LAX's People Mover begins testing phase without passengers

For the first time, travelers and anyone driving through LAX will start seeing the People Mover trains traveling regularly above the airport, but for now, no passengers are on board.

The new Los Angeles International Airport SkyLink Automated People Mover has entered what officials call systems demonstration testing.That means trains are now operating on a full schedule, simulating real service, to prove the system is ready for the public.

Airport leaders say this phase requires 30 consecutive days of continuous service without major problems before passengers can ride.

The elevated electric train stretches 2.25 miles around the airport campus, with six stations connecting terminals, parking, Metro rail, buses, and the future rental car center.

Vanessa Rodriguez, Deputy Executive Director of External Affairs

"It will take 10 minutes to get around the full horseshoe; that is much faster than picking up and dropping off, so this is the new way to get to and from LAX," said Vanessa Rodriguez, Deputy Executive Director of External Affairs.

During peak hours, trains are expected every two minutes. Officials say roughly 30 million passengers a year are expected to use the system once it opens, helping cut congestion and reduce millions of vehicle miles traveled annually.

The project has faced years of delays. Construction began in 2019, with an original opening target of 2023. 

No official passenger launch date has been announced yet.

Still, airport officials say this is one of the biggest milestones so far, because now, the public can finally see the system in motion.