YVR -LAX transit question

[kelvedon]

Friend currently flying on Westjet out of Vancouver transiting at LAX and onto Syd on QF tonight.
Says he passed through US immigration in Vancouver but is unsure whether his bags are tagged though or does he have to collect them at LAX and deposit them again ?

 

[RooFlyer]

My bags on Air Canada YYC-LAX used to be tagged through to my Qantas flight LAX-SYD, so Westjet should be able to accomplish the same, unless things have changed in the past 2 years.

 

[LadyC]

I will be doing this at the end of the year also. Separate tickets YVR-LAX (likely AA but haven't booked yet) then QF LAX-MEL. What MCT do fellow AFFers recommend? Does travel class make a difference to MCT?

 

[Travel Guru]

I will be doing this at the end of the year also. Separate tickets YVR-LAX (likely AA but haven't booked yet) then QF LAX-MEL. What MCT do fellow AFFers recommend? Does travel class make a difference to MCT?

I always recommend at least 3 hours at LAX (usually err on the side of caution and go for longer) especially when transitting off a separate ticket as AA won't through check your bags to QF.

The only difference travel class will make is to your check in time and how long it takes to get through security which may be affected by your status level also...it won't make any difference to whether AA through checks for you.

 

[Himeno]

Friend currently flying on Westjet out of Vancouver transiting at LAX and onto Syd on QF tonight.
Says he passed through US immigration in Vancouver but is unsure whether his bags are tagged though or does he have to collect them at LAX and deposit them again ?

Flights with US preclearance are treated as domestic flights. No need to collect and recheck bags on such flights (provided ticketing issues allow through check).

 

[Quickstatus]

Was it all on one ticket?
If yes then no need to pick up at LAX.

 

[ozfflyer]

3 hours at LAX almost not enough going in from OZ. If separate tickets & need to collect bags, which can be slow, then get to QF check in - whole process can be very time consuming, especially if inbound flights is a bit late & if have to wait for a gate etc. Who needs the stress ?

Last time this year flew into LAX & then was continuing onto another U.S. port, we decided to overnight at LAX, get good nights sleep & then fly on domestic flight as driving at other end, rather than try to drive after long haul from OZ & domestic flight in USA.

 

[Aus ATC]

Probably a bit late now, but wouldn't the baggage receipts show how far the bags were tagged.

 

[kelvedon]

Thanks for all the responses. I can confirm that Westjet do apparently check through bags from YVR to SYD via LAX (on QF). As suggested by Himeno, US immigration is conducted in YVR and so treated as a domestic flight. On arrival at LAX he did have to pass through security. Both flights were on the same ticket.