As Los Angeles prepares to host the world for the FIFA World Cup in 2026, the Super Bowl in 2027 and the Olympics in 2028, the city has launched a long-promised link between its airport and transit system that could reshape real estate in the area.
The Los Angeles International Airport, or LAX, Metro Transit Center Station opened this week at the corner of Aviation Boulevard and 96th Street, connecting two light rail lines and several bus routes to the nation’s second-busiest airport. It’s the eighth completed project in Metro’s $140 billion “Twenty-Eight by ’28” initiative, and one of the most expensive, public officials say.
“The wait is over,” said a statement from LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn, who chairs the board at Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, also known as LA Metro. “At long last, we are getting a train to LAX.”
The $900 million station spans more than 500,000 square feet and features EV charging stations and the system’s widest platform. Once the electric Automated People Mover opens in 2026, passengers will be able to reach airport terminals directly from the Metro system — no car or shuttle needed.
“This is just another step in improving the ingress and egress experience at LAX,” Mark Mattis, principal at commercial property brokerage Avison Young, told CoStar News. “It sets the stage for future investment — and makes the whole area feel more viable.”
LA Metro officials say the project will also support local workers, especially those commuting from South LA and Inglewood, by providing a more affordable and predictable way to reach jobs at the airport and surrounding logistics centers.
LA's Olympic future
Located on a former Hertz rental car lot, the new station connects Metro’s C and K lines and provides service to eight municipal bus operators.
LAX is already the second-busiest airport in the U.S. and a critical economic engine for the Los Angeles region, serving more than 76 million passengers in 2024. It’s one of the top origin-and-destination airports globally, meaning a large share of travelers start or end their journeys at the airport instead of just passing through, according to travel data provider OAG.
LA Mayor Karen Bass called the hub “a major step forward” in preparing for millions of international visitors over the next three years.
“This is about more than the airport — it’s about building a connected, climate-conscious city,” Bass said in a statement.
The project’s timing couldn’t be better, according to Franc Magaña, assistant vice president at Beverly Hills, California-based KWP Real Estate.
“LA, Inglewood, Southern California — all of it’s going to be on a global map,” Magaña told CoStar News. “This hub gives people a better first impression and improves the experience when they come.”
Magaña, who grew up in Inglewood, said he sees long-term benefits for smaller commercial properties nearby, especially retail centers that cater to daily needs and convenience stores.
Over the next several years, Magaña added, improved transit could also help drive demand for multifamily housing in nearby corridors.
“We’re not 10% of the way to New York or San Francisco's transit system, but this shows we’re serious — and it creates opportunity," Magaña said.
Los Angeles joins a growing list of U.S. cities adding direct rail links to airports, following examples like San Francisco, Seattle, and Miami. Los Angeles is facing overlapping pressures to boost its transit, including a housing affordability crisis, major international events coming to the city and a push to reduce car dependency.
Slow evolution
The new station marks a civic upgrade that could boost perception of the area, leading to additional real estate investments, Mattis said.
“This hub is beautifully done — solar panels, landscaping, the whole thing. It upgrades the feel of a place that’s long needed investment," Mattis said.
A broader transformation may stretch over decades.
“LAX will push east, and SoFi Stadium will push west, and over time, you’ll get a connected corridor of hospitality, multifamily, and commercial," Mattis said.
That vision remains aspirational, but small steps are already underway. Metro’s recent land acquisitions around rail lines, including along the K Line and in Westchester, could help support mixed-use development in the coming years, Mattis said.
“As Los Angeles continues to improve the infrastructure in and around the airport by making the experience safer and easier, businesses will follow — eventually,” Mattis said.
“This won’t flip the market overnight, but it moves us in the right direction.”