Los Angeles Airport’s New $1.9 Billion Terminal Welcomes its First Flight

The first scheduled flight arrives today at Los Angeles International Airport‘s brand new Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT), which is part of an 8-year-long, $4.1 billion makeover the airport has undertaken to repair its unfavorable reputation.

The new international terminal, which came in at a cost of $1.9 billion, is the crown jewel of the renovation, and will see an estimated 17 million international passengers from 30 airlines each year, according to the airport.

Designed by Fentress Architects, the terminal is the largest public works project in modern Los Angeles, its backers claim. Its roofline, inspired by the overlapping waves of the Pacific Ocean, is a trademark-in-waiting for LAX, and its high walls with huge skylights take advantage of the city’s famously beautiful weather.

The airport’s renovation plan saw considerable opposition when it was first proposed, but the airport and developers won that battle with promises of 40,000 new jobs and limited local disruption. We’ll see how the latter pans out now that the terminal is up and running.

Below is a time-lapse film of the new terminal’s construction.