Entry to LAX is only allowed for airline passengers and persons meeting, accompanying or assisting them, and airport personnel whose employment requires their presence.

Yes, Terminal 3 at major airports like London Heathrow (LHR) or Dubai International (DXB) is open to the public, but your access is strictly divided between "Landside" and "Airside" zones. The Landside area (before security) is fully accessible to anyone, including non-travelers who are meeting friends, visiting the currency exchange, or grabbing a coffee at shops like Costa or Starbucks. This area usually includes the arrivals hall, check-in desks, and certain food outlets. However, the Airside area (after security), which contains the majority of the duty-free shopping, luxury lounges (like the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at LHR), and the departure gates, is strictly restricted to ticketed passengers with a valid boarding pass for a flight departing from that terminal on that day. Security personnel and automated gates verify documents before allowing entry into the departure lounge. Therefore, if you are a member of the public without a ticket, you can visit the terminal to browse the outer shops or wait for an arriving passenger, but you cannot enter the "gate area" to see someone off or shop at the high-end airside boutiques.