At the top of the list of things people don’t like about LAX are the traffic in and out of the airport and the high cost of rideshares. Now, airport officials are proposing a plan they hope will ease one of those problems while increasing the other.
On Tuesday morning, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) board members are expected to vote on whether to increase the access fees for private transportation companies that ferry travelers to and from Los Angeles International Airport. This includes rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft, along with taxi and limousine services.
The proposal aims to encourage riders to use the yet-to-open Automated People Mover, also known as Skylink, and reduce vehicle traffic around the terminals.
### Travelers React to Proposed Fee Increase
Travelers at the airport Monday who heard about the vote were incredulous.
“We expect rides to be expensive like in every city but for it to go up even more is kind of crazy,” said Jordan Conway, who was catching a ride into the city after arriving from Nashville with his friend for their annual trip to Southern California. Their ride from the airport was projected to cost about $80.
Currently, rideshare companies including Uber and Lyft pay $4 to access the airport for pickups and drop-offs. Under the proposed plan, the fee would rise to $12 to access the airport’s central terminal area, and $6 for picking up and dropping off at Skylink.
The increases would also apply to black car, taxi, and limousine drivers, who currently pay nothing to drop off passengers curbside at the airport.
### Uber Pushes Back
Uber has begun reaching out to its customer base to rally opposition to the plan. In an email sent Monday, Uber stated, “LAX is pushing through a proposal that would more than double the fees you pay to get picked up or dropped off by rideshare.”
LAWA officials told The Times there is room to reconsider when the new fees would be implemented, possibly postponing until after the long-delayed Automated People Mover actually opens.
### Delay and Details on the Automated People Mover
The train, originally slated to open in 2023, has faced significant delays due to disputes between the airport and contractor LAX Integrated Express Solutions involving timeline, compensation, and production issues.
David Reich, deputy executive director for mobility strategy at Los Angeles World Airports, said the people mover is now scheduled to open in early summer. It’s anticipated to run 24/7 in four-car sets, two minutes apart during peak hours, accommodating up to 200 passengers per train.
LAWA estimates the train will move 85 million passengers per year.
“By distributing traffic amongst multiple locations rather than funneling it all into the central terminal area, we can reduce gridlock, improve safety, and give passengers better options on how to get to LAX,” Reich said.
“It’s just not sustainable anymore for all the vehicles — 80,000 to 100,000 a day — to come into that very limited curb front.”
### Fee Increase Justified by Market Rates
The proposed access fee increase would be the first at LAX in 10 years, according to airport officials. Fees at LAX have traditionally been below other major travel hubs, including Boston, Seattle, and San Francisco International Airports, where rideshare companies are charged $6 for access.
“We’ve made all these investments, so it makes sense now to look at getting those fees on par with the market rate for access,” Reich explained.
How companies decide to navigate the additional cost, or whether to pass it on to customers, remains up to them. This could affect how some people move around the city.
### Impact on Travelers
Brandon Bailey, who flew into LAX from Texas on Monday morning, told The Times the potential increase will leave a hole in his travel budget.
“It’ll definitely affect my travels, I come in every month for work,” Bailey said. “I’m just going to pay it, but I’m paying more today than I ever have.” His Uber ride from the airport to his destination was priced at $58.
Along with increasing the access fees, the board is also discussing a limit on rideshare pickups: allowing only 30% of pickups at the central terminal area within the airport horseshoe, with the remaining 70% at Skylink. For passenger drop-offs, the percentages would be reversed, Reich said.
The current proposal allows the board to increase the fees 30 days after the vote, but implementation may be delayed until the people mover is operational, Reich added.
### Political Response and Public Criticism
On Monday afternoon, seven state Assembly members and two state senators issued a statement calling on the board to delay the vote. They echoed Uber’s criticism that the public did not have enough time to consider the proposal or understand the reasoning behind it.
“At a time when Californians face a persistent affordability crisis, we should carefully consider policies that increase transportation costs or make work opportunities connected to the airport more difficult to access,” the statement said.
However, LAWA maintains they have been studying how to implement policies around Skylink since 2020. Reich said, “In earnest, we started talking about plans, both publicly to our board and directly to Uber and Lyft and other companies, since at least 2023.”
### Expert Takes: Rising Costs and Travel Hacks
John E. DiScala, creator of the travel tips and deals website Johnny Jet, said the proposal comes at a difficult time as gas prices are also rising.
DiScala noted he doesn’t know if Uber or Lyft passing the fee increase on to customers will change traveler behavior. But the overall rising costs for gas and other essentials are adding up.
So much so, he said, that his neighbor recently asked for a ride to LAX to avoid paying for a rideshare.
One possible effect could be on hotel shuttles to the airport — a trick DiScala uses when traveling alone. He predicts hotels may crack down on shuttle riders who are not staying at their facilities.
Instead, people might start asking friends who live near the airport for rides.
“There is a saying that you know someone loves you if they pick you up at LAX,” he said.
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This proposal reflects the ongoing balancing act at LAX between improving infrastructure and managing the costs and convenience for travelers and transportation providers alike. As the vote approaches, many eyes will be on how the changes could reshape travel to and from one of the nation’s busiest airports.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-03-09/rideshares-to-from-lax-could-get-more-expensive-under-new-proposal