The long-promised, multi-billion-dollar Automated People Mover (APM) at Los Angeles International Airport has reportedly hit yet another red light, with officials now saying that it may not open until the second half of 2026.
The $3.34 billion APM is designed to whisk passengers over the notorious terminal gridlock via a 2.25-mile elevated train taking people between terminals, a car rental hub, parking lots, and the Metro rail system in just 10 minutes. The electric train will travel “with top speeds of 47 miles per hour.”
Despite construction having started in 2019, airport officials say that the rail won’t be ready until the second half of 2026 — likely after the FIFA World Cup in June — according to reporting from the Los Angeles Business Journal.
That’s more than two years behind schedule.
Despite the project reportedly being 95% complete, the holdup seems to be happening behind the scenes, bogged down by disputes between Los Angeles World Airports and LINXS, the joint venture contractor consortium.
Disgruntled locals have taken to social media to voice their frustration. “Is it sheer incompetence or a will to get it done,” one Redditor asked in a thread dedicated to the issue.
When it does eventually open, LAX anticipates that 30 million passengers will ride it per year, and reduce the amount of cars by an estimated 117,000.
Until then, travelers are forced to navigate through the construction and traffic congestion that has defined the Los Angeles airport experience for years.
LINXS and LAX did not respond to the Post’s request for comment.
