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2013 Consolidated LAX Connecting / Connection / Connections thread

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Old Apr 13, 2013, 9:38 am
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Last edit by: TWA884
2013 Consolidated LAX Connecting / Connection / Connections thread

NOTES:

"Published" Minimum Connect Time (MCT) international to domestic at LAX is 2 hours. Numerous LAX regulars advise that 3 hours is much safer. Wait times for incoming immigration and customs services are very inconsistent. While the vast majority of international flights arrive at the newly remodeled Tom Bradley Terminal, some airlines use older customs facilities in Terminal 2 or 6. View recent postings in this thread for more information.

T4 to T5 tunnel is now open. It is possible now to connect from T4 to T5, T6, T7 and T8 without exiting security.
In T-4, the access to the tunnel is from Gate 44 (the bus transfer gate). Take the escalator down to Gate 44, then turn left and take the escalator down towards baggage claim. At the bottom of the escalator make a U turn to the right and enter through the double doors. Please consult the terminals maps for the location of the tunnel in terminals 5 and 6.

An elevated airside connecter walkway between T4 and TBIT is under construction. This is expected to be completed in 2016. More here: TERMINAL 4 CONNECTOR - LAWA PDF

The prior thread on this topic, 2012 - "Consolidated Questions About Connecting at LAX" thread, contains relevant information, however, to keep it from getting too long, 2014 and 2015 updates are below.

________________________________________

2015 INFO

Los Angeles International Airport website

PDF Map of LAX airport and vicinity parking and cell phone lot


Airline Location Map

Links to individual terminals maps

Only terminals 4 through 8 are connected airside (through tunnels between terminals 4, 5 and 6, and above ground hallways between terminals 6, 7 and 8). There are occasional airside shuttles elsewhere, but are subject to change (e.g. AA to American eagle, afternoon AA to TBIT Qantas). Airport policy allows you to gain admission airside to a terminal you are not departing from with an ID and a same day boarding pass, but anecdotal reports indicate that sometimes this is not honored by security personnel.

Tom Bradley International Terminal serves most, but not all, foreign airlines.

In most instances, international arrivals require processing USDHS-CBP (immigration, recovering baggage and processing customs); if you are going on in your travels, there is a baggage recheck counter as you exit customs. This can be fairly rapid if you have Global Entry or are arriving at a slack period, but it can take 60-90 minutes if you are arriving during a busy arrivals period.

After clearing customs and immigration, you must exit to landside and proceed to your next terminal. You may take the free shuttle busses, which only proceed anti / counter clockwise direction (In Order: 1-2-3-TBIT-4-5-6-7-8), or you can walk. At ground level you will be sheltered by the overhead departures-serving roadway, but be exposed to vehicle fumes and cigarette smoke; on the departures level, you will be exposed to the weather. It should take no more than 5 minutes to walk from one adjacent terminal to another, but it can take significantly longer to walk from distant terminals - as long as 15 - 20 minutes.

Last updated 29 Aug 2015 by TWA884
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2013 Consolidated LAX Connecting / Connection / Connections thread

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Old Aug 7, 2013, 4:08 pm
  #196  
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Extremely risky even if you have Global Entry and no checked bags. Oh, if you call in a fake bomb threat to delay the flight to CLT, you will be caught and will have prison time, guaranteed.
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Old Aug 8, 2013, 4:29 pm
  #197  
 
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Now are all passengers from international flights herded into same customs/immigration area? Or are the terminals separated? For example, I'll be flying back on Virgin Australia. Will I be in a terminal that is less congested with intl flights and consequently passengers thus enabling me to move thru CBP quicker?
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Old Aug 8, 2013, 6:43 pm
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VA uses TBIT so that's where you will clear immigration.

We've already told you 90 minutes is not going to work so you should consider rebooking your connecting flight.

This is the rule of thumb that this forum has developed over the years:

- You will need at least 2 hours for same terminal Int'l to Domestic transfer (e.g. AA T4 to T4 or UA T7 to T7)
- You will need at least 2.5 hours for different terminal Int'l to Domestic transfer (e.g TBIT to T5, T2 to T4).

Last edited by bzcat; Aug 8, 2013 at 6:51 pm
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Old Aug 10, 2013, 6:48 pm
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Originally Posted by bzcat
- You will need at least 2 hours for same terminal Int'l to Domestic transfer (e.g. AA T4 to T4 or UA T7 to T7)
- You will need at least 2.5 hours for different terminal Int'l to Domestic transfer (e.g TBIT to T5, T2 to T4).
If anything, I'd add 30-60 minutes to each of these times as the bare minimum to avoid a heart condition.

There are just so many factors involved, all out of your control.
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Old Aug 11, 2013, 8:46 pm
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What happened to the OP? What was his/her decision?
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Old Aug 30, 2013, 6:41 am
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American Eagle to TBIT

I have a trip coming up in November that has me arriving at the American Eagle remote terminal (aka Eagle's nest) at 18:00. My next flight leaves TBIT at 20:45 (BA). I'm assuming that my only option is take the bus to T4 then stroll over to TBIT and clear security again. I know there is a bus that run occasionally from T4 to TBIT in the evening but I think it is only for Qantas passengers.

Does TBIT have a premium security line (like Priority AAccess on AA) that would be available for a OW Saphire?

Thanks in advance for the help and suggestions.
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Old Aug 30, 2013, 2:42 pm
  #202  
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Originally Posted by catmndu
...

Does TBIT have a premium security line (like Priority AAccess on AA) that would be available for a OW Saphire?

Thanks in advance for the help and suggestions.
Yes, there is a priority lane.

It's only a short walk from T4 to TBIT - making sure you stay on the upper concourse is more efficient.
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Old Aug 30, 2013, 4:04 pm
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I had a 1hr22min connection from Dom-Intl(DL-VA). Amazingly enough, the VA flight got pushed back so I now have 2hrs47min.
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Old Sep 2, 2013, 7:58 pm
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TBIT and T4 at LAX

Hopefully someone can answer....

Is there a phsyical connection between TBIT and T4 at LAX as it stands? The reason I ask, my wife and son are flying out of TBIT and I have an AA flight the same day out of T4. Can I check in and clear security in TBIT and then proceed airside to T4 once I have seen my family off? I heard there was a walkway being built but couldn't find any info whether or not it is finished or what criteria it fulfils.

Thanks in advance to any useful replies.
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Old Sep 2, 2013, 8:03 pm
  #205  
 
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Unfortunately the airside walkway between TBIT and T4 is not yet open. To get from TBIT to T4 for an AA flight you'll need to walk along the outside sidewalk, enter T4 and go through security there. Looks like the latest updates have the secure connector opening in 2015: http://www.lawa.org/uploadedFiles/LA...2013%20web.pdf

There is a secure one-way connection from T4 to TBIT for periodic Immigration/Customs processing of T4 flights that the CBP agents in TBIT handle, but that wouldn't help you out in this situation.
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Old Sep 2, 2013, 9:33 pm
  #206  
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Welcome to FlyerTalk, pontius.

As your query is specific to one airport, we'll move this query over to the LA destination forum. Thanks. /JY1024, TravelBuzz co-moderator
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Old Sep 3, 2013, 9:24 am
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T7-TBIT, quickest way?

I'll be connecting from UA1408 to BR1 this coming Friday. I only have carryons (roller + messenger bag). Should I just do the walk or take the shuttle? It seems like the shuttle would takes much longer. But is there much traffic at that time of the night? Do I have time to visit the lounge?
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Old Sep 3, 2013, 1:05 pm
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Originally Posted by lad2
I'll be connecting from UA1408 to BR1 this coming Friday. I only have carryons (roller + messenger bag). Should I just do the walk or take the shuttle? It seems like the shuttle would takes much longer. But is there much traffic at that time of the night? Do I have time to visit the lounge?
Personally, I would just do the walk. LAX can be surprisingly busy late at night, particularly at TBIT since so many flights leave very late. It's not a bad walk if you stay on the upper level.
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Old Sep 3, 2013, 5:36 pm
  #209  
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Originally Posted by lad2
I'll be connecting from UA1408 to BR1 this coming Friday. I only have carryons (roller + messenger bag). Should I just do the walk or take the shuttle? It seems like the shuttle would takes much longer. But is there much traffic at that time of the night? Do I have time to visit the lounge?
The shuttle would likely be faster as T7/TBIT is close to the longest walk you can do there being well over ½ a mile.
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Old Sep 3, 2013, 8:04 pm
  #210  
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Originally Posted by serfty
The shuttle would likely be faster as T7/TBIT is close to the longest walk you can do there being well over ½ a mile.
Just make sure you take shuttle A, as all of the other shuttles will go somewhere else off-airport before returning to do the airport loop. Shuttle A will go right from T7 back around to T1, then T2, T3, and then to TBIT.

The shuttle ride itself from T7 to TBIT shouldn't be more than 10 minutes, probably less, but you could wait the same amount of time for the shuttle to even arrive at T7, so you could be looking at 20 minutes. Depending on walking speed, it's about a 10-15-minute walk, so it's up to you which you want to do.
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