate hike through too fast without enough input from the drivers and riders who would feel it most.

State lawmakers warn about affordability

Ten state lawmakers from the L.A. County delegation sent a letter to the board before the vote expressing strong opposition.

The lawmakers argued that managing congestion shouldn’t mean steep fee increases that single out certain transportation options.

They also raised concerns about affordability for Californians who already face some of the highest transportation costs in the country. The letter did not change the outcome.

All commissioners voted yes.

Drivers fear losing airport income

Several rideshare and taxi drivers spoke against the increase during public comment at the meeting. Their biggest worry: higher fees would mean fewer passengers requesting airport trips.

Some feared the costs would eat into their own earnings. Airport officials stressed that fees go to the companies, not directly to drivers or passengers.

But CEO John Ackerman acknowledged the airport “cannot control whether companies pass the fee along to customers.”

Commissioners agree to quarterly check-ins

The board agreed to hold quarterly meetings with drivers to track the impact of the new fees.

Two commissioners who had been expected to vote against the increase switched to yes after the airport made that commitment. The fee applies only to commercial transportation providers.

Airport leaders said they remain hopeful that companies will absorb the increase rather than pass it along to riders.

What LAX travelers should know now

Travelers who use rideshare, taxi, or limo services at LAX should expect higher airport surcharges on their receipts once the new fees take effect.

The cheapest option will be using SkyLink stations at $6 per trip instead of curbside terminal access at $12.

Riders can also reach LAX via the Metro C and K lines at the LAX/Metro Transit Center, which opened in June 2025. Personal vehicles dropping off or picking up passengers won’t pay these fees.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

Read more from this brand:

• Are women-only rides illegal? Male drivers take Uber and Lyft to court
• Uber gives women a new way to feel safer on rides, rolls out feature in 30 US cities
• LAFD fines Palisades fire survivors for not clearing brush from their burned-down lots