Check In terminals at LAX

[EscapeNow]

My first post ever, so bear with me please! Need some advice regarding check-in terminals in LAX, Sep 2015.

My partner, daughter and myself are travelling on UA, BOS/LAX (separately ticketed from our onwards journey).

I believe UA flights arrive into LAX terminal 7.

My husband is then ticketed on VA LAX/BNE. Check in appears to be terminal 3? He will have our only piece of luggage.

But my daughter and I are ticketed on DL LAX/BNE (codesharing with the VA flight above). Check in appears to be terminal 5?

Qn 1: Because my daughter and I will be luggage free, can we proceed with my husband to terminal 3 and check in with him at the VA desk instead?

Qn 2: I do understand the LAX requirement to collect and recheck baggage. But will UA be able to tag our only suitcase all the way through from BOS to BNE?

Qn 3: We’re travelling J class on both sectors. Can we join my husband in the soon to be re-opened Star Alliance lounge in terminal 3, or will we be restricted to the Delta lounge in terminal 5?

 

[dfcatch]

1/ I assume you are all travelling LAX/BNE on VA metal?

If that is the case - then you all check in with the OPERATING carrier - in this case VA.

2/ If not a through ticket - then I doubt that UA will check-through the bags, in which case you will need to collect and re-check at LAX.

(Someone with more Interline knowledge may correct me). In any event, have both tickets at hand when you check in at BOS and ask nicely, but fully expect that the answer will be no.

3/ The Star Alliance lounge is in TBIT - If you are flying in Business on a VA operated flight - then you will have access to this lounge. Proceed to TBIT after you check in at T3.

"Virgin Australia Business class guests, Velocity Platinum and Velocity Gold members can access the Star Alliance Lounge when travelling on Virgin Australia services. Velocity Platinum guests are invited to access the First Class section of the Star Alliance Lounge.Velocity Platinum and Velocity Gold members may also invite an additional guest with whom they are travelling together with on the same flight.
The ‘Star Alliance Lounge’ is located in the new Tom Bradley International Terminal on level 6. Accessible via escalator or elevator from the main atrium area. The lounge is airside after security and accessible only by guests departing from this terminal."

 

[EscapeNow]

Thank you dfcath (thanks also for adding to my vocab- it took me a second to Google what the terminology "metal" referred to!).

And yes, the flight is VA operated on a VA aircraft, so I am pleased you've alerted me to that fact that I need to check in at VA with my partner.

Will buy a lotto ticket if UA checks through the bag.

Last quickie - I presume we check in in term 3, but board from TBIT?

This is great - finally some answers that my little ol' travel agent was unable to provide!

 

[blackcat20]

Thank you dfcath (thanks also for adding to my vocab- it took me a second to Google what the terminology "metal" referred to!).

And yes, the flight is VA operated on a VA aircraft, so I am pleased you've alerted me to that fact that I need to check in at VA with my partner.

Will buy a lotto ticket if UA checks through the bag.

Last quickie - I presume we check in in term 3, but board from TBIT?

This is great - finally some answers that my little ol' travel agent was unable to provide!

Yes, check in at T3 then proceed to TBIT.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

My first post ever, so bear with me please! Need some advice regarding check-in terminals in LAX, Sep 2015.

My partner, daughter and myself are travelling on UA, BOS/LAX (separately ticketed from our onwards journey).

I believe UA flights arrive into LAX terminal 7.

My husband is then ticketed on VA LAX/BNE. Check in appears to be terminal 3? He will have our only piece of luggage.

But my daughter and I are ticketed on DL LAX/BNE (codesharing with the VA flight above). Check in appears to be terminal 5?

Qn 1: Because my daughter and I will be luggage free, can we proceed with my husband to terminal 3 and check in with him at the VA desk instead?

Qn 2: I do understand the LAX requirement to collect and recheck baggage. But will UA be able to tag our only suitcase all the way through from BOS to BNE?

Qn 3: We’re travelling J class on both sectors. Can we join my husband in the soon to be re-opened Star Alliance lounge in terminal 3, or will we be restricted to the Delta lounge in terminal 5?

Effective 01 Mar 2015 UA will no longer interline bags on separate tickets unless they are members of the Star Alliance (of which VA is not a member) so you would need to collect your luggage T7 in LAX after arriving from BOS, then make your way to T3 to checkin in with VA then proceed next door to the TBIT where you'll get access to the Star Alliance Lounge and where your VA flight departs from.

The requirement to collect and recheck bags only applies when arriving in the USA and happens at whichever city you first land in on US soil.

There is no outwards customs from the USA so just make sure your suitcase has a good set of wheels for you to tow from T7 to T3. How much time do you have between flights in LAX?

United Eliminating Checked Bags On Separate Tickets Outside Star Alliance - One Mile at a Time

 

[serfty]

Note that VA check in at T3 is as close to TBIT as possible on the West end of the check-in hall ... it's about a 60 metre walk from check in to TBIT.

 

[EscapeNow]

Thank you Oz. It will be tight. UA lands 2140. VA departs 2350. Have great wheels so will power walk it.

ANd thanks serfty. You just saved me another Google search to check out the proximtiy of T3 to TBIT.

 

[serfty]

In this case, the "A" bus may be faster (it's about the longest physical connection) - go all the way to the TBIT stop as it is effectively located between T3 and TBIT.

If you do walk, make sure you do it up to on the departures level- i would recommend going 'clockwise' and around past TBIT to T3.

 

[TomVexille]

In this case, the "A" bus may be faster (it's about the longest physical connection) - go all the way to the TBIT stop as it is effectively located between T3 and TBIT.

If you do walk, make sure you do it up to on the departures level- i would recommend going 'clockwise' and around past TBIT to T3.

Our old strategy when we used to connect from UA to NZ (in T2) was to cut straight across the car parks.

 

[serfty]

Our old strategy when we used to connect from UA to NZ (in T2) was to cut straight across the car parks.

I used to do that all the time, mainly for NZ at T2.

I tried it in March from T5 by using the pedestrian crossing route past the restaurant to the North side. It's still a long way to The VA check in area at the far far end of T3 as you approach. I decided one may as well stay at the upper level and walk around. Note that it is nearly 1km to walk from T7 to T3 VA check in across the car parks. Via TBIT is about 50 metres further.

There are reports on FT of being able to use overhead walkways though the car parks but there's the disclaimer of getting lost.

As indicated, the A bus is likely to be faster in any case as it's close to the furthest terminal connection one can have at LAX.

 

[Gremlin]

Thank you Oz. It will be tight. UA lands 2140. VA departs 2350.

From my perspective, on separate tickets, with luggage, connecting to an international flight, on opposite sides of LAX, this just doesn't add up as long enough to be comfortable. Check in on the VA flight closes at 2220 (they'll probably hold it open slightly longer as you're in J but even still...). You'll need everything running as clockwork to have a hope of making the flight. I don't mean to scare you, but the equivalent UA flight currently in flight is expected to land at 2238.

Are you able to move the UA flight to an earlier departure?

 

[Foreigner]

This diagram may be useful for passengers arriving and departing LAX:

 

[moa999]

That diagram is now well out of date.

The T5-6 connector now continues to T4-T5.
and you have the airside T4-TBIT connector

 

[Foreigner]

That diagram is now well out of date.

The T5-6 connector now continues to T4-T5.
and you have the airside T4-TBIT connector

Do you have link to uptodate diagram?


I got the diagram in article from Nov 2015 in this link about Amex Centurion lounge coming to LAX:

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/11/09/centurion-lounge-lax/

 

[serfty]

That diagram is now well out of date.

The T5-6 connector now continues to T4-T5.
and you have the airside T4-TBIT connector

True, but by not much - T4-T5 connector has been open for only a year and the connector to TBIT less than a month.

 

[moa999]

My 3-second MS Paint job,



The TBIT connector is a bit out of place (but not too bad)

 

[serfty]

The TBIT connector is a bit out of place (but not too bad)

Yeah ... it's a little too strait ...

Good Job~