Los Angeles has never lacked confidence, but it does understand timing. With the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games looming, the city is sharpening its first impression on the world stage, starting at the airport door.
This week, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) unveiled renderings for a sweeping modernisation of the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), a project designed to ensure that when the world arrives, it does so smoothly, stylishly, and unmistakably in Los Angeles.
Approved by the Board of Airport Commissioners in December, construction is set to begin in January 2026, a calculated move that positions the terminal overhaul squarely between the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games two years later. It is infrastructure planning with a calendar firmly in hand.
“This modernisation invests in the local workforce and emphasises that LA is ready to compete and win when it comes to global tourism,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “With Los Angeles getting ready to welcome the world, this is one of the vital investments we are making to create a seamless visitor experience that expands economic opportunity across the LA region.”
It is not hard to read between the lines. Airports are no longer just transit points; they are civic statements. And LAX, long criticised for congestion and complexity, is determined to arrive at 2028 as a polished host rather than a logistical punchline.
Architectural rendering of Tom Bradley International Terminal Arrivals Level (Note: Renderings are conceptual, illustrative, and subject to change without notice due to design refinements, construction limitations, or regulatory requirements)
Putting the “LA” Back Into LAX
The Tom Bradley International Terminal has always carried symbolic weight. Named for the city’s trailblazing former mayor, it is LAX’s global gateway, the place where millions of visitors form their first and last impressions of Southern California.
Under the new plans, both the departures and arrivals levels will be reworked to improve passenger flow and overall comfort. At the same time, the terminal’s interiors will be infused with a distinctly local sense of place. LAWA’s design brief leans into what it calls Los Angeles’ “endless summer”, a blend of sunlit optimism, retro beach culture and cinematic glamour.
Expect bright, open spaces inspired by coastal light, nods to Hollywood nights, and design elements that celebrate the city’s long romance with surfboards, soundstages and spotlights. It is an aesthetic pitch that aims to feel relaxed without being casual, iconic without tipping into cliché.
Karim Webb, President of the Board of Airport Commissioners, said the project carries more profound significance than a design refresh. “This investment is tied to a terminal named for Mayor Tom Bradley, a visionary whose commitment to fairness, action and global connection continues to shape our city,” Webb said. “His values mirror the mandate Mayor Bass has set for us today: to build an airport system that welcomes the world, expands opportunity, and uplifts the communities we serve.”
Big Build, Local Benefits
Behind the architectural gloss sits a serious construction effort. Clark Construction will deliver the project under LAWA’s historic US$5 billion Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC), notable not just for its scale, but for its social ambition.
The contract carries the highest local hire and inclusion requirements ever attached to an LAWA project: 30 per cent local hire, 30 per cent participation by small businesses, 20 per cent by local companies, 15 per cent by local small businesses, and 3 per cent by disabled veteran-owned enterprises.
In an era when infrastructure spending is increasingly judged by who benefits, not just what gets built, those numbers matter.
LAWA CEO John Ackerman underscored the point. “Every year, millions of guests begin and end their journeys at the Tom Bradley International Terminal, and this modernisation will ensure their first and final impressions are a distinct reflection of everything Los Angeles has to offer,” he said. “But beyond that, we want this transformation felt throughout Los Angeles. This project represents a major investment in our local economy, creating thousands of jobs and new opportunities for LA businesses.”
Eyes on the World Stage
Operationally, LAWA has pledged to minimise disruption to international travel. At the same time, construction is underway on a promise that will be closely watched as global events funnel unprecedented passenger volumes through LAX in the coming years.
The Tom Bradley upgrade forms part of a broader three-year strategy to reposition LAX as a genuinely world-class airport, with LA-themed architecture, locally rooted food and retail offerings, and branding that reflects the city’s cultural confidence rather than apologising for its scale.
For Los Angeles, this is not simply about getting ready for the Olympics. It is about rewriting a long-held narrative about its airport from a chaotic necessity to a confident gateway.
And when the world lands in 2028, LA wants the message to be clear before travellers even clear customs: welcome to Los Angeles, we’ve been expecting you.
by Jason Smith – (c) 2026.
Read time: 4 minutes.
About the Writer.
Jason Smith has the kind of story you can’t fake, built on long flights, new cities, and that unmistakable hum of hotel life that gets under your skin and never quite leaves. Half American, half Asian, he grew up surrounded by the steady rhythm of the tourism trade in the U.S., where his family helped others see the world long before he did.
Eager to carve out his own path, Jason packed his bags for Bangkok and the Asian Institute of Hospitality & Management, where he majored in Hotel Management and found a career and a calling. From there came years on the road, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, each stop adding another thread to his craft.
He made his mark in Thailand, eventually becoming Director of Sales for one of the country’s leading hotel chains. Then came COVID-19: borders closed, flights grounded, and a new chapter began.
Back home in America, Jason turned his knack for connection into words, joining Global Travel Media to tell the stories behind the check-ins written with the same warmth and honesty that have always defined him.
