No matter what airline your fly, make sure you're at the gate 45 minutes to an hour prior to departure. Doors close 10 minutes prior to departure. Airplanes don't wait for you, YOU wait for airplanes.
AVOID. AT. ALL. COST. Decrepit, dirty, particularly unfriendly TSA staff, horrible traffic access. Favour any of the smaller airports in the region even if that adds driving time.
The best part of this airport is leaving it behind. Horrible floor plans, rude TSA, not enough seating, people laying in the hallways and sprawled across the floors, and not enough restaurants.
Don't tell your ride to pick you up for at least 45 minutes after you land. LAX had the worst baggage service in the world. LAPD, you wonder why there are so many cars waiting at the curb?!
If you need to park across from terminal 2 there is no entrance to the structure from the upper level. Procced to the lower level and park in structure 2A.
Despite the horrible traffic, limited parking, poor vehicle access, it really is a nice airport that pumps out tons of domestic and international routes.