Sydney to San Jose transfer at LAX, lounge access and time.

[saw71]

Hi, i will be flying from Sydney to San Jose with a transfer at Los Angeles. I have booked my flight with Delta Airlines, i am a virgin gold member and flying to LA on a virgin flight which lands at 10.30 am at terminal 5. I then have a delta flight to San Jose (using a partner airline skywest) departing at 1.00pm. After doing a bit of a search it looks like skywest departs from terminal 8. As i have lounge access to delta lounge, it would be nice to have have a shower and change before flying to San Jose. I think the delta lounge is in terminal 5, so would i get off the plane, clear customs and immigration, go to the lounge, shower and get something to eat and then walk to terminal 8 for the next flight? If that is right will 2 and half hours be enough time to do that?

 

[NM]

You probably will not be able to get back though security at T5 after clearing immigration and customs, so unlikely to get to the T5 lounge. At USA airports, you need to b holding boarding pass for same-day departure from the specific terminal to be allowed though the security screening point. Sounds like you will have a boarding pass for a T8 departure, so cannot enter T5 departures area.

International arrivals an terminal re-entry (same o different terminal) with security screening processing at any major USA airport is going to take at least 1hour, but can take much longer.

 

[drewbles]

Hi, i will be flying from Sydney to San Jose with a transfer at Los Angeles. I have booked my flight with Delta Airlines, i am a virgin gold member and flying to LA on a virgin flight which lands at 10.30 am at terminal 5. I then have a delta flight to San Jose (using a partner airline skywest) departing at 1.00pm. After doing a bit of a search it looks like skywest departs from terminal 8. As i have lounge access to delta lounge, it would be nice to have have a shower and change before flying to San Jose. I think the delta lounge is in terminal 5, so would i get off the plane, clear customs and immigration, go to the lounge, shower and get something to eat and then walk to terminal 8 for the next flight? If that is right will 2 and half hours be enough time to do that?

If you're flying VA, you arrive into TBIT now (they changed a month or so ago from T5).

As NM has said, unless you have a BP for T5, you're out of luck unfortunately. I don't believe T8 has any lounges either. Perhaps you can find some showers somewhere at LAX to freshen up (although you may need to BYO towel and toiletries). SAN isn't a long flight at least

 

[saw71]

Isn't there a tunnel that allows access to terminals without having to go through security?

 

[drewbles]

Isn't there a tunnel that allows access to terminals without having to go through security?

There are tunnels between various terminals, but after September 11, most these closed. Some occasionally open I believe (paging serfty to the white courtesy telephone).

Take a look at the map though. T5 is a ways from T8:

I believe at best the tunnels were only open between specific adjacent terminals too, not all of them.

 

[Didicoi Marmie]

It was 3hours 10mins last time I was in LAX to clear from original landing time. Plane(s) were late with a huge backlog so customs was delayed also. I no longer plan anything for that same day arrival into LAX. Good luck!