HobokenFlyer

I am flying AS on Friday out of LAX at 8am. The AS website says you should checkin 3 hours before the flight?

Is this a hard checkin time or is this a suggestion as long as you make the 45 min baggage and the 30 min gate time?

Is there a reason why they want you there that early? Is security or checkin that much of a nightmare for AS at LAX?

I am CO Elite, but I don't think that gives any priority on AS.

Some frequent LAX AS flier input would be greatly appreciated! I tried a search but can't use LAX because it's not 4 letters.

Thanks in advance!

- HF

pushback

LAX is pretty quick, assuming its not overly busy at the moment. It's reasonable to expect to be able to get from the front door, get your boarding pass, get through TSA and to your gate in 35 minutes. Print your boarding pass ahead of time and save 5-10 minutes. I flew out of LAX on AS a lot last year (0 so far this year). Unless something's changed 3 hours is absurd.

Edit to include: Oh--there's no elite line there anyway so put your CO card away.

HobokenFlyer

Thanks for the quick reply! I was also thinking of paying the $50 if they offer the upgrade, does that give you anymore baggage allowance? According to the AS website it does not differentiate for checked baggage between coach/FC or even domestic/intl (mex).

As to checkin I was planning to get to the terminal around 6:30am for my 8am flight. I might get there earlier if I want to grab breakfast in the terminal.

- HF

pushback

I was charged $25 in December for being 8 pounds over on checked baggage. No grace was offered for the fact that I was MVP Gold, flying in F (OK, I was on a free upgrade) and as I mentioned to the GA "This is the first time I have even checked a bag this year--I always do carry on. (which is true) Can we put some those lighter trips towards this one?" she would not budge. Went on about Weight and Balance, as if my $25 would re-balance the plane. Oh well, I had a retired company server in the suitcase I was bringing home for home use (the only reason I brought the suitcase anyway) so I guess it was worth it.

As far as food options, as I recall you have a Burger King, Starbucks, and a Sports Bar. There is also a Boardroom one level up. The elevator is hiding next to the Burger King. Not sure what they have in the morning, but in the afternoon/evening they have free soft drinks, hard drinks (limited), beer, wine (all free), cheese, crackers, carrots, celery. Maybe in the morning the have bagels or something--I dunno. If you have time apply for an Alaska Air Visa card and you will get some free BR passes (and 20K miles).

Oh--just re-read your OP. You fly Friday. No free BR for you.

Duckouttahere

HF,

You can use the AS Boardroom provided you have a membership with Continental's lounge and are flying on AS which seems to be the case. Have a nice flight.

Jeeves

I have always found the lines at T3 to be relatively minor. The whole process usually doesn't take much time. I try to arrive about 1.5 hours before departure and usually have plenty of spare time.

HobokenFlyer

Thanks for all the input, I plan leave the Sheraton Gateway here at LAX at 6am to return my rental car so I can get the terminal around 6:30, should be enough to checkin the luggage at the 60 min cutoff.

As to Boardroom, unless they take my AMEX Plat, I doubt it will matter. I don't have a regular PC membership, just the AMEX plat, so I don't think they will give me access to the Board Room.

Thanks for all your replies!

- HF

jackal

As far as my understanding of the Amex Plat lounge benefit goes, I don't think you can get access to the BR, either. Too bad. Day passes are $30, IIRC, though.

kennycrudup

Not even for F?

I fly out of there on AS for the first time (usually I'm ex-SNA) on the Saturday the 16th; while it's a Saturday and probably not busy, every little bit helps.

jackal

I was wondering about that. Since half of that terminal belongs to AS, you'd think it would be something they could do. Of course, the layout isn't really conducive to the entire way they have TSA (and the lengthy lines TSA creates...), so maybe there's no room to do anything special.

ANC

last time I went in there was a year ago but it took me about 15 minutes to checkin and 5 minutes through security. Like a few others have said, that terminal seems to be a lot less busy compared to say 5 or 6

JohnnyGlobal

I love the 'weight & balance' line. Got it in PHX recently as a Gold flying in F...only 3 pounds over! It's funny how after they take your $25, 'weight & balance' aren't an issue anymore. AS, if you just want to enforce the rule regardless of elite status or cabin, then just say so. Stop asking your check-in agents to make up cr*ppy excuses that don't make any sense.

ANC

Delta socked me with $20 once just because my bag was literally 2 pounds over when I checked it in. The screwed up thing was the guy flying with me checked in the same time as me with an agent beside me and he was 4 pounds over and they didnt even blink an eylash let alone even consider charging him $20

Punki

We flew LAX/SEA last Sunday evening and there was no wait whatsoever at security.

EIPremier

The three times I went through Terminal 3 security in the past nine months(between about 8:30 and 10:30am), there was essentially no wait.