traveler18

I have an itinerary with LATAM for April LAX-LIM non stop, but the return is CUZ-LIM-MEX-LAX.
I read some older threads about terminal changes both in Lima and in Mexico City - but most date back months and years

On the return - I depart Cusco (CUZ) 5:40 AM on LATAM - arrive LIM 6:58 - Depart to LIM to MEX on LATAM at 8:40 AM (Business) arrive MEX at 3 PM and connect to Alaska Airlines to LAX at 5:25 PM.

Has anyone recently experienced a connection in LIMA from Domestic to International all on LATAM?

Same in Mexico from LATAM to ALASKA (all it appears is in terminal 1 in Mexico City).

The ticket is issued by LATAM - all segments on the same ticket as valid connections.

(the non stop LIM to LAX would have been better - but I would have to wait until midnight to take it)

Would appreciate hearing about recent connection experiences ?

Thanks

Astrophsx

I am doing something similar, but I have two separate tickets. Flying SAN-MEX with Alaska, and then 3.5 hours later flying MEX-LIM with LATAM. On the way back I'm flying LIM-LAX-SAN.

I haven't done domestic to international via LATAM, but I think you have to go through immigration. Not sure if that involves collecting and rechecking your luggage.

In Mexico City, correct me if I'm wrong here you will need to collect your bags. Then you will have to go through immigration and customs. There is a separate customs area you have to go to for Peru and Colombia if I remember correctly from when I came back this way from Lima. The line is a bit longer and they do a more thorough screening. It seemed more people were selected from the red/green button for searches. Then you have to recheck your luggage and go back through security. This can take some time. Hopefully your flights are all on time and you have enough time to connect. Not sure what the delays out of CUZ/LIM are like early morning, but it is the end of the rainy season.

carlosdca

For Dom to Int in Lima:
*No need to collect bags in LIM, they are checked through,
*Exit immigration and security are required. Both have been very quick/ efficient in my recent LIM stops, both in the AM or late evening.

dbasulto

For the LIM-MEX-LAX portion, I think you will have to clear customs, and take your bag by yourself to connections. At least I'd have to do it when doing SCL-MEX-other destination.

And it can be lengthy, as they do a very thorough bag check before delivering bags to the belt. I've experienced wait times of up to 45 minutes. Also, immigration lines at MEX T1 are terrible long in the early morning. I've lost a couple connections because of this, even if I can skip immigration lines with APEC access, the wait for the bag is eternal.

traveler18

Thanks to all that responded

SCLflyer

I second this.. immigration in MEX (and also CUN) is a nightmare. I experienced a 2.5 hour queue. My family traveling on separate tickets with 3.5 hour connecting times had to appeal to the good will of people in the front of the queue to make it to the flight (This is arriving in LA622 early morning from SCL). After this experience we avoid MEX as a connecting point.

jlarroulet

Getting your bags at MEX or CUN from an international flight coming from South America is a crazy, nonsensical, messy PITA. You may very well have to wait in excess of two hours once you get to the belt for your bags to come through. This is regardless of what airline you fly in from. (It has happened to me in MEX on LA and AM from SCL and in CUN on LA from LIM)

It's a very different thing when you fly into MEX or CUN from the US or Europe. Your bags will come out in a couple of minutes. Keep this in mind when planning your connections. If you can't check your bags through to your final destination (for whatever reason) you may end up missing a tight (or not so tight) connection. Even if you can check the bags through, depending on what airline operates your outbound flight from MEX, you may end up getting to your final destination sans your bags.

worldtraveller73

Having recently done a LATAM to Alaska connection (two tickets), I had to collect my bags. The Alaska counters did not open until a few hours before the flight and OLCI did not work through the Alaska App. We had to kill off several hours in Mex prior to getting through to the secure side.

Astrophsx

I was able to check my bags all the way through SAN-MEX-LIM with Alaska to LATAM. Just had to pick up my bag when arriving in MEX walk a bit and drop it off on the connecting luggage carousel.

Eastbay1K

While the bags may be "checked through," they still had to go through MEX customs formalities. The big issue arises on northbound flights, where the bags are subjected to pre-carousel inspection.

SkyTeam777

What lounge is Latam using at MEX these days?