Los Angeles (LAX) Transit Questions & Tips

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@SeatBackForward @RooFlyer @Dr Ralph
Thank you very much for your replies and valuable info.

Yes I certainly agree, booking this trip on separate tickets was a mistake (although at the time of booking I was looking at some domestic US travel prior to the Mexico leg, however that itinerary has since fallen through).

I was planning around 4-5 hours as the transfer time at LAX (both from Australia and Mexico) - from arrival of the first flight, to boarding time of the second flight.
Your advice however suggests 5-6 hours transfer time on separate tickets is a better time frame (if not doing the overnight LAX hotel option). Is this correct?

 

[Quickstatus]

I was planning around 4-5 hours as the transfer time at LAX (both from Australia and Mexico) - from arrival of the first flight, to boarding time of the second flight.
Your advice however suggests 5-6 hours transfer time

There is no time period which will guarantee you will make the onward flight. For example if the flight is delayed by a day.

Also depends on the airline you pick for the MEX sector. I would recommend one of the US airlines.

If wanting a separate ticket consider flying AA or UA to LAX then an AA or UA to MEX. Separate ticket but same airline.

 

[Silvia]

one last thing to note. Last time I flew via LAX and had to do the drop bag for my Mexico flight, it took 1.5 hours and we were on a priority lane. So just give yourself PLENTY of time.

If you were going on an airline with codeshare/alliance agreement (e.g. QF-AA) bag drop is very simple, but just another thing to take into account if you are going on different airlines.

 

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Thanks for that @Silvia.
Yes, I have a similar itinerary (SYD-MEL-LAX) with the evening arrival into LAX., then considering the 12am flight onto MEX, or the overnight hotel stay instead.
Thanks for the advice, enjoy your trip.


@Quickstatus - Thank you for your reply and information.
At this stage I don't have any Mexico flights booked yet.
Arrival into LAX from Australia approx 6pm.
Flight home, departs LAX for Australia approx 9pm.
Current preference is to overnight at LAX on the way there and possibly for the flight home - or leave Mexico during the morning to allow for 6+ hours at LAX before the Qantas flight back to Australia.

I have looked into various alternative flights that include DFW or SFO, if I do cancel my existing booking. At this stage though it will still be cheaper not to cancel and rebook everything on the same PNR. I will have to weigh up cost vs practicality though.

 

[Lynda2475]

Have you considered SYD-DFW?

I found the AA connections out of DFW to Mexico City and Cancun so much better from DFW than LAX fo connecting with QF.

I still stayed the night in Dallas though to allow for any delays (most most recent flight SYD-DFW was 5.5 hours late)

 

[Quickstatus]

I have looked into various alternative flights that include DFW or SFO, i

The reason I suggested DFW is that there are a lot more non stop flights between MEX and DFW with AA than MEX and LAX with AA or AM. Similarly for UA via IAH. If flying QF, AA is the logical choice if separate ticket.

There are much less direct flights between MEX and LAX with AM compared with DFW /IAH

The logical airport for MEX to/from USA is DFW for AA and IAH for UA and it also makes sense for AU origin

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks for that @Silvia.
Yes, I have a similar itinerary (SYD-MEL-LAX) with the evening arrival into LAX., then considering the 12am flight onto MEX, or the overnight hotel stay instead.
Thanks for the advice, enjoy your trip.


@Quickstatus - Thank you for your reply and information.
At this stage I don't have any Mexico flights booked yet.
Arrival into LAX from Australia approx 6pm.
Flight home, departs LAX for Australia approx 9pm.
Current preference is to overnight at LAX on the way there and possibly for the flight home - or leave Mexico during the morning to allow for 6+ hours at LAX before the Qantas flight back to Australia.

I have looked into various alternative flights that include DFW or SFO, if I do cancel my existing booking. At this stage though it will still be cheaper not to cancel and rebook everything on the same PNR. I will have to weigh up cost vs practicality though.

Over night on the way out… tick. But beware hotel accommodation around LAX can be expensive.

On the way home, anything arriving by 12-2pm should see you with plenty of time… that allows for a delay of a couple hours, and a couple hours for immigration. Still gives you three hours up your sleeve. (And of course everything will be on time, with a quite arrival hall, and you’ll have 7 hours!)

The LAX Hilton often has day use rates for around $120. May be worth it depending on your flight times. Might be worth getting an earlier flight from MEX if you want to take a day use room.

 

[Lynda2475]

Noting day use ends at 5pm.

 

[Quickstatus]

Noting day use ends at 5pm.

Though hotel pool (if there is one) can be accessed past 5pm.
(assuming hotel pools are attraction - some are not into hotel pools)

 

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@Lynda2475 @MEL_Traveller - Thank you for your replies and advice.
I will make note.

 

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What is the Alaska Airlines/Qantas relationship like these days?
Initially I was leaning to flying with Alaska between Mexico and LAX (if I don't take the overnight at LAX hotel option).
Alaska is due into LAX at 3:50pm
American Airlines is due into LAX at 4:40pm.

Then the 'connecting' Qantas LAX-SYD flight is approx 9pm.

In this case it seems both airlines are leaving it quite late/tight for my LAX arrival.
There are other Mexican airlines that would get me into LAX earlier that day, which seems like the safer bet.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

What is the Alaska Airlines/Qantas relationship like these days?
Initially I was leaning to flying with Alaska between Mexico and LAX (if I don't take the overnight at LAX hotel option).
Alaska is due into LAX at 3:50pm
American Airlines is due into LAX at 4:40pm.

Then the 'connecting' Qantas LAX-SYD flight is approx 9pm.

In this case it seems both airlines are leaving it quite late/tight for my LAX arrival.
There are other Mexican airlines that would get me into LAX earlier that day, which seems like the safer bet.

350pm is cutting it fine… an hour delay, an hour in the arrivals hall… that’s already 6pm for a 9pm departure. If nothing else, not worth the stress.

 

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@MEL_Traveller ^ Thank you.

 

[chooms]

Hi ads. How did this work out time-wise? We have BNE-SYD-LAX-MIA in one hit coming up (ugh, it's going to be a long 48 hours) and whilst not an international connection, we have BNE-SYD-LAX with QF and LAX-MIA on a separate AA ticket.

We are on the re-timed QF11 which gets in to LAX at 1300 and the LAX-MIA flight is at 2230. So we think we have enough time and may event venture out of the airport for some fresh air. We are also hoping QF checks bags all the way through to MIA so we can just re-check at TBIT instead of having to lug them over to AA at T4 before we head out.

 

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Hi @chooms
We were very lucky in the end, all 4 of our LAX-related flights were on time, resulting in stress free transfer time between flights.

Landing into Tom Bradley International Terminal from our Qantas flight (~8am) passing through customs and immigration, then walking down to terminal #6 (10 minute walk landside, didn't use the underground inter-terminal connector walkway this time) and checking in at terminal 6 took a total of 45-60 minutes.

Very similar transit times through LAX for our journey in reverse when flying home.

I must say that we did not have any checked luggage on this trip, so certainly saved some time with that (perhaps an extra ~30 mins?).

Your flights have great gap allowing for transit time at LAX. Even if your QF11 is delayed, you will still have lots of time to burn once you get into LA.
I believe your American Airlines flight will depart from terminal 4 (adjacent to TBIT) or its neighbouring T5, so that's nice and close for you.
I'm not experienced enough to say whether or not Qantas will be able to through-check your bags from BNE to MIA....but I would think it's at least a 50% chance at this stage given the codeshare relationship between the two airlines.
I'm hoping someone else can answer whether or not 2/3pm(LA time) would be considered too early to check your bags in for your 10:30pm MIA flight. I don't think so, but perhaps something worth looking into - if your bags aren't able to be through-checked from BNE.

Depending on any possible delay with QF11's arrival into LAX and whether or not your luggage will be through-checked, in terms of passing time between flights, are you happy just to do a bit of a walk outside the terminal and spend the rest of the time inside the terminal waiting for your MIA flight?
Or, if you don't have to worry about checking in your bags, would you consider a bus/taxi/rideshare to Santa Monica or another beach/tourist attraction nearby the airport (say between 4-7pm)?
Or perhaps check into an airport hotel to sleep/shower/pass the time?
I don't think many hotels around LAX off 'day-room' bookings beyond 5pm, however depending on price and your budget, you could book any nearby hotel room 'for the night' - eg. 3pm to 8pm then make your way back to the airport to check in for your MIA flight.

 

[SYD]

Hi @chooms
We were very lucky in the end, all 4 of our LAX-related flights were on time, resulting in stress free transfer time between flights.

Landing into Tom Bradley International Terminal from our Qantas flight (~8am) passing through customs and immigration, then walking down to terminal #6 (10 minute walk landside, didn't use the underground inter-terminal connector walkway this time) and checking in at terminal 6 took a total of 45-60 minutes.

Very similar transit times through LAX for our journey in reverse when flying home.

I must say that we did not have any checked luggage on this trip, so certainly saved some time with that (perhaps an extra ~30 mins?).

Why did you go landside if there was no luggage to re-check?

Re clearing security at TBIT is usually much quicker than fronting back up at another terminal (despite the more direct waking route landslide). You might have lucked in on the day!

 

[Lynda2475]

Why did you go landside if there was no luggage to re-check?

Even without luggage you are deposited landside when arriving at LAX from somewhere international, so after clearing immigration you have to drop checked through bags off and go back through security. Whether you clear security again at the same terminal or another is much of a muchness.

 

[SYD]

Even without luggage you are deposited landside when arriving at LAX from somewhere international, so after clearing immigration you have to drop checked through bags off and go back through security. Whether you clear security again at the same terminal or another is much of a muchness.

No, not really. The transfer TSA security at TBIT is usually a doddle. Rarely much of a line and you’re deposited right near the entrance to the QF lounges or a short stroll to AA etc (plus there’s the other new connector going the other way).

Going to another terminal landside, you run the risk of joining a sea of humanity at those TSA check points. Can be really horrible and I certainly would never do it if I had the choice.

 

[Lynda2475]

No, not really. The transfer TSA security at TBIT is usually a doddle. Rarely much of a line and you’re deposited right near the entrance to the QF lounges or a short stroll to AA etc (plus there’s the other new connector going the other way).

You must be luckier than me, the last two times I flew SYD-LAX and then LAX-JFK (same flight number) the queue post bag drop at TBIT was significant, over 45mins then had to run to gate to board QF flight with no time for lounge or even to visit the bathroom; as the time to get through immigration at LAX was also lengthy.

Much prefer to fly into DFW or SFO where you are landside within 10 mins.

 

[SYD]

You must be luckier than me, the last two times I flew SYD-LAX and then LAX-JFK (same flight number) the queue post bag drop at TBIT was significant, over 45mins then had to run to gate to board QF flight with no time for lounge or even to visit the bathroom; as the time to get through immigration at LAX was also lengthy.

Ironically, my last SYD-LAX was due to the late restart of SYD-SFO but if you on the 6am into LAX, it’s otherwise very quick. Later arrivals are a cough shoot. I’d still stick with TBIT TSA - unless you look up the website to find which terminal is working best.

Much prefer to fly into DFW or SFO where you are landside within 10 mins.

Wouldn’t argue with that. Although DFW used to be horrendous also.