How to Take a Waymo from LAX
As of April 10, 2026, Waymo still does not offer direct pickup or dropoff at LAX. That does not mean you can't use it for your airport trip. You just need to walk out of the airport pickup system first.
This is part of my larger LA airport routine. I've written before about optimizing the LA–SF super commute and using AI to book my weekly super commute, but one part of that system deserved its own post: how I actually get home from LAX.
When I land at Delta Terminal 3, I walk to the In-N-Out near LAX and order the Waymo from there. On my last trip the walk took exactly 21 minutes. It's longer than going to LAX-it for Uber or Lyft, but the ride is better and usually cheaper because you avoid the airport fees. Now that Waymo uses the freeways, it's also just as fast for getting home on the 405.
Why It's Good
Waymo doesn't operate inside LAX itself. LAX also has its own pickup rules and fees for airport rides. Because of that, the move is to leave the airport zone on foot and request the car once you're outside the airport pickup system.
LAX-it works, but I don't enjoy it. There is always some amount of waiting, traffic, and driver confusion. Waymo is calmer. The tradeoff is that you earn that better ride by walking farther.
Another advantage is pickup timing. With Waymo, I can usually choose the exact pickup time I want. With Uber and Lyft, I usually wait 5 to 10 minutes and sometimes 15 to 20 minutes.
The positives of this move are:
- lower price because you avoid airport fees
- exact pickup timing instead of waiting around for Uber or Lyft
- no weird conversations with drivers after a flight
- planes fly right overhead on the walk, which is fun every time
- if you want, you can add In-N-Out to your day
How to Do It
The route starts at Delta Terminal 3. If you land somewhere else in LAX, your walking time will be different, but the concept is the same: leave the terminal area and head toward the In-N-Out just east of the airport.
The route is:
- Walk toward LAX-it. This is always faster than taking the shuttle.
- Cross the street to LAX-it, then go left on the sidewalk.
- Go down the stairs to Sepulveda.
- Walk to In-N-Out.
The important comparison is this: walking to In-N-Out took me exactly 21 minutes from Delta Terminal 3.
You are not actually using LAX-it for pickup. It is just the fastest way to start the route on foot.
From there, head left on the sidewalk, go down the stairs to Sepulveda, and keep walking to In-N-Out. That stretch is the fun part because the airplanes fly right over you.
Most of the walk is normal sidewalk walking. But there are a few sections where you are more isolated and one part where you need to go down an outdoor stairwell.
That does not make the route difficult, but it does make it feel less polished than just going to LAX-it. If you are tired, carrying a lot of luggage, or arriving late and don't want any weird transitions, that is worth keeping in mind.
Once you get close to In-N-Out, open the Waymo app and request the ride. In my experience, this is the closest easy landmark to use for the pickup.
I like using In-N-Out because it is memorable, easy to navigate to, and outside the airport pickup mess. You do not need to overthink it.
On a Wednesday at 8pm, going from LAX back to Beverly Hills, the fares were:
- Waymo: $31.35
- Lyft: $40.93
- Uber: $45.96
That price gap is the whole point. The walk is longer, but you skip the airport fees, get the better car experience, have more control over pickup timing, and don't really give up speed on the drive home. In my super commute airport data, LAX was already the cheaper but more chaotic return option. This is the version of that return that I actually enjoy.
Waymo and the Freeway
When the Waymo arrives, load your bags, get in, and start the ride in the app. From there it becomes the normal Waymo experience.
The main advantage is that once you are out of the airport system, the trip becomes dramatically more pleasant. No awkward rideshare queue, no driver confusion, no tipping, and usually less chaos.
The timing is better too. Instead of waiting around hoping a driver shows up quickly, I can plan the walk and call the Waymo for the time I actually want. And now that Waymo can take the 405, it is just as fast getting back home.
Final Thoughts
Taking a Waymo from LAX is possible, but it is not yet a true airport pickup. My current move is simple: land at Delta Terminal 3, skip LAX-it, walk to the In-N-Out near the airport, and order the car there.
The walk to In-N-Out took me exactly 21 minutes from Delta Terminal 3, but I still prefer it. On my last Wednesday 8pm trip back to Beverly Hills, Waymo was $31.35 versus $40.93 for Lyft and $45.96 for Uber. If you already like riding in Waymos, this is the cleanest way I've found to leave LAX.