If you’re dealing with a long layover or an early morning flight departure at Los Angeles airport, you might be wondering if it is possible to sleep in the airport. Our guide to sleeping in Los Angeles airport provides essential information for seasoned airport sleepers and newbies to help travellers arrive prepared for the experience.
We keep this guide up-to-date with the help of airport sleepers who have generously shared their experiences and airport reviews. If you have any tips or photos to contribute, please take a moment to write a review. Your feedback will help us stay informed about the latest advice for future sleepy travellers.
Sleeping in Los Angeles Airport
Locations & Seating
In general, the airside areas are more comfortable than the landside areas. There’s a decent amount of seating, but the quality and locations vary from terminal to terminal. Most seating has armrests, so try sprawling out on the carpeted floor for rest. Travellers recommend the bigger, more modern Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT), with more amenities and eateries than other terminals. Only a few terminals connect on the airside, so you may have to exit and re-enter the airside as you move around.
Here are good sleep spots that travellers have reported:
- Terminal 1, just past security, there’s a long couch at the top of the stairs.
- Terminal 3, near baggage claim 6, there may be 1-2 wooden benches.
- Terminals 4 and 7 have chairs set up in triangle configurations, which may offer some privacy.
- Terminal 6, armrest-free benches are in the Arrivals Hall, near the baggage claim area.
- Terminal, Gate 64B, there’s a small patch of carpet between a column and a moveable gate desk, which can offer some privacy if you can squeeze in.
- Terminal 7, Gates 70s-80s may have some armrest-free benches, but as the airport updates facilities, these may be (or already are) replaced with less sleep-friendly seating.
- International Terminal, Gate 148, may have some comfortable couches behind the Starbucks.
- Connector Hallway between Terminal 6 and 7 (close to Gate 71A) is reportedly a great place (carpeted and quiet!) to catch some undisturbed overnight sleep.
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Rest Zones
At the time of this update, there are no designated rest zones within the airport.
Hotels
If you prefer privacy and comfort and are willing to pay for a hotel room, you have a few options nearby, but you must leave the terminal to access them. Luckily, most hotels run free shuttle service. Here are a few:
- Courtyard Los Angeles LAX / Century Boulevard » Check Rates
- Embassy Suites by Hilton Los Angeles International Airport North » Check Rates
- Four Points by Sheraton Los Angeles International Airport » Check Rates
- H Hotel Los Angeles, Curio Collection by Hilton » Check Rates
- Homewood Suites by Hilton Los Angeles International Airport » Check Rates
- Hyatt Regency Los Angeles International Airport » Check Rates
- Los Angeles Airport Marriott » Check Rates
- Residence Inn by Marriott Los Angeles LAX / Century Boulevard » Check Rates
- Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel » Check Rates
- Sonesta Los Angeles Airport LAX » Check Rates
For more information, visit Tripadvisor to find hotel deals at LAX Airport.
Lounges
While Los Angeles Airport has several lounges, none have designated sleep rooms or rest areas. If you only want to relax in a comfortable seat for a few hours before your flight, check out this list of lounges in our Los Angeles Airport Guide that you can pay to access.
More Airport Services & Facilities
For information about drinking water, 24-hour food & drink options, luggage storage, showers, mobile charging and WiFi, visit our Los Angeles Airport Guide.
Flight Delays & Cancellations
When mass cancellations happen at Los Angeles Airport, a limited supply of cots is available for stranded passengers who opt against getting a hotel room. To find them, ask an airline or airport employee or use a courtesy phone to reach someone with access to this information. These locations have been sent to us in the past: Terminal 4, Gate 42.
Importantly, you cannot reserve cots in advance, and they are only available when major cancellations occur – not simply because you’re sleeping in the airport overnight.
Airport Conditions
If you plan to spend the night at the airport, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Temperature – Expect the airport to cool down at night as the air conditioning continues to run and fewer people are inside. Arrive prepared with a blanket or even a sleeping bag. A hoodie provides extra warmth if the terminal gets even colder.
- Lighting – A few travellers have commented on bright lights, particularly overnight. Arrive prepared with eyeshades or something else to cover your eyes, such as a shirt or towel.
- Noise – This is a busy airport, so anticipate noise no matter the time of day. Expect to hear frequent airport announcements, music and TVs blaring, and the rush of other travellers. The noise level at night will depend on your location – the landside zones are likely louder and have more foot traffic than the airside. The airport often has construction and repair projects in one or more areas, which can get noisy. As always, come prepared with earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones.
Security & Safety
Airport staff generally seem to tolerate overnight sleepers as long as you understand the security checkpoint hours, which means you may have to stay in the landside zones.
A few travellers have reported seeing homeless people wandering the landside areas at night.
Sleeping in any airport can include a certain level of risk, especially when travelling alone. It’s important to take certain precautions to ensure your safety and the security of your valuables. Here are a few tips:
- Safety First. It’s a good idea to know where the security office is located and look for video cameras where you plan to sleep. You can also ask the security personnel for advice on the safest places to spend the night.
- Don’t Seclude Yourself. If you’re travelling alone, we recommend you stay near other travellers or close to security. This will help you feel more secure and deter potential thieves.
- Hide Your Valuables. It’s also important to hide your valuables. Don’t leave them out in plain view, as this could make you a target for theft. Additionally, if you are a deep sleeper, you may want to padlock your bag to something or sleep with your bag up against a wall to make it harder for someone to access zippers and pockets. We have received reports of sleepers who woke up without their phones and laptop bags. The travellers were left with just their headphones and laptop bag strap.
- Stay Alert. It’s best to stay alert and awake if you feel unsafe or uncomfortable. Drink coffee or other caffeinated beverages to help you stay awake, and remember that you can always catch up on sleep during your flight. These simple precautions can help you enjoy a safe night at the airport.
Pro-tip: If you sleep in the public zone, don’t be surprised if you receive an early morning wake-up call. Security is known to make the rounds, waking people up as travellers arrive for morning flights.
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