We flew into and out of Terminal 3 during our last trip through LAX. Since my last time flying the Delta ATL-LAX nonstop route, I think several of the Delta/domestic terminals at LAX have been upgraded including this one. In general, the airport looks better and more up-to-date now. Aesthetics aside, inside security on Level 3 (Departures), Terminal 3 was a bit bare when it came to vendors. There were only four food and beverage options. However, the terminal was functional, clean, and had essential features, so overall, I thought it was OK.
We had lunch at Native by Nyesha next to Gate 33. Native by Nyesha is a New American and Asian fusion restaurant and bar by California native and TV celebrity chef Nyesha Joyce Arrington. At the time of our visit, this was the only restaurant with sit-down service in Terminal 3. I liked the pork belly tacos, but seating was tight. You can read my full review for Native by Nyesha here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/native-by-nyesha-los-angeles.
We flew into Gate 37A from Atlanta and flew out of Gate 31 back to Atlanta. I used the men's restroom and water fountains both near Gate 35 and in between Gates 31A and 33. The restrooms were modern, spacious, and reasonably clean. I liked the contactless sinks with touch-free soap, water, and hand dryers plus motion-sensing paper towel dispensers. The back of the larger men's room, between Gates 31A and 33, had a counter with mirrors, lights, and power outlets for shaving which I thought was nice. There was a full-length mirror or two too. I ended up brushing my teeth here. I also filled up my water bottle outside at one of the two Elkay filling stations. Those water bottle filling stations are always convenient.
There wasn't adequate seating for everyone on our outbound flight at Gate 31A. We ended up sitting with a bunch of other passengers on our flight across the way near Gates 30A and 30B. Not a big deal, but it was harder to hear the gate announcements. There were enough power and USB outlets at the seats, and LAX offers free Wi-Fi. When I used it, the connection was strong and decently fast. I had to watch a short ad before connecting.
My wife and I and another couple were amused by the Gameway located next to Gate 30B. Gameway "is the world's first premium video game lounge located in airports." As a gamer, I thought it looked cool, but I had no interest in using it. Maybe if I was wide awake, bored, and had a really long layover.
We had a great experience with the TSA checkpoint for this terminal. We used PreCheck. Terminals 2 and 3 use the same checkpoint for regular security, TSA PreCheck, and CLEAR. After going through security, Terminal 3 is left and Terminal 2 is right. Terminal 3 has the gate numbers in the 30s and Terminal 2 has the gate numbers in the 20s. You can read my full review for TSA Checkpoint Terminal 2-3 here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/tsa-checkpoint-terminal-2-3-los-angeles.
If you travel with any sort of regularity, I recommend signing up for TSA PreCheck. It's currently $85 for five years. The convenience (e.g., you don't have to remove anything from your bags or anything off yourself) and time savings are worth it. If you travel internationally, even just once in five years, get Global Entry. It's $100 for five years and includes PreCheck. The prices haven't gone up for many years so these programs are a better value now more than ever. Some credit cards cover both Global Entry and TSA PreCheck enrollment fees. Examples include the Bank of America Premium Rewards Card, the Capital One Venture Rewards Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card.
While we had no line and no wait at security, it did take us almost half an hour to check one bag with Delta downstairs on Level 2 (Ticketing / Check-In). Delta's check-in counters moved from Terminal 2 to Terminal 3. You can read more about that and the rest of our recent experience with Delta, based out of LAX, here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/delta-airlines-los-angeles-19.
Airport staff kept the cars moving outside on Level 2.
Inbound, we had no issues at baggage claim (Level 1).
The Delta Sky Club is located on Level 4. read more