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LAX FlyAway
Categories: Hotels & Travel Transportation Airport Shuttles Hotels & Travel Airports Airport Shuttles, Airports [Edit]
7610 Woodley AveVan Nuys FlyAway Bus Terminal
Van Nuys, CA 91406
Neighbourhood: Lake Balboa
(866) 435-9529
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 12 am - 11:30 pm
- Wi-Fi:
- No
Becky K. said: "I found them to be quite good. I had a groupon for them, and bought it at the great deal. It was four adults, and two kids in car seats. The van was plenty big enough to accommodate all of us and all of our belongings. Customer…" read more »
81 reviews for LAX FlyAway
81 reviews in English
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Review from Sophia C.
1/4/2012
With LAX charging 2 arms and a leg to park anywhere remotely there, we always use this option whenever having to fly out of LAX, which is usually for our international flights.
The parking is super cheap compared to even the cheapest lots around LAX, and you have to pay for the r/t bus ride, which isn't much anyways. Even in busy LA weekday mornings, the FlyAway averages 35-45 mins from Van Nuys to LAX. In LA standards on a regular commute morning, that ain't bad.
The only downside to FlyAway is that whenever it's time for us to head back to the FlyAway port and waiting at LAX, it takes about and hour, versus on their website, they say their buses get there about every half hour.
Overall, good option and saves you money and your sanity to get to LAX. Save the sanity for the actual travels! -
Review from Patrick M.
Tarzana, CA
5/6/2012 7 Check-ins Here
The good Ol' Flyaway. I had to take this bus for nearly 5 years. I had my high points here and I've had my low points here. but over all it still beats driving myself to LAX and sitting on the 405 yelling at every a*sshole that cuts me off.
They have raised there prices a bit but I still think this is the best deal you can get.
Oh yeah 1 more thing, bring a credit or debit card, they don't take cash! Weird, because it used to be the other way around a few years ago. -
Review from Brian S.
4/25/2012
Once a five-star service, VN FlyAway has degraded to a three-star. Over the years the parking costs have risen but are still reasonable and the same (I believe) as Lot C. The upgrade to the parking and terminal was nice.
Interestingly, most of the self-serve features were disabled and it became "credit card only". Not really a problem for most people, but no reasonable options available if someone doesn't have a credit card or when their credit card system goes down. How about this option that they offered when that happened to me: first the interrogation about whether I have a valid ID or not, and then told to fill out an 8.5 x 11 page of legal terms called a promissary note... complete with threats of interest and collections. And for anyone who balks and even asks about paying cash they call the cops. Really, nice customer service, buddy.
Even one of the on-site managers (and the cops) agreed that this process is malarky. And then there is the newly-installed automated payment center for the parking lot. This shouldn't be a problem because these are at many parking lots... but this one is CONFUSING. I needed help to just pay the parking tab. They must know that it has a dreadful itnerface because they have a parking manager at a podium right near the kiosk. That was nice customer service!
But God help the person who didn't validate their parking ticket or whatever her probelm was) because there is no help at the exit and the folks behind such a person pay the price: wait, wait, wait, then everyone has to back up. I thinkthere is a "help me" button that can be pushed but who knows what good that does.
Oh, the cop sitting in his car near the exit watching the gate looked asleep... and this was only 2 in the afternoon!
If I wasn't so p'd off about that I'd mention the 12 minute "safety briefing" they give before departing. All the information one could ever want to know about roof-top escape hatches, break-away windows, and fire extinguishers, secret switches to open the door, and what to do if the driver-drops-dead-from-a-stroke-while-in-the-carpo ol-lane-on-the-405.
And that's why they get only two-stars today! There is ZERO ATTENTION TO ANY CUSTOMER SERVICE!! Meh. I've experienced better from the FlyAway. -
Review from Allison B.
Chatsworth, CA
3/2/2012
So, whats the deal with not being able to pay cash?
I arrived at the Flyaway after leaving LAX. I was herded to a line to pay the 7 dollar fair.
I get up to the window and notice a sign that says "No Cash" Well, I didnt bring a credit card with me and all I had was cash. The man behind the window says "Well, maybe you can convince a person in the line to help you out." Really? Nice customer service, buddy.
Luckily, there was a nice gentleman behind me that offered to use his atm and just have me give him the 7 dollars cash.
No more Flyaway para me! -
Review from Dan S.
Sherman Oaks, CA
5/20/2012 2 Check-ins Here
If you need to go to the airport, use the flyaway. Cheap long term parking and the buses come and go frequently. I may have waited ~20 minutes or so at the latest during non peak hours.
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Review from James L.
Van Nuys, CA
4/25/2012
EZ ! air conditioned soft seats all the way to LAX
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Review from Mike J.
Burbank, CA
1/15/2012
I've been a Van Nuys Fly Away rider for many years. The following are my personal observations and experiences with this service.
- Facility, parking lots and restrooms are always extremely clean
- Parking and fare fees are reasonable
- The male employees seem pretty cool but most of the Filipina workers always appear to be half asleep, extremely unhappy to be there and rarely smile. They really need to hire some happy people in their 20's and 30's
- NONE OF THE LUGGAGE THAT IS PLACED UNDER THE BUS OR INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENTS ARE CHECKED FOR ANY KIND OF EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL WHEN DEPARTING FROM VAN NUYS NOR LAX. ANY TERRORIST OR LUNATIC COULD EASILY DETONATE THEIR BAG OF EXPLOSIVES KILLING THE ENTIRE BUS LOAD OF PEOPLE AT ANY TIME. DOES A TRAGEDY HAVE TO HAPPEN IN ORDER FOR THEM TO SCREEN PEOPLE AND THEIR BAGS BEFORE BOARDING THE BUS? THE SAFETY OF THEIR EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS SHOULD BE THEIR #1 PRIORITY BUT SADLY THAT'S NOT THE CASE. -
Review from Amy K.
11/26/2011
This is the easiest way to get to and from the airport, unless you have someone who can give you a ride directly. The buses leave very regularly, are comfy and clean, and leaving your car in their lot is a super cheap $4/day. The ride itself is $7. The Van Nuys terminal is a fine place to sit, has vending machines, and one of the employees chatted with me. The pickup area at the airport is easy to find, especially since there's a stop at every terminal. The driver will help you stow your bags, and then you just kick back and relax.
Dumb thing: to buy your bus ticket, there aren't automated machines, you have to go to a teller window. That doesn't bug me (although it does mean that during busy hours, make sure you get there a few minutes earlier in case there's a line), it's that they don't accept CASH, just credit or ATM cards...!? Who does that? The machine you enter your parking ticket in to pay your balance takes cash, so I don't get it. However, that's my only complaint, and I will happily take this cheap and reliable transport service to LAX any time I fly. -
Review from Lisette C.
Woodland Hills, CA
12/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've always fantasized about a tall, dark and handsome guy holding flowers and a sign reading "Lisette I've missed you so" waiting for me at LAX with misty eyes and a huge smile as he sees me emerge from the terminal....But ALAS, the harsh reality is that I usually have to bribe a family member to drop me off/pick me up at the Van Nuys flyway station.
Its not glamorous and some of the cashiers can use a little attitude adjustment, but hey, I'm not always cheerful at 5:00 am either....
For $14 you get taken to and brought back from LAX with your luggage. You can sleep, read or evesdrop on other peoples annoying cell phone coversations. Expect to be at LAX between 45 minutes to an hour. You can also park your car there for a few bucks a day ($4) WAY cheaper than at LAX.
Bottom Line: This place does the trick for not a lot of dough.
TIP: Take cash and tip your driver/baggage handler!! -
Review from David D.
Northridge, CA
7/6/2011
DO NOT BUY ROUND TRIP TICKETS!! SAVE AND READ ALL YOUR RECEIPTS!! AND DON'T EXPECT ANYONE TO CARE IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM.
Our story is below:
With more than enough time planned to catch our flight from LAX to Seattle we headed out to Flyaway in Van Nuys, an affordable service, only about 15 minutes from the house. I checked the web-site to confirm rates and pick up times and everything was just as it was last year. $4.00 a day for parking and $7.00 per person for the shuttle one way.
The problems began as soon as we pulled off of the 405 and found that due to some road construction we couldn't enter into the parking garage and where routed around to the back side. Now take into account this is in an industrial area right next to the Budweiser Plant and it is 7:00am in the morning. So to say there was traffic is an understatement!
There was not signage for the back entrance and just in front of the opening in the gate a semi tractor trailer was off loading cargo, making a busy two lane road into a one lane free for all. After almost getting hit by another car we missed the entrance and had to make a U turn a quarter mile down the road and take another 10 minutes to get back to the unmarked back entrance.
Once inside 2 women handed out the typical receipt with the time we entered marked on it and said go ahead and park where ever.
We gathered our luggage and headed for the shuttle, at the ticket counter we bought 2 round trip tickets for the shuttle and where given our receipt. This is where I have a problem. The receipt is a small gas station credit card receipt on thin white paper with printing so small you need a magnifying glass to read it if you are over 40. Which I promptly lost, or threw away, as I gathered other similar types of paper from restaurants and shops while in Seattle.
And if you lose your receipt you are sh*t out of luck. The woman at Flyaway said there is nothing she could do but offered this advice "maybe next time only buy a one way ticket" REALLY!!!
And after that snide comment I had forgotten that when we parked we were given a ticket that from a woman with our time written on it, and not from the terminal printed by the computer. This is important because at the exit there aren't' any attendants, only a terminal where you would put in your ticket. Which meant I had to back up 50 feet out of the exit lane and go back to the charming attendants inside of the building.
Flyaway is designed to be a cheap automated service and it is. There is ZERO ATTENTION TO ANY CUSTOMER SERVICE!!
I will never use this place again and I am very disappointed that the people working there didn't take into account the construction and the change in routine that it presented to their customers.
Pay a few extra bucks and have a shuttle pick you up.
David -
Review from Anthony C.
Winnetka, CA
7/5/2011
I love the ease of using the flyaway. The cost is cheap and you can relax while going down the 405 to LAX.
However, I was a little frusterated today after figuring out that you cannot prepay for a ticket. Not to mention that they made me miss my bus in order to figure out their own process. I'll give them a 3 for their royal mess up.
I'll update this after another good experience. -
Review from Steve M.
Stevenson Ranch, CA
1/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've been using the Fly Away for years. This is a great service but it does have its problems. $4 to park per day and $14 round trip to LAX. You can't beat that. Getting to the airport is easy and convenient. The problem is getting back from LAX. You exit the terminal and have to wait, and wait and wait for a bus at times. Peak holiday times the buses fill up quick. You may have to wait for another one to come by. They are supposed to be by every 15 to 30 minutes depending on the schedule but it varies due to traffic. The drivers and bag handlers are pleasant. Overall, its good. To purchase a ticket, they only take credit cards. Payment for your parking is by an automated machine in the lobby.
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Review from Richard N.
Saugus, CA
9/21/2011
While you can't beat the price; everytime I use this service it gets less and less customer oriented.
Why did they remove the manned pay stations for parking outside? They have been replaced with automated machines inside where you stand in line and wait to pay, then have to sit in line AGAIN waiting to swipe that same ticket through another machine to raise the gate and let me out.
Thanks Van Nuys Flyaway for deleting two jobs and putting the burden on your customers. Now we have to sit in line twice to get out instead of once. -
Review from Denis S.
6/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
This continues to be the easiest and best way to get to and from LAX. Seats are nice and roomy (especially after getting off a plane) and the ride is very smooth.
My only problem was that this past time our driver was completely unprofessional. Yelled at us to drop our luggage, and then proceeded to chuck it into the storage compartment. -
Review from Ryan M.
6/11/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This review is for 06/10/2011. Well, Hello There!! This is Ryan writing his Yelp Review from Phoenix, AZ. This is a first for me to write far from Los Angeles and be away for a long time. Well, its time for Ryan to write those stories.
I was headed to Phoenix, AZ and the best way to get to the airport is by using Flyaway. I remember this place from a small shack to now this enormous building. Van Nuys is the #1 location, the followed by Union Station. I arrived around 4:45pm due to the traffic on the 405...of course...the dreaded 405.
I parked in the building and the best spots are usually the first 3 floors, but I had the last floor which was under construction and only a few cars. Parking is $4 a day. When I got to the ground level, the kiosk that sells the tickets were under maintenance. What?! I remember that a few years ago City of LA eliminated the human interaction. However, there were temporary workers there fixing up the credit card machines. No Cash Accepted!! One way is $7 and RT is $14.
The wait for the bus varies on the 405. 405 STOP RUINING OUR LIVES!!! I believe the bus came in around 5:10pm. The porters and the driver helped with the bags on a unmarked, white bus. It wasn't the typical blue with FlyAway sign on the sign. The driver told us that there was a lot of traffic on the 405 and it will take awhile to get to LAX.
Bus ride was comfortable except for the stop and go. A lot of the patrons were sleeping. Who wouldn't sleep?! Especially when you are stuck on the 405 for an hour. Eventually we got to the airport at 6:10pm and a lot of people ran to their flight. Again, 405 you ruined the day!!
I was dropped off at the American Airline terminal with plenty of time to spare. Time to enjoy my weekend. It will get 101 in Phoenix today. Time to have some fun and do whatever I can do in Phoenix. I may write another Yelp Review, but I dunno....lets see what the weather does to me.
The Yelp Universe. Where are you traveling today? -
Review from Dorothy R.
Los Angeles, CA
3/30/2011 1 photo
In my opinion, the FlyAway is the greatest public transportation resource in Southern California! (Not that we have much to choose from...)
The process is so convenient and simple! You get dropped off or park in their structure, then mosey through their terminal and buy a $7 one-way ticket. Then you traipse out to the bus stop where a bus leaves at least every half an hour, and relax during your 30-60 minute ride (depending on 405S traffic) to the airport.
For the return flight, you simply grab your bags and the $7 ticket back to Van Nuys Airport, walk out of the terminal, and sit at the designated FlyAway bus stop. They're everywhere and obvious, and they pick up from LAX every half an hour.
You really can't get more convenient, and you save a nice friend/family member (or yourself!) from having to deal with driving to LAX in the consistently godawful traffic! It's so nice of you! -
Review from niki h.
Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 5/10/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I should probably also add that parking is a breeze (and inexpensive compared to the lots near LAX), and the buses are clean and comfortable.
I just wish they'd fix their stupid ticket machine because it's almost impossible to hang onto a tiny paper receipt for the duration of any trip, especially when it looks like a receipt you'd get at a convenience store - they're very easy to misplace or inadvertently throw away...1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/9/2011
I wouldn't normally take the time to review an airport bus, but this past weekend was a long hard… Read more »
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Review from Abraham P.
Northridge, CA
4/23/2011 36 Check-ins Here
I work at the LAX airport and take the Flyaway almost everyday. Even with the crazy traffic of the 405, it still manages to get me there on time everytime (well... it's only been three weeks so far though.) It seems to take on average an hour to get to LAX which is pretty decent.
The price is great too. If you aren't an employee of LAX, you do have to pay $7 one way, and that's really cheap. Where else can you find a shuttle bus that will drive you an hour's way for that little?
I did have to take off a star though because of that darn blasted wind. The safety windows that they use don't seal properly. If you sit near the edge of the windows, you get significant amount of wind blowing at you. And I gotta tell ya, cold wind blowing at you for about an hour does not make for a good drive. -
Review from Roman T.
11/24/2010
My dilemma:
I needed a lift to LAX at 3am and my friends already barely like me.
Solution:
Let those punks sleep, while I take a bus.
30-40 min ride (depends on the traffic) to LAX, $7 each way!
Parking in a secure lot, $4 a day!!!!!
Making sure my friends still talk to me, Priceless!!!
FYI: NO CASH!!! :P -
Review from Lexa P.
Northridge, CA
3/10/2012
Times like this I wish there were zero stars.
I usually only use Yelp for restaurants, but this place is so awful and has so many good reviews I feel compelled to share my horrible experience.
It was January of 2010 and I was returning home from my Christmas vacation in Connecticut at LAX. It was late at night, as all flights coming in from the East Coast usually are, maybe 10 or 11 pm. It was cold with warm smog and disgusting fumes coming from all the traffic. Ahh, home in LA.
I was exhausted after what was although, including layovers, about 12 hours of traveling time. All I wanted to do was get home. I had over 100 lbs of luggage with me (two bags around 50 lbs each, a carry on, and a laptop bag) and am a small girl and was struggling to carry everything myself. Yes, the joys of traveling alone.
I had never taken the FlyAway before so had no idea where to go. I saw the sign and went up to the curb in the middle. The Westwood Flyaway came and asked me if I needed a ride and I said no, waiting for Van Nuys. That driver was very polite. The Union Station Flyaway came and took passengers. Another Westwood Flyaway came. And I waited. Maybe 45 minutes passed. It could have been longer, but I'm trying not to embellish at all and give the benefit of the doubt.
As often happens to a single girl standing on a curb by herself holding over 100 lbs of heavy items, many men stopped to talk to me, asking if I needed a ride, mostly red and blue van shuttle drivers and rent a car shuttle drivers. I said no, waiting for the Van Nuys Flyaway. A couple of them told me it would be coming soon. All very polite.
Finally, the Van Nuys Flyaway came. I thought it was weird I was the only one waiting for it this whole time. It stopped at the curb to the left of where I was standing. There was one of those giant white pillar separators in between my curb and that curb, so I could not see what was going on or why it stopped there. But I could see the van and I saw that people were getting on. I was confused, so I crossed "pillar" to the next curb over and saw a huge line had formed. I was at the wrong curb the whole time. An innocent mistake, in fact, I was directly under the FlyAway sign, and the Westwood and Union Station busses stopped at my curb, so there's no way I could have known where the bus was going to stop. What most likely happened was some other group created a line and I was just unaware of it and from that line saw me because I'm small and was standing behind a giant pillar. In any event, I had been waiting for at least 45 minutes and was definitely the first person there (I had passed this curb on my way to the curb where I was standing so I know none of these people were there before me). Because of the way the traffic works at LAX, it was impossible for me to get to the back of the line, (which I didn't feel I needed to do anyway since I was the first person there, but again, benefit of the doubt, none of these people knew I was the first person there) but it was so clearly obviously because of where I was standing was technically in the front of the line. (I'm sure this makes no sense if you can't picture it, but go with me on this one). So when the driver came around to collect the bags from the next person I put my bags down expecting to be served, and the driver gives me a RUDE DIRTY LOOK and scoffs at me and serves the next person. Now, from where he was standing, and from where I was standing, he has to know that the FlyAway can stop at the next curb over and that I did not cut, I was simply at the opposite curb. He also knew there was no way for me to go to the back of the line without endangering myself in traffic. I also looked exhausted and like I wanted to die and wanted nothing more than to put my 100+ lbs of luggage down. But no. And the other passengers he helped before me? Mostly single males with little or no luggage, no familes with kids, no other struggling females. So it wasn't a chivalry thing. He just decided to be extremely rude to me because he thought I cut in line. He did not even tell me to get in the back of the line, he just decided to ignore me until the very end. Then, with another dirty look, he rudely took one of my suitcases and threw it very hard, then another one and threw it even harder.
When I got to Van Nuys, he treated my suitcases with the same "care and respect." One of them has a broken wheel and one of them has a broken handle because of his rudeness and mistrestment. Never again FlyAway, I'd rather pay 100 for a taxi! -
Review from Paul M.
Los Angeles, CA
12/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
One of the most useful services in LA! Always a fan when leaving from LAX
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Review from Dana P.
North Hills, CA
3/12/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I don't understand why these fools stopped accepting cash when I had just gotten used to going out of my way to stop at an ATM before my flights. Whatever...
It's still the easiest way for me to get to and from LAX without proving to someone that I hate them by making them pick me up from that horrible airport with 405-like traffic. -
Review from Sara L.
4/8/2011
I like the fact that I can take a bus and not have drive myself into the parking lot that is the 405 traffic. I can sleep on the bus and not have to worry about falling asleep a the wheel.
The things I don't like about it: The parking lot is pretty big but every time I go there are huge sections of the parking structure that are coned off and people cannot park. It has been like that for well over a year. Fix it all ready so I don't have to park on the friggin roof! *takes a deep breath*
They no longer take cash and is debit/credit card only now. The price for a
adult and children is $7 for one way and children under 5 are free.
Parking is $4 per day with a 30 day limit.
The buses are usually pretty empty. I have never been in one that is too full. Also be a good judge on what bus you should take to make your flight. Traffic getting to LAX can be such a... well you know. -
Review from jeff m.
Van Nuys, CA
Updated - 1/27/2012
As promised, my one and (so far) only rotten flyaway experience:
Returning from Christmas 2010 in minnesota, my girlfriend, 11 month old son, and I hit lax an hour late due to delays in Minneapolis, our bags took another hour to find their way to the claims area, and then we waited another hour for a van nuys flyaway bus. So, it's about 1am on a Monday morning and we both have to work in a few short hours. All the ingredients for disaster are here, but you can't bake a disaster cake without fire in the oven.
Over the exhausted sobs of my girlfriend and baby, I hear a voice call out, " van nuys flyaway." Yes. I move towards the bus door waiting for the driver. A whoosh of air escapes from the shocks and the door swings open. The driver steps out and surveys the tired faces of helpless travelers who just want to go home. He says, "I can take seven." I raise my hand and say, "we're three." he shrugs me off and counts off seven people, mostly young, single travelers with only a backpack or carry-on bag in tow. I'm confused. We've easily been waiting longer than anyone else, and we're the only ones with a baby. The driver ushers the seventh person onto the bus and disappears inside. He reemerges and says he's got room for two more, standing. I say we'll stand. He snaps, "I'm not letting you stand on my bus with a baby." I lose it. "why didn't you let us on before, then?" I throw my hands up - as far as I can; I'm wearing an overstuffed backpack on my shoulders and I imagine I look something like a penguin-turtle hybrid, with all the powers bestowed upon such a beast. I look around for a sympathetic face, but I'm met with iciness mixed with smugness at the fact that my baby couldn't secure us a seat on the bus when everywhere else at the airport we get special treatment.
I angrily flap my penguin arms around some more, telling my girl and baby - the only two who will listen - how ridiculous it is that the driver wouldn't seat us, and that no one inside was willing to give up a seat and stand so we could board the bus. Finally, my voice is heard. The driver yells to me, "you gotta problem with me?" yes, sir, I have a problem - is what I think to myself. My silence is clearly upsetting to him, so he begins entertaining a crowd of people waiting for other buses, telling them how he showed me who runs the show, and people like me need to be put in their place, etc.
I must be wearing my furious face at this point, because the driver decides to push his way through the crowd over to me to tell me to my face that I'm a bad person and he refuses to let me take him down to my level. I start my arms flapping again as I try to re-explain my point of view in this bizarre mess, but my frantic gesturing sends the wrong message. The driver unzips his jacket to reveal a TSA sweater vest, and then threatens to throw me on the no-fly list with little chance of ever extricating myself. Now, I'm a rational thinker, and I believe in the ACLU, but this is a game of chicken I'm too chicken to play. I try to retreat into my turtle shell of a backpack, but it's too late, I've already kicked the hornets' nest into the bear cave. The driver begins to taunt me to hit him, that he wants to get in a fight. I'm wishing at this moment that I were one of those animals who emits a malodorous spray to frighten away predators, like a skunk or a stink beetle. The best I can muster is averting eye contact, but that offers little reprieve, when out of nowhere the driver thrusts his fist to within a gnat's ass hair of my eyeball, replacing my field of vision with a super close-up of a dark, metal ring on his finger. He snarls at me, "you ever see a ring like this? I'm ex special forces. I could kill you with my thumb." that's it for me. I cave in on myself with crushing concern for my life; which, coincidentally is my best defense, as he seems to have gotten the reaction he was looking for, says something to the rapt audience about how this all proves his point that I'm scum and he's just taking out the trash, and makes his way back to the bus, soliciting a hi-five from a fat pimply teenage special forces wanna-bee.
Blood rushes to my face and I realize my girlfriend is noiselessly crying in fear and no one around us seems to care that I almost died by the thumb of a clinically insane man driving a public bus. We wait another 15 minutes for the next flyaway bus, not sure if the doors will swing open and a chuck Norris jean Claude van damme Carl weathers mutant will spring out and roundhouse kick my face off. When the doors do swing open, out bounces a friendly guy with a shiny black pompadour and a slight, almost put-on Mexican accent. He calls out the station name and loads us on the bus. When we sit down and start moving, he says, "hi folks. I'm your driver, Felipe, but some of you know me as the Mexican George Lopez." there you have it. The flyaway is the Jekyll & Hyde of public transportation.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/23/2012
I've tried every method of transportation to the airport over the years: drive myself and park (pro:… Read more »
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Review from wendy s.
6/26/2011
i'm leaving on the flyaway
can't wait til i am back again
no, it's not a vacation
more a family obligation
oh man, i hate to go
i'm leaving on the flyaway
can't wait til i am back again
but the ride is smooth and most efficacious
departing every 15 is most expeditious
oh, i still hate to go
i'm leaving on the flyaway
can't wait til i am back again
it's only $7 each way
cruising through the carpool line means very few delays
oh, i really do hate to go
but i'm leaving on the flyaway
soon it will bring me back again
oh, i hate to go -
Review from Nancy M.
12/30/2010 5 Check-ins Here
I love the ease of mind. If you didn't get any sleep from packing the night before, like me, then you can sleep for the 35-45 minute drive. Plus, there are buses leaving every 15-30 minutes! I love it. It's really inexpensive too. I know LAX can be a troublesome airport but you get in the bus and then your out in your airline terminal. And it is so inexpensive @ $14 for a round trip.
Before you could but your ticket at a machine, but now you have to buy it at the ticket window. No cash, only credit or debit card! It's okay for me because I hardly carry cash anyways. LOL :)Listed in: My HOOD...
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Review from Kevin L.
12/2/2008
Super super easy and incredibly inexpensive. For a one-way fare of just four dollars, you can travel from the outskirts of the Valley directly to LAX without a stop, by way of HOV lane.
The motorcoach is pretty no-frills, but that's fine. It would be somewhat nice to have some kind of PA and a method of signaling which terminals the passengers need stops at. Our driver called out each terminal and their associated airlines but it was challenging to hear even while paying close attention.
Gotta give credit where credit is due, though. If this one vehicle can take dozens of others off the roads during LA rush hour (which, come on, it's really a rush week), that alone should be worth every star I can give.Listed in: LA Travels
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Review from Laura N.
10/21/2008
Umm, so I would have paid $100 dollars for a seat on this spellbinding blue bus. It was that fantastic. You can only imagine my outward zest and glee when the driver told me that I would only be coughing up $4 bones!
Truly -- for a city that isn't exactly hailed for its stellar public transportation, the FlyAway proves to be divine intervention. Exceptionally clean buses and facilities, efficient routes, and the avoidance of traffic, parking, and driving in general? Yes, please. -
Review from Keisha A.
Los Angeles, CA
1/6/2009 ROTD 1/8/2010
Did taxes pay for this service? 'Cause if so it's great to be able to see the fruits of our labor! The Van Nuys Flyaway rocks! Someone else to drive you to the airport and it's not a begrudging friend or lover? Awesome!
I like the Van Nuys Flyaway because it's cheap and it's convenient. If you're going away for an extended trip and don't have easy transport to the airport, the flyaway might be your best bet. They have a very large long-term parking lot that is only $4/day and much cheaper than parking your car at the airport. They raised the rates for one-way fares on 1/1/09 from $4 to $6, but for $6 you get to ride on a clean and new or newish passenger bus. The drivers tag and store your luggage for you under the bus, noting on your luggage which airline and terminal you're using. The waiting terminal is large, very clean and has vending machines for snacks and drinks while you wait for the bus to depart. The buses depart for LAX almost every half hour and it's a quick trip thanks to the carpool lane and super drivers.
Overall, it's a painless experience and makes flying a lot less chaotic, especially if you live in the Valley and don't enjoy fighting 405 traffic to get to LAX.
Word of caution: I discovered that the holidays are quite a busy time for the flyway. Even with their abundance of long-term parking, everyone and their great-Aunt Sally seemed to love the flyway and thus the parking lots filled to capacity. Imagine my panic (and the panic of several others) on Christmas Eve when I thought I wouldn't be able to park there and would have to drive down to LAX myself losing precious time and risking a panic attack over fear of missing my flight. However, the wonderful parking lot manager there drove around the lots searching for rogue parking spots and was able to find make-shift spots for me and several other travelers on Christmas Eve. I heart him.Listed in: You like me, you really like…
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Review from Rosie C.
Los Angeles, CA
1/3/2008
With all the travelling I did in '07, and perhaps even MORE in '08, I'm thankful for the Van Nuys Flyaway. There's ample parking for $4/day, and for an additional 4 bucks, you get a ride to LAX. Not too shabby indead.
The buses are clean (including the bathroom) and the bus drivers are friendly; particularly the ladies.
My only complaint is waiting for a bus upon leaving LAX. Like my friend Terry said, if your terminal is at the end of the airport, you might have to wait for another bus. -
Review from Wes S.
2/6/2008
If you don't feel like facing the traffic on the ever so grid locked free way known as the 405, this is your savior.
Buses are constantly leaving this station and you can basically relax to and from LAX as the you let the bus driver handle the madness.
You basically go to the ticket booth, pay one-way, or round trip and you're set. The bus driver will be nice to help load your stuff, and I also love that they drop you off exactly at your terminal. If I fly out of LAX again anytime soon, this will be my chauffeur. -
Review from Skylar L.
Van Nuys, CA
5/6/2008
The only way to go when going to LAX. The parking lot is HUGE, well lit and about half the cost per day as the airport lots. I parked here the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and had little hassle finding a spot. What else can I say? It's a great alternative to the headache that is LAX traffic. I even have my friends visiting me take the Flyaway if they are inconsiderate enough to land during rush hour (how bitchy of me is that?).
Some of the airlines now have baggage checks at the terminal. I've never done it, but it's an option. Also, rethink the shuttle thing if you're landing really late. My flight was delayed and I didn't arrive until 2am. At that point they only come once an hour. I had to wait a long ass time. It was January so I was cold. Boo. -
Review from Hilary P.
10/28/2008
As a fairly frequent leisure traveler, I have a love/hate relationship with the Flyaway bus service.
Let's give it some love first, shall we?
- $4 each way is delightful
- $4/day parking is ridiculously cheap considering your airport adjacent alternatives
- clean buses
- very friendly drivers and skycaps
Now for the hate....
- sometimes it can be very difficult to find parking spots in their structure - sections of it have been closed for what seems like a year and that limits the space a great deal
- the "every half hour" bus schedule in the off peak times of the day has actually screwed me over before to the point where, with that and traffic, i missed my flight but probably would have been OK if I'd just stayed on the freeway in the first place and driven myself all the way there
- As much as I'm generally OK with the Flyaway on my way out of town, there's nothing worse then landing after a long day on a plane only to have to wait an uncertain amount of time at the curb for a bus that will take another half hour min. to get me to my comfy car. I seriously dread this every time.
Let's be real here though; the Flyaway is a great value and often times convenient to those of us who reside over the hill so I will continue using it while secretly hating those long rides home. -
Review from Cynthia R.
Chatsworth, CA
11/6/2007
The Van Nuys Flyaway underwent a MAJOR renovation years ago. It's a beautiful modern looking place in a not-so-beautiful nor modern area (just close your eyes and think of your destination!). Located on Woodley Ave, it's super close to the 405 and just a trip over the hill to LAX.
Parking is $4 a day in a covered parking garage, and the round-trip bus fare is $8. The shuttle will drop you off at your selected terminal. The bus leaves Van Nuys every 15 minutes from 5am-9:30am and every 30 minutes after that. They also provide check-in services if you're early enough (3 hours), which I never am. Besides, if you're that early, why not just do it at the airport?
Now remember, you're taking a shuttle, but it's still the 405!!! The last trip I made, I missed my flight but it was due to a major accident. Oh, and if you spent all your cash on your trip, you can use a credit card at the exit booth! -
Review from s s.
Northridge, CA
6/6/2008
- No driving on the world infamous 405
- $4 one way, $8 round trip (as of June 08)
- Parking costs maximum $4 per day (long term up to 30 days)
- Bus comes every 30 minutes (15 minutes during rush hours)
- Plenty of parking spots
- Bus never too crowded
- The facility is so clean and neat you'd forget you are in the valley
Before I tried for the first time I wasn't comfortable taking a public transportation,
but Flyaway is not like other metro or city buses at all. Waaay nicer and cleaner.
Unless you are in such a hurry and don't want to waste a minute of your time,
I highly recommend taking Flyaway instead of driving to LAX. -
Review from Diana G.
Studio City, CA
11/22/2007
This is a lovely alternative to being picked up from LAX if you live in the Valley, like I do. It's only four dollars, the Flyaway stop at LAX is clearly marked and right outside baggage claim, the seats are very clean and spacious, and the bus is ::fast::. We made it to Van Nuys in about 45 minutes the last time I took one.
I do sort of wish they did a mid-point stop, because it would be quicker to make my way home from, say Studio City than all the way up in Van Nuys, but I really like this service as is. -
Review from Yelena I.
Sherman Oaks, CA
1/13/2010
Easy, inexpensive and oh SO convinient!
If you live in the Valley and hate the 405 just as much as I do, than there is no better way to get to LAX but on the Big Blue Fly Away Bus! The buses are comfortable. The attendants are polite. The station is clean with plenty of parking at low cost. The shuttle runs every half hour and drops you off directly at your departure gate - perfect! Don't waste your time, gas, and patience sitting in traffic on the 405 when you can enjoy a good book or that extra half hour nap for about $4 (one way) on the Big Blue!
My only negative comment about this service is these buses get really full leaving LAX and it always seems like there are never enough buses going back to the Van Nuys terminal ... but it's a small price to pay for such a great and convinient service. -
Review from Jenn C.
4/20/2011 5 Check-ins Here
what I love about LAX FlyAway:
-parking is $4 a day compared to $30 a day at LAX
-it only costs you $14 to go to LAX and come back
-they drop you off at your airline
-its a nice bus with comfy chairs and its always clean -
Review from Aaron G.
Hollywood, CA
5/3/2007
The Van Nuys Flyaway. Kinda convenient and kinda effecient. If you live in the valley and travel through LAX quite a bit and don't want to bother people with rides to the airport the flyaway is great. Just get someone to drop you off or park in the garage and hop on a bus - let someone else do the crawl down the 405.
buses are usually on time leaving van nuys and sometimes there when they say they are at LAX - you usually don't have to wait that long. THe only time i've waited longer than 30 minutes for a bus was that time a crane collapsed over the 405 and 101. When the flyaway finally showed we had to drive down the 105, around downtown, up the 101/170 and through the valley on victory. I'm just glad i wasn't trying to drive back that day and someone else could deal with it.
It's not perfect, during busy seasons (christmas) they don't really know how to handle the influx but with any mass transit oriented improvement in los angeles you have to take it for what it is - usually hit or miss - and appreciate that it's any progress to getting cars off the freeway. -
Review from Easter E.
Burlingame, CA
9/7/2011
Reliable and easy. It just flat out works.
