Terminal 1

Southwest’s LAX base lives in Terminal 1 at the north curb

Every Southwest flight at LAX runs from Terminal 1, up at the north end of the horseshoe near Parking Structure 1. The building is the rebuilt version of the old WN pier, with a single, straight concourse that feels newer than most of LAX. Gates stack tightly along one corridor, so walking from security to the far end usually runs 7–10 minutes if crowds aren’t spilling into the walkway.

Security for T1 sits right off the upper-level roadway and can back up hard during Southwest’s morning and late-afternoon banks. There’s one main checkpoint after ticketing, with standard TSA and PreCheck lanes. No CLEAR lane is documented here as of 2024. If you’re hitting a 7–9 a.m. departure block, pad at least 30–40 minutes just for screening; off-peak mid-day flights often slide through in 10–15.

Food: solid basics like Rock & Brews and CPK

Post-security, food is mostly clustered in the middle of the concourse near the central gate area. California Pizza Kitchen brings the mall-classics playbook with personal pizzas, salads, and pastas; expect individual pies in the $15–$20 range and decent bar seating if you want a glass of wine before a late flight. This is a safe call if you’ve got 45 minutes and want a sit-down table near the main departure board.

Rock & Brews sits gate-side as the louder option, with burgers, wings, and tap beer lists that regularly hit 20+ choices. Portions lean big, and burgers usually price around $16–$19 before tax. It works best when your group wants a full meal and you’ve got at least an hour; ticket times can balloon when three or four Southwest flights leave within the same 30-minute window.

Point the Way Café links into the Golden Road Brewing family, with local Los Angeles beers on draft and a smaller menu of bar food. You’ll see pints starting around $10–$12 and quick bites like pretzels and sandwiches. If all you want is one drink and a snack between, say, Burbank and Oakland hops, this bar usually feels easier to slip into than Rock & Brews during game nights.

Cassell’s Hamburgers brings a Los Angeles name into the terminal with made-to-order burgers and shakes. A basic burger typically lands near $12–$14 before upgrades, and the line can stretch 10–15 people deep at mealtimes. If your boarding pass shows a full 1-hour wait to departure, Cassell’s is the best bet for an actually good burger instead of another generic chain sandwich.

Shops and the lack of lounges

Terminal 1 has no airline, credit card, or independent lounges catalogued, so there’s nowhere to escape into a quiet room with free drinks. Every seat you see along the straight concourse is fair game, and outlets are scattered rather than lined at every row. Build your own “lounge” by pairing a bar stool at Point the Way Café with a charger; tables there typically sit within reach of at least one power outlet.

For shopping, See’s Candies adds a distinctly West Coast feel with boxed chocolates and lollipops right in the concourse. Expect 1-pound assorted boxes in the $25–$30 range and smaller gift packs closer to $10. If you forgot a host gift before heading to the Bay Area or Phoenix, grabbing a See’s box here saves a separate stop at a mall later.

Layout and one last timing tip

The concourse itself runs in a straight line with gates branching off both sides, so you rarely walk more than 5–7 minutes between any two points once you’re airside. There’s no sterile connector from T1 to Terminals 2 or 3, so any inter-terminal change from Southwest to another airline means exiting, using the LAX shuttle buses, and re-clearing security in the new terminal. If your itinerary involves T1 plus another carrier, treat 75–90 minutes as the realistic minimum connection buffer at LAX.