LAX becomes second airport in the world to ban plastic water bottles

For the 6.8 million or so passengers who traverse through Los Angeles International Airport’s terminals each month, drinking water is going to look a different.

The airport officially prohibited the sale of single-use water bottles last month as it works toward reducing its waste and becoming net zero by the year 2045. Water bottles served onboard planes are exempt.

"The climate crisis is a great challenge facing our city, and phasing out single-use plastic water bottles at Los Angeles World Airports facilities is an important step to reducing our environmental footprint and protecting the health and livelihood of all Angelenos,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in a statement.

Single-use plastic water bottles are also prohibited at nearby non-commercial Van Nuys Airport, also part of Los Angeles World Airports.

The move to get rid of single-use plastic water bottles at the two airports is part of L.A.’s Green New Deal, a city-wide initiative launched in 2019 to move it closer to a “low-carbon, green-energy future,” including being completely net zero by 2050.

Learn more: Best travel insurance

In June 2021, all businesses at the two airports underwent a two-year phase-out period, which allowed them to complete or modify purchasing contracts before switching to sustainable alternatives.

San Francisco International Airport became the first airport in the world to disallow the sale of single-use water bottles in 2019.

More:7 hidden fees you may encounter when traveling — and how to avoid them

You’ll no longer be able to find plastic water bottles at vending machines, lounges, restaurants or concessions, but you will find more hydration stations installed throughout LAX to help make the transition to reusable water bottles easier.

“We encourage our guests to help us reach our goal of eliminating plastic waste at the airport by bringing a reusable water bottle and filling it up at one of our many hydration stations,” Justin Erbacci, CEO at Los Angeles World Airports, said in a statement.

And if you forgot your reusable water bottle at home, don’t fret about dehydration – you can still purchase water bottles made from sustainable materials like glass or aluminum.

Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at [email protected]