Trip planning SYD-LAX-JFK advice required.

[mlob]

I am planning a one week trip to New York via LAX in October with my 77 year old mother. I have enough points to get one outright J return award and upgrade a J return to LAX. The LAX - JFK leg will need to be purchased and most probably in economy due to $. Virgin give you the opportunity to continue your booking to JFK with delta. I have not done this trip before so have some queries. Given my mum's circumstances I would like the trip to be as simple and comfortable as possible.

- I have been getting some very varied reports of Delta and wondering if there is a better airline to travel domestically in America.
- If we choose to continue the booking with Delta via Virgin does this mean our luggage would be booked through to JFK? I have only a very basic understanding of LAX airport. Would this be complicated by an award booking and a separate paid booking for one of the passengers?

Thanks in advance and any advice regarding this trip would be appreciated

 

[notzac]

- I have been getting some very varied reports of Delta and wondering if there is a better airline to travel domestically in America.

There are lots of different opinions of airlines in the US, but I'd say that DL and AA are probably the best of the "legacy" carriers. VX may be another option - they're consistently rated as being among the best of the newer carriers.

- If we choose to continue the booking with Delta via Virgin does this mean our luggage would be booked through to JFK?

If it's at all possible, you want everything on a single ticket. That way, you'll get all your boarding cards in Australia and baggage will be checked through to NYC - though in saying that, you have to collect baggage after passing through immigration at LAX before re-checking it, regardless of whether it's checked through or not - so having everything on the one ticket may not be such a big deal.

I have only a very basic understanding of LAX airport. Would this be complicated by an award booking and a separate paid booking for one of the passengers?

Yes, but not incredibly so (see above comment). You'll arrive in to LAX at the Tom Bradley terminal - there's a fairly long walk down a raised corridor before going down an escalator to immigration. Directly after immigration you'll go down another set of escalators to reclaim baggage, out through customs and then there are bag drop facilities directly afterwards where you can drop bags and get onwards boarding cards (if you need them).

Once outside, the DL terminal (5/6) or VX terminal (3) is a short walk away. If you're sick of walking, there are landside terminal transfer buses, but walking is usually faster.

 

[mlob]

Thanks Notzac. That really helps. The itinerary that Virgin proposed via their website allowed for 2hrs and 45 mins between the delta flight and the Virgin flight on the way home. Is that enough lay over time?
Im also wondering if there are any AAdvantage possibilities for upgrading some economy domestic tickets. But guess that is a question for another thread!

 

[Bolthead]

I am starting a similar trip next week. I booked it via the phone with Virgin customer service departing on the 27th March. I booked a reward ticket (Y+) 27th March SYD-LAX (then stop over) 4th April LAX-JFK with VX. Then my turn is in J on the 18th May with VA. (all legs paid with points)

I had the choice of flying either DL or VX and I choose VX as I have flown with them before and I have found they provide a very good service. I have never flown DL. On the other hand I am then meeting up with my wife at JFK however she is on a paid ticket and her connection is with DL from LAX-JFK. On line we didn't have the choice to fly VX hence she is with DL.

As notzac has mentioned you are better off getting all flights on the one ticket. Despite the fact that I have haven't flown DL before I would try and get the Virgin customer service to book the flight for you using VX and hopefully they won't charge you a booking fee. I will try and remember to post how I thought the VX flight went and I will also get my wife's opinion on DL.

 

[VMC73]

Delta offer economy comfort seats (a little more leg room) for around $35.00 p/p e/w might be a little more comfortable.

 

[Deewhy]

VX tend to come available later than DL.

As the other post notes, if you buy DL, you can pay the fee at booking time for economy plus for extra legroom. For VX The other thing you can do is the upgrade for cash to main cabin select and then first, a few hours out from departure time.

 

[Denali]

Having flown Delta LA>Ny in "economy plus", no idea what the "plus" was because other than getting out earlier than others as it was still a tight fit but at least you don't have to walk to the back of the plane. I do suggest checking out their pre order meals online (If flying Delta), as it was a good feed without having to scramble for currency.

For your mums comfort, ask if they can transport her from dedeparture as it can be a bit of a walk and you want to stay in front of the crowd.

We were ticketed all the way through but had to pick up boarding passes in LA and we got these when dropping off our bag after immigration and customs.

 

[notzac]

Thanks Notzac. That really helps. The itinerary that Virgin proposed via their website allowed for 2hrs and 45 mins between the delta flight and the Virgin flight on the way home. Is that enough lay over time?

Plenty - even if the Delta flight is a little behind schedule, the US doesn't have outbound immigration/customs - so if you have the boarding cards for the VA flight back home, all you'll need to worry about is getting from terminal 5/6 to TBIT and re-clearing security (when VA departed from T3 there was an airside bus which negated the need for re-clearing security, but I don't know if that's in place now that VA depart from TBIT).

Additionally, if you don't have your VA boarding cards, you will need to go from T5/6 to T3 to collect VA boarding cards from the check-in desk before going to TBIT (slightly stupid, but I'm told it's because they're waiting for check-in desk space to open up at TBIT).

 

[notzac]

Having flown Delta LA>Ny in "economy plus", no idea what the "plus" was because other than getting out earlier than others as it was still a tight fit but at least you don't have to walk to the back of the plane. I do suggest checking out their pre order meals online (If flying Delta), as it was a good feed without having to scramble for currency.

Seats at the front of Y, Better recline, slightly more legroom, complimentary booze and snacks. Nothing terribly fancy, but better than being wedged in to seats at the very rear of the plane

 

[mlob]

I am starting a similar trip next week. I booked it via the phone with Virgin customer service departing on the 27th March. I booked a reward ticket (Y+) 27th March SYD-LAX (then stop over) 4th April LAX-JFK with VX. Then my turn is in J on the 18th May with VA. (all legs paid with points)

I had the choice of flying either DL or VX and I choose VX as I have flown with them before and I have found they provide a very good service. I have never flown DL. On the other hand I am then meeting up with my wife at JFK however she is on a paid ticket and her connection is with DL from LAX-JFK. On line we didn't have the choice to fly VX hence she is with DL.


As notzac has mentioned you are better off getting all flights on the one ticket. Despite the fact that I have haven't flown DL before I would try and get the Virgin customer service to book the flight for you using VX and hopefully they won't charge you a booking fee. I will try and remember to post how I thought the VX flight went and I will also get my wife's opinion on DL.

Bolthead. Curious to hear how your trip is progressing. By chance I logged into my bookings and found they had changed my JFK -LAX flight to 4.45pm! Arriving LAX 8pm. Surely that is too tight for a 9.15pm departure on LAX-SYD. Ill have to give them a ring.