Originally Posted by
jmoskal
Hi
in October I will be traveling to San Diego by way of AA JFK-LAX and then Delta from LAX to SAN. I am traveling the same in reverse order back home. My layover between the flights each way is 2.5 to 3 hours and will only have carryon.
As an AA flyer I know very well the connection between T5, T4 and TBIT. There is an underground tunnel between T5 and T4. There is an above-ground "connector" between T4 and TBIT. The tunnel and the T4-TBIT connector are all airside.
Getting from TBIT to one of the Delta terminals is beyond my personal experience.
I found this web page:
https://upgradedpoints.com/travel/ai...es%2C%2024%2F7.
Airline Connector Shuttle Bus
For flight connections, passengers can hop on the
airside shuttle bus that runs between Terminals 1, 3, and TBIT. Buses operate every 10 minutes, 24/7. Buses operate from:
Terminal 1: from the bus gate on level 3 departures, past the concourse entrance
Terminal 3: near gate 21A on level 2
(ETA: This might not be accurate. Check with Delta before you fly.)
TBIT: near gate 146
TBIT West Gates: at the south end of the concourse on the lower level
So: if your AA flight is in T5 or T4, you would make your way to TBIT through a combination of the airside underground tunnel (T4-T5) and the above ground connector (T4-TBIT).
From your Delta flight, according to the website above (not my personal experience) you would get an airside shuttle from TBIT to T3, then move to your Delta gate, and reverse going home. For a 2.5-3 hour layover, I recommend hoofing it to your departure gate without waiting around. Once you are at your departure gate, then consider any other activity such as a quick meal, a drink or lounge visit. I need about 15 mins just to get through the T4-TBIT connector. (I am a slow walker.)
FWIW, the last time I was at LAX a few weeks ago, I noticed construction between T3 and TBIT. I am guessing they are building an airside aboveground connector similar to the T4-TBIT connector.