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3.5M Passengers Expected To Travel Through LAX During Upcoming Holidays

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Los Angeles International Airport is expected to be the busiest U.S. airport during the holidays this year, officials said Monday.

According to officials, LAX is on track to set a new record of 3.5 million passengers traveling through the airport.

Authorities said the travel period continues through Jan. 3, with the busiest days falling on today, Wednesday, Sunday and Dec. 30. The slowest days will be Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve and New Years Day.

More than 1.6 million vehicles are expected to use the upper and lower level roadways within the central terminal area during this time.

Daily peak travel periods are from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. each day.

Airport officials have advised passengers to arrive at ticketing lobbies two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international flights.

Travelers should also check with airlines on flight status before coming to the airport as winter weather conditions could delay or cancel flights.

Motorists who are dropping of and picking up passengers have been encouraged to use the airport's cell phone waiting lot, located at 96th Street and Vicksburg for up to two hours.

"We recommend airport guests reduce the stress of holiday travel by planning ahead, allow extra time and use shuttles or public transportation to get to the airport," said Deborah Flint, executive director of Los Angeles World Airports.

Those traveling with gift boxes should leave them unwrapped for security screening. For information on what items can be brought into the U.S. from another country, click here.

The increase of travelers is due to lower air fares nationwide, new international air carriers and airlines using larger aircrafts with more available seats, according to travel experts.

LAX is the fifth busiest airport in the world and the second busiest in the U.S. In 2014, the airport served 70.7 million passengers.

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