<p>Los Angeles International Airport is the busiest airport in California. LAX, as it is commonly known, services more than 59 million people per year, and it is the only airport in the United States with three international routes that fly more than one million people yearly. Although plans were discussed as early as 1928, the distinctive white building wasn’t constructed until 30 years later. This redesign was supposed to honor the anticipated “jet age” with streamlined modernity and arches with a dome. More terminals and parking structures were built to handle the traffic during the 1984 Summer Olympics. But despite the airport’s storied history, the question still gets asked: Why is there an X in the abbreviation? Before the 1930s, existing airports used a two-letter abbreviation based on the weather stations, so the designation at the time was LA. But with the rapid growth in the aviation industry, the designations were forced to become three letters, and so LA became LAX. The X has no actual meaning or importance. Another similar example is PDX, the Portland International Airport in Oregon. LAX, ATL, and DFW are all designations that have become a cultural mainstay, known by most if not all local residents.</p>