Originally Posted by cordelli
If I understand right, you are both coming from overseas, so you don't have many choices. You will both be required to clear customs and immigration on you rarrivial, without the chance to meet inside the terminals anywhere. You will be forced to go through, so I vote for the waiting area right outside of customs, or upstairs in the ticket area, say by the windows down by the elite check in lines.
I missed the overseas arrival(from oz will probably be through west coast, do landing formalities there). I also vote for the area outside of customs as it is in the same general area as the domestic baggage claim area.