This study presents the experimental evaluation of laser assisted milling (LAML) of Ti-6AL-4V ELI (Ti-64), which is used in the orthopedic industry, by using localized preheating of the workpiece via laser irradiation. Improvements to the machinability of this material with LAML are assessed while considering the surface integrity. Suitable laser heating conditions as well as machining conditions are deter- mined based on temperature prediction modeling. Machinability improvements are shown in terms of tool wear, material removal rates and cutting force reduction. Systematic characterization of samples is shown to demonstrate that the machined sub-surfaces are not adversely affected during LAML by precisely controlling laser heating, via hardness measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for micro- structure analysis, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) for residual stresses. An economic analysis shows that LAML provides the cost reduction over conventional machining.