Getting around · Long Beach
Getting to and from LGB: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to Long Beach airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a taxi runs about $25–$25 to Downtown Long Beach, and Uber & Lyft pick up in a marked pickup zone. Picking someone up instead? Wait free at the Cell Phone Waiting Lots. Below: every way to and from the airport, what it costs, whether to park or grab a ride, and how to fold the drive into your Leave-By Time so you reach security with room to get through the line. Check LGB TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
- Terminal
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- Checkpoint
- 1
- PreCheck
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- CLEAR
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- Global Entry
- Off site
- Wait data
- Predicted
Taxis from LGB — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
~$25–$25
to Downtown Long Beach
Drive time
10–20 min
4 mi to Downtown Long Beach
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Expect about $25–$25 to Downtown Long Beach on the meter, before tolls and tip — more in heavy traffic.
The taxi stand is outside the terminal next to Parking Structure A. Metered fare starts at $3.10 plus $2.97 per mile; a ride to downtown Long Beach is about $25. Book through Long Beach Yellow Cab.
The LGB cell-phone waiting lot
Picking someone up? Wait free at Cell Phone Waiting Lots. Two free lots on the northwest and southwest corners of Lakewood Boulevard and East Donald Douglas Drive. Wait there until your traveler texts that they're at the curb, then loop in once. Wait in a lot until your passenger calls from the curb, then pull up to collect them.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare LGBparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at LGB
Uber, Lyft, Opoli, Fare and Wingz pick up on the outer curb in front of the terminal.
Dropping off? Drop departing passengers at the curbside area in front of the terminal; stay with your vehicle, as parking is not allowed there. Long Beachhas a single terminal, so there's no wrong-curb risk — any door gets you to check-in and security.
Driving to LGB — routes & drive time
LGB sits about 4 miles from Downtown Long Beach, a drive of roughly 10–20 minutes via Lakewood Boulevard to downtown Long Beach; I-405 for regional trips — closer to the high end at rush hour. That drive time is the first input into your Leave-By Time, so the calculator counts it backward from your flight along with today's security wait and the walk to your gate.
Getting to LGB by train or transit
No rail reaches the terminal. Long Beach Transit routes 102, 104, 111 and 405 stop near Parking Structure A off Barbara London Drive and connect to downtown and to Metro A Line stations; the nearest rail stop, Wardlow on the A Line, is a short bus or cab ride away.
Fare: $1.25 per ride.
Hotel and city shuttles to LGB
Approved private shuttles and limousines serve the airport; hotel shuttles are available from many properties. If a shuttle is part of your plan, add its ride time to your Leave-By Time — it's easy to forget the 15–20 minutes between the curb and the terminal.
Park or ride to LGB?
Here's the math. Parking starts around $8/day, while a round-trip taxi or rideshare to Downtown Long Beach runs about $50. So a round trip by car comes out ahead once you're away more than about 6 days — for a quick trip, parking usually costs less; for a long one, getting a ride does.
Want the exact trade-off for your dates? compare LGBparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at LGB
Long Beach Transit buses are wheelchair accessible, and accessible taxis and vans are available on request.
Late or overnight arrival? Taxis and rideshare meet flights; Long Beach Transit runs limited hours, so check the schedule late at night.
Returning a rental on the way out? Return rental cars at the Airport Ground Transportation Center across the street from the terminal. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Recently changed: Long Beach Airport has been in a multi-year terminal-area construction program; ground-transport locations can shift, so watch posted signs. Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified LGB's ground-transport details as of July 1, 2026. Always check the in-app pickup pin and posted signs when you land.
Flying out of a nearby airport instead?
If a fare or a schedule points you elsewhere, the closest airport we cover is LAX (Los Angeles Int'l), about 17 miles from LGB in a straight line. The same math on this page — drive time, ride cost, security wait — decides whether the extra distance is worth it.
Other airports nearby
Straight-line distance from LGB — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go LGB
LGB TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ LGB
How much is a taxi to or from LGB?
A metered taxi to Downtown Long Beach typically runs about $25–$25, before tolls and tip and more in heavy traffic. The taxi stand is outside the terminal next to Parking Structure A.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at LGB?
Uber, Lyft, Opoli, Fare and Wingz pick up on the outer curb in front of the terminal. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the LGB cell-phone lot?
Cell Phone Waiting Lots — Two free lots on the northwest and southwest corners of Lakewood Boulevard and East Donald Douglas Drive. It's free, and you wait there until your traveler texts that they have their bags.
How far is LGB from Downtown Long Beach?
LGB is about 4 miles from Downtown Long Beach — roughly 10–20 minutes by car depending on traffic, via Lakewood Boulevard to downtown Long Beach; I-405 for regional trips.
Is there a train from LGB to Downtown Long Beach?
Not directly. No rail reaches the terminal. Long Beach Transit routes 102, 104, 111 and 405 stop near Parking Structure A off Barbara London Drive and connect to downtown and to Metro A Line stations; the nearest rail stop, Wardlow on the A Line, is a short bus or cab ride away.