LAX Check-in
 

I'm a frequent AA flyer and this is my first time flying BA across the pond. Their website says check-in at LAX closes 2 hours before the flight. Is this right or could I get away with arriving an hour and a half early?

Thanks!

Get there at least 2 hours before and have a nice, relaxing drink before your flight if you don't hit trouble with TSA, traffic, lines, etc.

Where does it say that check in at LAX closes 2 hours ahead of time? I fly BA from LAX quite often and I've never seen that. Especially if you check in online ahead of time (which I would certainly suggest you do), I don't think you'll have a problem checking in at the airport an hour and a half ahead of time.

LAX Check-in
 

I'm flying Club from SEA and states check-in closes 2 hours before too.

I just checked what it says about check-in in "manage my booking" for my upcoming LAX-LHR flight; it says online check-in opens 24 hours before the flight and closes 1 hour before; and airport check-in opens 3.5 hours before departure and closes 75 minutes before--but that's for checking-in, not just dropping off bags and picking up boarding passes, having already checked in online. It also says to allow "enough time" to get through security before the gate closes 40 minutes prior to departure. I don't see a reference to two hours. Maybe the times are tailored to status and class of travel? (I'm BA Gold and flying Club in this case). Anyway I still think an hour and a half should be fine at LAX, but checking in online the day before is still a good idea.

Bear in mind at LAX you dont have to go through the regular line for security if you are in premium cabin you get to go through premium line. Even when its mad busy it normally takes about 25-30 mins to get through security if you have a premium ticket. They do tend to start boarding about 50 mins before departure and last time I flew was December they had everyone on board well ahead of schedule. I turned up at the gate about 15 min before departure and was the last one on board.

I generally arrive at airports about an hour before BA's long haul departures (no checked luggage, flying Club World). In the case of LAX I tend to ensure it is at least an hour but I normally get a good 20 minutes in the lounge. I can't ever recall it being tight. Two hours is for the cautious traveller, also perhaps on "those days" before Thanksgiving and Christmas if flying World Traveller.

i fly LAX-LHR regularly. I check in online and aim to get to the bag drop desk around T-75. Never a problem. I use the F or business check-in desks and have never had to wait more than a few minutes. Also use security fast track, though usually it doesn't make much difference for BA282 as TBIT is quiet at that time. I'm usually in the lounge about 15 mins after drop-off. It's about 10 min walk to gate from security or lounge.

I can't speak for the mid-afternoon or late-evening departures, I never use them. Maybe the terminal is much busier at those times. But for BA282 T-90 is ample. Even if you're a worrier, T-120 should be more than an enough.

I flew on BA268 on Saturday and arrived at TBIT approximately two hours before departure, and had checked in, purchased duty-free, cleared security and was in the lounge by 8.00pm - so roughly 30 to 40 minutes later. Security was busy but both the premium and normal lines were moving at a decent speed with plenty of TSA staff around.

My motto: better to be an hour too early than a minute too late.

Great, thanks everyone. Also if I checkin at 24 hours before on BA's iPhone app does it allow me to choose a seat like web checkin would?

Yes you an select a seat on the iOS app / mobile website