In the past, travelers at the Los Angeles International Airport who wanted to make a flight connection were required to walk outside the terminal or take a shuttle bus ride, and then go through re-screening at a security checkpoint all over again.

This huge inconvenience for travelers hustling from one gate to the next has finally come to an end, as a new $148.5M passenger facility has opened. The new Terminal 4 connector allows travelers to move between the recently expanded Tom Bradley International Terminal on the west side of the airport and the five terminals on the airport’s south-facing side, which is home to dozens of airlines. Now, travelers can cross between these terminals without going outside or leaving secure areas.

These new, modern facilities will greatly improve efficiency for travelers. There are now moving walkways between the Bradley Terminal and Terminal 4, reducing the walking distance between terminals and making transfers easier for passengers with checked bags. From there, passengers can proceed by tunnels and connecting corridors to Terminals 5, 6, 7, and 8, where they can reach shopping, restaurants, coffee shops and lounges.

The completion of this project is a major step towards securely connecting all LAX terminals. In the near future, plans call for similar connectors to be built at Terminals 1, 2 and 3 on the airport’s north side. The Terminal 4 connector is part of an $8.5-billion-dollar modernization and expansion of the nation’s third busiest airport, which serves as a primary international gateway to the western United States.