LAX: Where Your Holiday Spirit Goes to Die (And New Flights Promise More of the Same)

Alright, people, let's get real about LAX. Every year, it’s the same goddamn song and dance, and 2025 ain't no different. They tell us to prepare for record-setting crowds, like it's some kind of surprise party they didn't see coming. Newsflash: Thanksgiving happens every November. Yet, here we are, staring down the barrel of nearly 2.5 million souls trying to escape or return through the lax airport between November 20 and December 1. It’s not just a travel rush; it’s a full-on, predictable, self-inflicted wound.

The Annual Ritual of Gridlock and Gaslighting

I saw the reports from Saturday. Drivers just abandoning their cars in that infamous horseshoe, hauling luggage on foot because the gridlock was that bad. Think about that for a second. You spend God knows how much on flights to LAX, fight through traffic, pay exorbitant LAX parking fees, and then you’re literally bailing on your vehicle to make your flight. That’s not a travel experience; that’s a scene from a post-apocalyptic movie. And Sunday, November 30? They're predicting over 230,000 travelers. That's not a projection, that's a warning label.

LAX officials, bless their hearts, trot out the same tired advice: "Arrive 2 hours early for domestic, 3 for international." "Pre-book parking." "Use cell-phone waiting lots." "Check flight status." "Use online check-in." "PreCheck." Give me a break. You think the folks abandoning their cars didn't hear that advice? It's like telling someone drowning to "remember to breathe." The system is clearly overwhelmed. They expect us to believe this nonsense, and honestly... it just makes me want to scream. What's the point of these "advisories" if the infrastructure can't handle the load anyway? Are we just supposed to accept this annual ritual of suffering as the price of doing business? Maybe I'm the crazy one here, but it feels like we're being gaslit into thinking it's our fault for traveling.

And the costs? Roundtrip domestic flights to LAX are averaging $700. Similar to last year, they say. But I’ve got to wonder, with all this chaos and the looming threat of more storms across the country in the week following November 23, are we really getting $700 worth of "service"? Or are we just paying for the privilege of being packed like sardines into a metal tube after enduring what feels like a gladiatorial challenge just to get to the gate? The thought of those lax wait times alone makes my blood run cold.

The Grand Global Ambitions (While the Home Front Burns)

Now, let's pivot from the immediate hell to the future pipe dreams. LAX wants its "global airport" cred back, apparently. Royal Air Maroc is prepping a new nonstop service from Casablanca starting June 2026, pending DOT approval. And EgyptAir's got plans for LAX in 2026 too. This, we're told, will restore LAX's "rare distinction" of offering nonstop passenger service to all six inhabited continents. Fancy, right? It's like polishing the chrome on a car that's constantly running out of gas.

They're talking about Boeing 787s, 5,990-mile flights, 11-12 hours in the air. This new route is supposed to be a magnet for connecting passengers to Africa and Europe, because apparently, the Los Angeles market itself won't generate enough point-to-point traffic. So, basically, we're going to be a transfer hub for people going somewhere else. Royal Air Maroc has a "low-cost structure" thanks to "lower labor expenses." Translation: they're probably running a tighter ship, which might be a good thing, or it might just mean they're cutting corners where it counts.

But let's be real, does adding more long-haul flights to LAX in 2026 actually solve the current, annual, predictable, Thanksgiving-level gridlock? It's like trying to fix a leaky faucet by adding another pipe. The underlying problem – the sheer volume, the inadequate infrastructure, the logistical nightmare – that's not going anywhere. We're talking about fleet constraints already, potentially requiring the reduction of another long-haul service just to make this Casablanca thing happen. It’s all a shell game, isn't it? They're promising us global grandeur while we're still stuck in the parking lot.

The Absurdity of It All

Oh, and because no LAX story is complete without a dash of celebrity ridiculousness, Addison Rae was spotted leaving the airport on November 20, with Rice University basketball player Addison Owen, in a blindfold. Heading to her car. I can’t even. While regular folks are abandoning their vehicles and sweating through security, navigating the endless lax wait times, celebrities are playing dress-up. It just perfectly encapsulates the disconnect, doesn't it? One segment of the population experiences LAX as a gauntlet; another experiences it as a stage for their latest stunt.

The Never-Ending Story

So, here's the deal. LAX is a beast. It's a necessary evil for a lot of us, a gateway to somewhere else, whether it's lax to new york or lax to japan. But it's also a monument to predictable chaos. We're told to brace for the present, while being sold on a glorious, globally connected future that feels miles away from the reality of a Sunday morning gridlock. They're adding more pieces to a puzzle that's already missing half its edges. What's the actual plan to make this place work for the millions of us who aren't celebrities and don't have a private jet? I'm not holding my breath.