LOS ANGELES, CA – The long-awaited automated people mover at Los Angeles International Airport has been delayed again, with passenger service now projected for January 2027, extending a schedule that originally called for the train to begin carrying travelers in 2023.
The system, now branded SkyLink, remains in its final testing and certification phase. According to the official Los Angeles World Airports SkyLink project page, the airport has not yet announced a firm passenger-service date and continues to describe the train as forthcoming.
The latest projection follows a new schedule from the project’s contractor that points to completion in December 2026, followed by additional testing and reviews before passengers can board.
SkyLink remains in testing
SkyLink is a 2.25-mile elevated electric train system designed to connect LAX’s Central Terminal Area with parking, rental-car facilities and regional transportation connections.
The system will have six stations, including three inside the Central Terminal Area and three outside it. Those outside the terminal area will serve the LAX Economy Parking facility and Ground Transport Center, the LAX/Metro Transit Center and the Rental Car Center.
Once operational, the train is planned to run around the clock. During peak hours, trains are expected to arrive approximately every two minutes, while off-peak service is planned at longer intervals.
The airport says the ride from one end of the system to the other will take about 10 minutes. The service will be free for ticketed passengers, airport employees and people picking up or dropping off travelers.
For now, however, passengers must continue using the airport’s existing transportation options. The official LAX SkyLink information page says the system is still undergoing final testing and certification and that trains seen moving at the airport are part of that testing rather than passenger service.
Opening date has moved repeatedly
The latest delay is another change for a project that has undergone multiple schedule revisions.
When construction began in 2019, the automated people mover was expected to be operational within roughly four years. LAWA later announced a January 2026 opening target. In July 2024, the airport approved an agreement setting a December 8, 2025, construction completion date and said passenger service would begin in January 2026.
That target was not met.
The latest contractor schedule now points to completion on December 8, 2026, with passenger service potentially beginning in early January 2027 after the required testing and review process.
A recent contractor filing indicated that the schedule could still change, meaning January should be treated as a projection rather than a guaranteed opening date.
That distinction is also reflected in the airport’s own website, which currently does not list a confirmed public opening date.
Testing is a major part of the remaining work
The delay does not mean the system is still being built from scratch.
LAWA’s project information shows that the physical system includes the elevated guideway, six stations and a fleet of electric train cars. The airport received its final four train cars in August 2024, bringing the total to 44 vehicles. At that time, LAWA said the cars would join the existing fleet for extensive testing.
Testing has been conducted in stages. In November 2024, the airport announced that train vehicles had begun entering the Central Terminal Area for a new phase of testing, including checks involving the elevated guideway and the three stations located among the terminals.
The final phase is intended to demonstrate that the trains, tracks, signaling and other components can operate together reliably before passenger service begins.
LAWA has repeatedly emphasized that the system will not open simply because the physical construction is substantially complete. Safety and reliability testing remain prerequisites for passenger operations.
Project costs have also increased
The people mover has undergone significant changes not only to its schedule but also to its financial picture.
An earlier LAWA project page listed an estimated construction cost of $1.95 billion and an operational target of 2023.
In July 2024, LAWA approved an additional $550 million payment to the project’s developer, primarily for additional work and the longer-than-anticipated construction timeline, along with another $50 million for contingencies.
The project is part of LAX’s broader Landside Access Modernization Program, which also includes the Consolidated Rent-A-Car facility, intermodal transportation facilities and roadway improvements. LAWA describes the broader modernization effort as a multibillion-dollar transformation of the airport.
The current project has therefore moved considerably beyond the original construction assumptions, both in time and cost.
Connection to Metro and airport transportation
The people mover is intended to change how travelers move between LAX and the transportation infrastructure surrounding the airport.
Among its planned connections is the LAX/Metro Transit Center, giving travelers a rail connection without requiring them to rely on the airport’s existing roadway-based transportation system.
SkyLink will also connect travelers to the Rental Car Center and Economy Parking. LAWA says the system is intended to provide more predictable travel times because the automated train will operate independently of road traffic.
The airport’s modernization program is being built around several projects that are intended to work together. In 2026, LAWA said SkyLink would complement new roadway improvements and other transportation facilities being developed around the airport.
The Rental Car Center is already operating, while other portions of the airport modernization program continue to advance.
2028 Olympics add another deadline
The latest delay also puts additional attention on the timing of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
LAWA has been planning its broader airport transformation around major international events, including the Olympics. The agency previously described the people mover as an important part of LAX’s transportation modernization ahead of those events.
A January 2027 opening would still place SkyLink in operation before the 2028 Games, assuming the current projection is achieved and the system remains operational after completing its testing and certification requirements.
But the latest schedule also leaves less room for additional delays.
For travelers, the immediate situation remains unchanged: the people mover is not yet available for passenger use, and existing airport transportation services remain in place while testing continues.
The next major milestone will be completion of the remaining testing and certification work. Until those requirements are satisfied, LAWA has not committed to a final passenger-service date.
