TWA884

If you decide to walk, it may take a few minutes longer; nothing that should affect your ability to make this connection. If you take the LAX Airlines Connections Shuttle, the difference will be about the same, as Terminals 7 and 8 share a shuttle stop.

bzcat

T8 is a phantom terminal... basically an extended wing of T7 so you will be walking to T7 main building and then exiting to curb side. It will take about 20 minutes to walk from T7 to TBIT.

You have enough time to connect to NZ at TBIT and please enjoy the nice new Star Lounge ^

On your return, you should clear immigration in just a few minutes with GE but you will probably have to wait for your bags to come out. Once you go pass custom, there is a luggage re-check station. Give them your bags (make sure AUS tag is still on) and then exit to curb side. Walk to T7 will take 20 minutes.

jackal

The one time I flew AUS-LAX on UA, it was a SkyWest CR7. I had no delays or issues, but if yours is a United Express flight, just note that RJs are typically the first to get delayed. Even if weather in AUS and LAX is fine, be mindful of where your flight is originating; if it's coming from ORD or EWR or somewhere that weather/congestion might be an issue, be prepared for delays.

As an example: today's evening AUS-LAX flight does appear to be a CR7. It appears to be flying COS-DEN-DSM-DEN-AUS-LAX today and has already racked up a 37-minute delay today and hasn't even done its DSM turn yet. There might be some recovery time built into the schedule, but IME, they don't schedule a lot of ground time on the RJ flights, so it's hard to make up time once delays have racked up.

Also, I'm curious--you're flying LAX-RAR on NZ, but it's a United-issued ticket on a United first class fare? That's an odd booking. If your second flight is actually on a NZ-issued ticket, then being a UA GS doesn't mean much: you're at NZ's mercy if you arrive in LAX late, and they'll see you as a simple Star Gold. Perhaps the UA GS desk has some pull with NZ and can call them on your behalf and try to get them to help you, but it's still up to NZ.

I personally do not book separate tickets without allowing time for at least two full alternate backup routings plus three additional hours for a delay. Example: if I were booking that morning AUS-LAX flight (departing at 7:08am), then in case that one is canceled, I would plan to allow the following two flights:

AUS-SFO-LAX, 7:55am-12:18pm
AUS-DEN-LAX, 9:01am-12:53pm

Then, I would allow three hours past that last arrival to account for a possible two-hour delay on the last flight plus time to connect, so I would not book connecting onward travel on a separate ticket for anything departing before 4:00pm.

That said, in my example, the morning AUS-LAX flight appears to use an aircraft that comes in from LAX the night before, so the chances of it canceling are very, very low--LAX weather is generally not an issue, and with the chance to rest overnight, an inbound aircraft delay is a non-issue, unless they use the same crew and a crew rest issue develops. However, your evening AUS-LAX flight doesn't have those mitigating factors and is subject to delays building up throughout the day.

In your case, too, there are no backup options if your AUS-LAX flight is canceled: everything else that gets to LAX that evening leaves before your flight, so unless you know well in advance that your flight is canceled and can proactively switch to something leaving earlier, you're stuck.

That said, if you are OK with missing your LAX-RAR flight and being rebooked on something else leaving the next day and are reasonably convinced the UA GS desk will make it work for you, then there is no reason not to book as you plan. The chances of your AUS-LAX flight being canceled or significantly delayed are quite low, and you'll avoid a connecting flight and/or a long layover at LAX. Just know that if things go pear-shaped, it may not be a perfect recovery.

I say all this as someone who is not terribly risk-averse (nor someone who typically plans much in advance), and yet I still think it is wise to plan like this when booking on separate tickets.

(I do agree with the others that the return is of little concern, and as a UA GS, your recovery options to get to AUS that evening are numerous and easy to resolve.)

NDtraveler

Thanks for all of the advice! I tracked the late AUS - LAX flight and it was delayed an average of nearly 40 minutes. I was able to leverage this to get GS to change me to the flight landing at 7 PM at no cost. (The LAX - RAR ticket is separate only because I couldn't find anyone that could ticket it together)

Now, I can check my bags to just LAX, deliver them myself, hit up In and Out (even with United announcing new food options, it still won't be good) and still have time to enjoy the lounge without being rushed. Even if the flight is delayed an hour, I will still have 4 hours to connect. Heck, even if it is 2 hours late, I am still ok.

If it is cancelled things might get interesting but I could route through IAH, DEN on UA or AA direct or through DFW. I will certainly track the flight that day and see where it is coming from etc.

CMK10

Glad to hear that you were able to get on the earlier flight (and get a Double Double out of it to boot!) ^

koohansen

Hi,

I'm not sure if this flight have been asked before.
I'm planning to travel out from SEA via LAX on-wards to NRT
Ticket is a single PNR from SQ directly

SEA (1100) - LAX (1335) on VA784 code shared with SQ1324
LAX (1545) - NRT - SIN on SQ11
2h 35min lay over

I am holding onto a Visa Waiver eligible passport. No airline statuses or any form of express immigration clearance. There will be checked baggage.

1. Am I able to make it for this connection ?
2. Do I need to collect and re-check my baggage or it will be checked all the way to SIN from SEA.

TIA

HkCaGu

The USA has no outbound immigration or customs check. If VX can interline your bag, there is nothing to pick up since there are no checks.

Only thing to watch out is monetary instruments >$10k must be declared by submitting a form at LAX TBIT check-in hall's USCBP office (landside). USCBP has Eng/Span/Chi proficient officers to roam around intl departing gate area to fish for pax who might have >$10k on them. It's generally too late to report at the gate.

Assuming VX can interline bag, you have plenty of time. However, LAX will face construction-caused-weather delays for the next year or so that might be up to 30 minutes. Current rwy closure is until April 7. Don't know when the next round starts.

bzcat

VX can interline the bags so nothing to pick up at LAX.

You probably have to check-in with a person instead of at a kiosk at SEA. Make sure the bags are tagged all the way to SIN before you give it to the VX agent.

The transfer at LAX will take about 5 minutes. Exit T3, turn right, and TBIT is 30 meters away. If you have a boarding pass, you can go directly to TSA check point. If not, you need to check in at the SQ counter.

koohansen

Thanks for the input guys.
What about the risk of baggage loss in LAX?
I head that place is notorious for such cases..

warthog1984

No worse than any other large US airport.

Strap your cash roll somewhere visible if you want it to disappear into TSA screening.

jtekj

Hi great team
I'm after planning advice on LAX transfers from AC from YYC arriving 7.13pm to connect to VA2 departing 10.10pm. On separate bookings so cannot miss the VA flight.
Is this sufficient time, no running, to do the transfer? Or do I need an earlier flight?
I think I will need to collect baggage, is this correct?
What are the LAX customs/security requirement?
What are the terminal walking distances? I believe CA arrives T2 and VA departs T3.

Thanks John

jackal

If you absolutely cannot chance missing the VA flight, then my previous advice based on my personal standards applies.

If all goes well, sure. But there's not much room if you have a large delay or flight cancellation. See the other link I just posted. I am not familiar with AC's arrivals into LAX (and whether baggage is typically fast or slow) nor VA's departure procedures (and typical length of queues for baggage check and baggage cut-off times), but I would imagine that you would make the connection with as little as an hour and a half's layover. But as you are on separate tickets, if things go pear-shaped and your YYC-LAX flight is delayed more than an hour and a half or canceled, you're left with no backup alternative options to make your flight.

ExpertFlyer does not list that AC and VA have a baggage interlining agreement, so I would suspect that you will need to collect and re-check baggage. You can always ask at check-in in YYC just in case; bring a printed copy of your VA itinerary and e-ticket receipt for the AC agent in YYC to reference. I would not count on this, though.

I would imagine that you will pre-clear US customs at YYC, so you will arrive in LAX as a domestic flight and with no entry checks. As well, there is no departure passport control in the U.S., so you will only need to check your bag and clear security at the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT). If your flight is on-time or even an hour delayed, you will have plenty of time.

I am not familiar with what visas or other electronic approvals are required for Australian citizens to enter the U.S., but since you are entering the country (the U.S. does not have dedicated transfer areas for international flight connections), you will need to ensure that you have the necessary documents to enter the country. Those will be processed at U.S. pre-clearance in YYC.

TSA security at LAX TBIT will be very similar to CATSA security in Canada. The U.S. specific procedures at airport security checkpoints may include removal of shoes, being subject to an AIT body scanner instead of a simple walk-through metal detector, and being required to remove all laptops and liquids from your carry-on bags for screening in separate bins but are otherwise very similar to international screening standards.

From what I can tell, VA departs from TBIT, which is located at the end of the LAX "U", between T3 and T4 (a map is linked in the wiki at the top of this page). Approximate walking time from T2 to TBIT for the half a kilometer would be 5 minutes or so. (It is more pleasant to walk along the upper level, so find the escalator or elevator inside T2 up to the departures level before exiting to the street.)

If you have a lot of luggage, you can take the dedicated inter-terminal shuttle bus "A," which runs (approximately) every 10 minutes, and ride it two stops. Note that you can also use any other LAX-operated shuttle bus (A-G) and ride it two stops, as TBIT is "downstream" from T2. In a pinch, you can ride any hotel or rental car shuttle, too, as they all go the same direction, but those companies may not be appreciative of using their buses as an inter-terminal shuttle.

Craig6z

In theory this is enough time, but if there are any delays in the arrival from Calgary, you could be in trouble. YYC is a preclearance airport, so once you get to LAX all you do is have to wait for your luggage to arrive on the carousel. The walk to Terminal 3 is going to be at most a few hundred yards, so that won't be a time element.

Check to see what VA's check in time cut-off is, to determine what the worst case scenario would be if AC is running late. Presuming there are not delays on the AC side, you can probably estimate that from pulling up to the gate, then having your luggage, and walking with it to the VA check-in, you should be 25-40 minutes.

Craig6z

This is correct, but VA actually has their check-in at Terminal 3 (adjacent to terminal 2).

bzcat

Yes, VA counters are in T3 but the flight departs from TBIT.

The reason for this arrangement is because VA uses the VX lounge in T3 so it keeps the counters in T3. If you are flying economy, they will direct you to TBIT.