• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Lyft

Lyft Gets Approval to Pick Up Passengers From LAX

By
Kia Kokalitcheva
Kia Kokalitcheva
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Kia Kokalitcheva
Kia Kokalitcheva
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 23, 2015, 4:03 PM ET
The Lyft mobile application.
The Lyft mobile application.Courtesy: Lyft

On Wednesday, travelers who landed at the Los Angeles International Airport got a new transportation option: ride-hailing service Lyft.

After a long process to gain approval from Los Angeles officials, Lyft finally got the clearance for its drivers to pick up passengers from one of the largest international airports in the country, the company said on Tuesday. Earlier this year, officials allowed companies like Uber and Lyft to apply for permits to do this, and Lyft has beaten rival Uber in the race.

Similarly to other airports when ride-hailing companies can operate, Lyft drivers can only pick up passengers in one area, the upper departures level. Idle Lyft drivers waiting for a ride request must also wait in a holding area, with no more than 40 of them allowed in the area at one time, according to the Los Angeles Times. The report adds that Lyft originally opposed requiring passengers to go to the upper level with heavy luggage.

Lyft will be required to pay the airport at least $25,000 per month from $4 fees for each drop-off and pickup it charges passengers, according to the Times.

Both companies have been allowed to drop off passengers for more than two years. Uber is currently in the final stages of getting pick-up approval from LAX, an Uber spokesman confirmed to Fortune.

Access to LAX—and any other airport in the U.S.—has been vehemently opposed by the taxi industry since ride-hailing services debuted several years ago. Because ferrying travelers to and from airports is a lucrative business, the taxi industry has hoped to keep this last revenue stream to itself as the rest of its business has been cannibalized by ride-hailing. Overall, it also argues that drivers for these services are held to lower standards, leading to unfair advantages and lower quality service for passengers.

Both Uber and Lyft have been aggressively working to gain access to main airports, most recently getting clearance from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Oakland International Airport, and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, among others.

Correction, December 23, 2015: An earlier version of this article mistakenly asserted that ride-hailing companies have been allowed to pick up passengers for two years. They have been able to drop off passengers for that period.

About the Author
By Kia Kokalitcheva
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Jensen Huang says some CEOs have a ‘God complex’ when it comes to AI apocalypse warnings, which can create shortages of critical workers
AIchief executive officer (CEO)
Jensen Huang says some CEOs have a ‘God complex’ when it comes to AI apocalypse warnings, which can create shortages of critical workers
By Jason MaMay 2, 2026
2 hours ago
conway
North AmericaObituary
Gerry Conway, comics legend who created the Punisher, dies at 73
By Claire Rush and The Associated PressMay 2, 2026
4 hours ago
bard
C-SuiteJeffrey Epstein
Bard College president steps down, months after his deep ties to Jeffrey Epstein were revealed
By The Associated PressMay 2, 2026
4 hours ago
death
Environmentclimate change
Meet ‘Green Death’: the burial practices for activists worried about climate change and carbon footprint
By Dorany Pineda and The Associated PressMay 2, 2026
4 hours ago
trump
PoliticsWhite House
America’s paying more at the pump. Trump’s new Air Force One jet donated by Qatar is nearly ready
By Jonathan J. Cooper and The Associated PressMay 2, 2026
4 hours ago
croatia
Travel & Leisuretourism
War in Iran has Croatia’s tourist hotspot wondering: will Dubrovnik host another 4 million visitors in 2026?
By Darko Bandic and The Associated PressMay 2, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

Scott Bessent on financial literacy: 'it drives me crazy' to see young men in blue-collar construction jobs playing the lottery
Personal Finance
Scott Bessent on financial literacy: 'it drives me crazy' to see young men in blue-collar construction jobs playing the lottery
By Fatima Hussein and The Associated PressMay 1, 2026
1 day ago
A Chick-fil-A worker got fired and then showed up behind the register to allegedly refund himself over $80,000 in mac and cheese
Law
A Chick-fil-A worker got fired and then showed up behind the register to allegedly refund himself over $80,000 in mac and cheese
By Catherina GioinoMay 1, 2026
1 day ago
China dominates the world's lithium supply. The U.S. just found 328 years' worth in its own backyard
North America
China dominates the world's lithium supply. The U.S. just found 328 years' worth in its own backyard
By Jake AngeloApril 30, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 1, 2026
1 day ago
Apple cofounder Ronald Wayne—whose stake would be worth up to $400 billion had he not sold it in 1976—says that at 91, he has no regrets
Success
Apple cofounder Ronald Wayne—whose stake would be worth up to $400 billion had he not sold it in 1976—says that at 91, he has no regrets
By Preston ForeApril 27, 2026
5 days ago
Current price of gold as of May 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of May 1, 2026
By Danny BakstMay 1, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.