Korean Air Skypass - 100 min Transfer in LAX: DEN-LAX-ICN

Howdy! I'm flying over to Seoul, via LAX. Long story short, my travel agent booked me on American (DEN-LAX) and Korean Air (LAX-ICN). The connection time is 1 hr 40 minutes, and Korean Air is telling me that I must check in at TBIT (annoying). I should be able to interline my bags, but I'm concerned that I won't have the time to check in with Korean Air and get through security in time. If it makes any difference, my flight's on a Sunday. Thanks!

I'd be concerned if I had your itinerary. TBIT is a snake pit under the best of circumstances. Are you in J, F or Y? At LAX your baggage is not taken by the KE check in agent. After getting the boarding pass you have to take the bag to another line where it is x-rayed and sent to the aircraft. Last time I used LAX I was in J and a KE agent took the bag to the separate bag check location, so I avoided that line to wait in. The security line is another barrier and takes time.

I travel a lot and at TBIT I try to be at the check in counter 2 hours before the flight departs. You will have a short 10 min hike from terminal 4, used by AA, and TBIT. Myself, I'd claim my bag from the domestic flight and check it in with KE if you want to be sure it arrives with you at ICN. You might want to change the domestic flight so you arrive in arrive at LAX with enough time to make the connection to the international flight with out the anxiety of rushing thought the crowds, or take a later KE flight since there are several each day.

I'd be concerned if I had your itinerary. TBIT is a snake pit under the best of circumstances. Are you in J, F or Y? At LAX your baggage is not taken by the KE check in agent. After getting the boarding pass you have to take the bag to another line where it is x-rayed and sent to the aircraft. Last time I used LAX I was in J and a KE agent took the bag to the separate bag check location, so I avoided that line to wait in. The security line is another barrier and takes time.

I travel a lot and at TBIT I try to be at the check in counter 2 hours before the flight departs. You will have a short 10 min hike from terminal 4, used by AA, and TBIT. Myself, I'd claim my bag from the domestic flight and check it in with KE if you want to be sure it arrives with you at ICN. You might want to change the domestic flight so you arrive in arrive at LAX with enough time to make the connection to the international flight with out the anxiety of rushing thought the crowds, or take a later KE flight since there are several each day.

Thanks. I'm in Y. KE says I can interline my bags. What's the risk of interlining my bags of DEN? What's so hellish about baggage in LAX?

I wouldn't worry to much about interlining my bag. It's done all the time and works 'most' of the time just like any other connection. I would consider 1 hour and 40 minutes 'adequate' although a little short for the really paranoid. If you AA flight is reasonably on time you will have no problem and terminal 4 is right next to TBIT so it is not a major hassle changing terminals. Security is reasonably efficient at TBIT. The biggest danger is Korean Air may cut off check in 1 hour prior to departure meaning you actually have 40 minutes to make it to Korean Air's check-in counter.

I personally would take that connection and not worry about it.