LAX customs time

[RooFlyer]

IRROPS on the day US airlines will put you on any flight, in any fare class within your ticketed cabin. I had an award ticket in ‘I’ class and with a missed connection they were happy to rebook me into full J on BA.

IRROPS yes, but if you are a no-show due to missed connection on same ticket? Would they facilitate getting you on your way or would it be their next seat in the same fare class (not arguing, genuine question).

 

[RooFlyer]

@shufflingfeet , is there any way you can get on the next flight to Chicago? Or maybe you are relaxed about when you arrive in Chicago, possibly much later.

There are 2 hours between scheduled arrival and departure. In that time, you'll have to:

* possibly contend with 55 mins delay in arrival (average over past few months, as quoted above)
* exit the plane
* clear immigration
* maybe wait for bags
* clear customs
* RUN to T7 - about 850m
* clear security - this could be well over 30 mins
* get to the gate before they close it (??10 mins before departure)

Its possible, yes, but I would never attempt it.

When the TBIT redevelopment first opened, they gave out orange immigration express passes at the arrival gate if the flight in was delayed and it looked like your connection was tight (in business, at least). Does anyone kn ow if that still happens?

 

[shufflingfeet]

@RooFlyer - I called Qantas and they wanted $305 plus the fare difference. I guess I’ll cross my fingers and hope for the best but I’ll take a good book for the potential LAX wait for another flight.
Thanks everyone for your comments.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

IRROPS yes, but if you are a no-show due to missed connection on same ticket? Would they facilitate getting you on your way or would it be their next seat in the same fare class (not arguing, genuine question).

An involuntary missed connection is the same thing as irrops in terms of outcomes. You just get put on the next flight. Same as a domestic connection with qantas... when you turn up they fly you.

Once the flight is under airport control agents have pretty good control. If you arrive late through your own actions, then you might have to wait for the next available in your fare class... happened to me with YUP a few years ago in the states. While first class was available, coach was ful, so I couldn’t get on the flight (you had to ticket in coach to get the automatic upgrade).

 

[shufflingfeet]

@shufflingfeet , is there any way you can get on the next flight to Chicago? Or maybe you are relaxed about when you arrive in Chicago, possibly much later.

There are 2 hours between scheduled arrival and departure. In that time, you'll have to:

* possibly contend with 55 mins delay in arrival (average over past few months, as quoted above)
* exit the plane
* clear immigration
* maybe wait for bags
* clear customs
* RUN to T7 - about 850m
* clear security - this could be well over 30 mins
* get to the gate before they close it (??10 mins before departure)

Its possible, yes, but I would never attempt it.

When the TBIT redevelopment first opened, they gave out orange immigration express passes at the arrival gate if the flight in was delayed and it looked like your connection was tight (in business, at least). Does anyone kn ow if that still happens?

I made my connection - as we disembarked Qantas ground staff gave all passengers with a 2 hour or less connection time an express pass. It was very fast through immigration and then I used it again going through TSA at the United terminal. However it was pretty quite in the United terminal so it wasn't necessary.
I was very impressed with the efficiency of the whole process.

 

[Sabot]

I made my connection - as we disembarked Qantas ground staff gave all passengers with a 2 hour or less connection time an express pass. It was very fast through immigration and then I used it again going through TSA at the United terminal. However it was pretty quite in the United terminal so it wasn't necessary.
I was very impressed with the efficiency of the whole process.

I was given one of those passes when I went through LAX, made no difference.

Awful airport, I fly through DFW whenever going to the US now.

 

[Spizz]

I am flying in with QF93 at 6am into LAX on Christmas Day. I have to get a seperatly booked flight from LAX-LAS. Will 3 hours be enough time? I will either book the internal flight with either Delta at 9am or American Airlines 8:38am. So unfortunately this is not on one ticket if I miss my flight. Or Should I book a later internal flight?

Once I clear customs do I need to take my luggage to the Terminal 4 where AA departs from or Terminal 2 where Delta departs from and then checkin with my luggage, clear customs again and head to the gates? Do I just walk from TBIT to Terminal 2 or 4?

Thanks in advance.

 

[RooFlyer]

Will 3 hours be enough time?

I would never say 3 hours is enough on separate tickets. It's 2.5 hours really, from when boarding starts. In that time you have to factor in a delayed arrival, customs and immigration, then re check-in and then reclear security for your next flight. This may one could be 30-50 minutes!

Do yourself a favour and get a later internal flight. 4 hrs minimum between flights.

After your clear US customs, you will have to re-check in for your next flight, in addition to the list above, at the terminal of your departing airline.

 

[DC3]

I am flying in with QF93 at 6am into LAX on Christmas Day. I have to get a seperatly booked flight from LAX-LAS. Will 3 hours be enough time? ...

Once I clear customs do I need to take my luggage to the Terminal 4 where AA departs from or Terminal 2 where Delta departs from and then checkin with my luggage, clear customs again and head to the gates? Do I just walk from TBIT to Terminal 2 or 4? ...

Clearing immigration/border will be done on arrival, at TBIT. Luggage will need to be re-checked/re-deposited with your connecting airline.

There’s no customs check to board domestic flights. Once you exit TBIT there will only be security to worry about (and luggage checkin).

According to EF, QF93 has been 38 minutes late, on average, over the past two months. I would plan to be at the departure gate 30-45 minutes before the onward LAS-LAX flight, although the flight may not close until 10 minutes before departure. Just a matter of following the signs to get there, and once in the departure terminal, keep checking the departures board for late gate changes.

A three-hour transit may be okay. You may end up with some of time up your sleeve, but then again probably not. We all have our own stories to tell about catching/missing flights.

There are a few existing threads/posts covering transiting through LAX. Someone may be able to post the process to be followed, but the information is already on AFF, just a matter of finding it. I’ll have a look shortly.

 

[Spizz]

Thanks to you both. Is it a long walk from TBIT to either Terminal 2 or 4?

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks to you both. Is it a long walk from TBIT to either Terminal 2 or 4?

this may help:

How To Get Between Terminals At LAX

Did you know you can move between terminals at LAX without leaving security? You just have to take a series of bridges and hidden tunnels.

onemileatatime.com

 

[DC3]

Thanks to you both. Is it a long walk from TBIT to either Terminal 2 or 4?

AA Tml 4 is adjacent to TBIT, maybe a 10-minute walk. There’s a connector, but I haven’t used it. Tml 2 is on the other side of TBIT, with Tml 3 in between TBIT and Tml 2. I have not been to Tml 2.

Unless you are after the adrenaline rush associated with possibly missing the connection, stretch it out a bit. No good running to somewhere that you are not familiar with, just to wave to the aircraft as it pushes back from the gate.

Take RooFlyer’s advice, above, for the sake of your sanity.

 

[jastel]

I made my 4 hour connection easily as the plane was EARLY and I was in Business and amongst first off. I was in the club in 30 minutes. But that was a dream run and not Xmas Day.
As said a plus for AA flight is after customs you just recheck your bag then walk through the tunnels to the terminal.

 

[jb747]

My son and I went through LAX back in August. I wasn't happy about the connection time, but that's what the booking engine gave us, and I figured that if it didn't work, then it would be their problem.

Aircraft was a bit late. We were met with an express pass. Son hadn't done a complete finger print scan, which I thought might be an issue. We were sent to a counter with a very short queue, and were probably out of immigration in under 10 minutes.

Luggage took forever. So long that I was wondering if it was still in Oz. Customs took seconds. Straight up to AA. Baggage drop took moments, but security took about 15 minutes. We were just about last on the aircraft, but we made it.

 

[Spizz]

Just an update I took everyone’s advice and made a later booking. I made a booking with United at 11am so as to give me a 5 hour Window and I was lucky I did. I switched from QF93 to VA1 which was was supposed to leave Sydney 11:25am but didn’t until 12:30pm due to the late arrival of the plane into Sydney.

They had hoped to make up the time on the flight to LAX but couldn’t so I was an hour late into LAX at just after 7am. Then immigration the lines were oddly horrendous which took another hour before I was out at after 8am. Luckily customs was quick around 15 min, then the long walk to Terminal 7 were United fly out, deposited my luggage, then cleared TSA. I would never had made those 9am flights I was looking at especially since I was on a seperate internal ticket.

Thanks again for the advice.

 

[serfty]

then the long walk to Terminal 7 were United fly out, deposited my luggage,

Separate tickets?

If on the one ticket, you should have been able to re-deposit your luggage at the special counters at TBIT before leaving the building.

 

[jb747]

Isn't customs time inversely related to the length of your connection time.....

 

[Spizz]

Separate tickets?

If on the one ticket, you should have been able to re-deposit your luggage at the special counters at TBIT before leaving the building.

Yes I had an award ticket from SYD-LAX and a paid internal for LAX-LAS so I had to exit and re-enter security.

 

[maccaisking]

I noticed a few days ago there are two immigration queues at LAX, the main one in front of the machines, and another one to the left (as you look at immigration desks). 3 members of our group were sent to the slow one and waited over an hour in it, one member went to the short one and was out in under 15 minutes. Does anyone know how/why agents decide which queue to send people to?

 

[jastel]

I was declined by the machines and had to go straight in front...others in the queue were also declined and worried...my friend was accepted by the machines and went to the L queue...we both got "In" in pretty much the same time.