May 11, 2019, 9:30 am
Last edit by: TWA884
2017 LAX Connecting / Connection / Connections thread
The prior threads on this topic, 2012 - "Consolidated Questions About Connecting at LAX" thread, 2013 Consolidated LAX Connecting / Connection / Connections thread, 2014 Consolidated LAX Connecting / Connection / Connections thread, 2015 Consolidated LAX Connecting / Connection / Connections thread and 2016 LAX Connecting / Connection / Connections thread contain relevant information, however, to keep them from getting too long, 2017 updates are below.
Connecting passengers who are arriving at LAX on international flights will also find useful information in the following thread:
"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 and a secure airside walkway between T4 and TBIT are now open. It is possible now to connect from T4, T5, T6, T7 and T8 to TBIT without exiting security.
In T-4, the access to the tunnel via an escalator and an elevator at the center of the terminal under the Terminal Transfer sign (it was formerly designated Gate 44). Take the escalator down to the transfer bus gate, 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.
A secure airside walkway, which is on the top level of a airside connector between T4 and TBIT opened in February 2016; it is accessed by Gate 41 in T4 and near the Qantas Lounge in TBIT. The complete project, including a TSA checkpoint (photo illustrations), a bus port and a checked baggage inspection area, was expected to finished by the end of May 2016 (but it is yet to open as of early June). More details here: LAX Terminal 4 Connector
________________________________________
2018 INFO
Los Angeles International Airport website
LAX Terminal Maps
How to enter LAX/Parking Map
How Do I Connect from Terminal B through Terminal 8? Follow the Yellow Dots
Only terminals 4 through 8 and Tom Bradley International Terminal are connected airside (through tunnels between terminals 4, 5 and 6, above ground hallways between terminals 6, 7 and 8, and a newly-opened above-ground connector between terminal 4 and TBIT). 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. It is now possible to connect from TBIT to T4, T5, T6, T7 and T8 through the secured airside area - link to map above - after clearing TSA security on the arrival level of TBIT at the exit from the Federal Inspections Services facility. Alternatively, 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 between distant terminals - as long as 15 - 20 minutes.
Last updated 22 April 2019 by TWA884
2017 LAX Connecting / Connection / Connections thread
Dec 31, 2016, 8:06 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 542
2017 LAX Connecting / Connection / Connections thread
I'm arriving into LAX from NRT on JAL on 1/2, and then connecting to DCA on AS. I'm guessing I'll be coming into TBIT an heading out of terminal 6. I've read conflicting reports and want to know what to expect. Will I have to exit and reclear security, or does the new airside walkway between TBIT and terminal 4 mean I can stay airside after clearing customs? I have global entry, so am hoping the whole process won't be too much of an ordeal. We have about 2.5 hours connection time. Thanks for any input!
Dec 31, 2016, 1:10 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,171
I'm arriving into LAX from NRT on JAL on 1/2, and then connecting to DCA on AS. I'm guessing I'll be coming into TBIT an heading out of terminal 6. I've read conflicting reports and want to know what to expect. Will I have to exit and reclear security, or does the new airside walkway between TBIT and terminal 4 mean I can stay airside after clearing customs? I have global entry, so am hoping the whole process won't be too much of an ordeal. We have about 2.5 hours connection time. Thanks for any input!
In your case. You'll arrive at TBIT and after exiting customs you'll be landslide. You can use the new checkpoint to reenter the terminals at the T4-TBIT connector or head down to T6 and go through security there.
The airside walkways means that if you were doing the reverse (arriving on AS from DCA then departing on JL to NRT) you no longer need to exit and go through security again.
Dec 31, 2016, 1:34 pm
#3
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
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I'm arriving into LAX from NRT on JAL on 1/2, and then connecting to DCA on AS. I'm guessing I'll be coming into TBIT an heading out of terminal 6. I've read conflicting reports and want to know what to expect. Will I have to exit and reclear security, or does the new airside walkway between TBIT and terminal 4 mean I can stay airside after clearing customs? I have global entry, so am hoping the whole process won't be too much of an ordeal. We have about 2.5 hours connection time. Thanks for any input!
Better late than never, I suppose. Here are some pictures I took.
I've added green arrows to show the passenger flow. One would enter the security area from the corridor in the 2nd picture (you can see some of the security gear in that pic), pass along the back of the room through the tensa barriers to the ID check. From there, proceed through security and follow signs to the lift, up to level 5, where you can turn left to get to T4 and right to get to TBIT (immediately adjacent to the QF F lounge entrance). I didn't take pictures of this as by the time someone had got this far there would be signs showing where to go (and nowhere else really to get lost). Enjoy!
- The first picture shows the perspective one would see immediately after turning right after baggage recheck (assuming you're clearing immigration and customs at TBIT) -or- the perspective one would see entering the terminal having been dropped off at TBIT at the arrivals level kerb and entering the building at the far end near the Shuttle Express stand and turning left.
- This picture thus faces roughly south:
- I've aded a green arrow to show where one would be arriving from (kerb or bag recheck) and where to go.
- Follow the arrow to the brightly lit corridor through the door, where you'll be taken here (this picture also faces roughly south):
- Once here, follow the green arrow left; also notice the overhead sign showing "Gates 40-159".
- In this next picture I've shot the TSA security area after I've cleared security, so now I'm facing back toward the way we came.
- This picture is thus facing north:
I've added green arrows to show the passenger flow. One would enter the security area from the corridor in the 2nd picture (you can see some of the security gear in that pic), pass along the back of the room through the tensa barriers to the ID check. From there, proceed through security and follow signs to the lift, up to level 5, where you can turn left to get to T4 and right to get to TBIT (immediately adjacent to the QF F lounge entrance). I didn't take pictures of this as by the time someone had got this far there would be signs showing where to go (and nowhere else really to get lost). Enjoy!
Dec 31, 2016, 11:09 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 542
Thanks for the help! I'm hoping it won't be too bad, but we move slowly with 2 young kids, and I'm afraid things might crazy busy the morning of 1/2. Oh well. Hopefully the Global Entry helps and we can reclear quickly with precheck. Do you guys know if the security lines discussed above would have a precheck line? Thanks again!
Jan 1, 2017, 4:11 pm
#5
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
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Thanks for the help! I'm hoping it won't be too bad, but we move slowly with 2 young kids, and I'm afraid things might crazy busy the morning of 1/2. Oh well. Hopefully the Global Entry helps and we can reclear quickly with precheck. Do you guys know if the security lines discussed above would have a precheck line? Thanks again!
Also of note: The security check-in after baggage drop off below the new connector has next to no lines. It's crazy.
I arrived from LHR at TBIT, onward connection to YVR. Dropped off the bags at TBIT and right after you leave the airside area you can either
- go upstairs to use the regular TBIT security entrance (crazy lines)
- walk to T4 and use their security (more lines)
- take an immediate right downstairs at TBIT arrivals below the new connector for a really oddly placed security area - NO lines!
then you take the stairs 3 floors up (or the elevator) and you're at TBIT airside.
Really weird, but a really sweet shortcut.
I arrived from LHR at TBIT, onward connection to YVR. Dropped off the bags at TBIT and right after you leave the airside area you can either
- go upstairs to use the regular TBIT security entrance (crazy lines)
- walk to T4 and use their security (more lines)
- take an immediate right downstairs at TBIT arrivals below the new connector for a really oddly placed security area - NO lines!
then you take the stairs 3 floors up (or the elevator) and you're at TBIT airside.
Really weird, but a really sweet shortcut.
Jan 5, 2017, 1:44 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 56
Navigating LAX
Less DL specific, but wondering if I can get from terminal 5 to TBIT without having to go through security.
Have co-workers who are flying AA/Qantas, and we were going to try to meet up in LA between flights, but they're in TBIT and I'm in 5. Have a few hours (international flight), but don't want to spend all my time in security lines, just to have a few drinks.
Have co-workers who are flying AA/Qantas, and we were going to try to meet up in LA between flights, but they're in TBIT and I'm in 5. Have a few hours (international flight), but don't want to spend all my time in security lines, just to have a few drinks.
Jan 5, 2017, 2:05 pm
#8
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: San Diego
Programs: IHG Spire Amb, HH Diamond, DL Diamond and 1MM
Posts: 3,610
Bump
You can use the terminal 6 tunnel to go to AA's terminal 4.
What I'd like to know if AA's new direct connection between 4 and Bradley works for non-AA connections. Does it go landside or airside?
What I'd like to know if AA's new direct connection between 4 and Bradley works for non-AA connections. Does it go landside or airside?
Jan 5, 2017, 2:15 pm
#9
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: DL PM 1MM
Posts: 3,439
Less DL specific, but wondering if I can get from terminal 5 to TBIT without having to go through security.
Have co-workers who are flying AA/Qantas, and we were going to try to meet up in LA between flights, but they're in TBIT and I'm in 5. Have a few hours (international flight), but don't want to spend all my time in security lines, just to have a few drinks.
Have co-workers who are flying AA/Qantas, and we were going to try to meet up in LA between flights, but they're in TBIT and I'm in 5. Have a few hours (international flight), but don't want to spend all my time in security lines, just to have a few drinks.
Jan 5, 2017, 2:22 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2013
Location: RMS
Programs: DL Plat, UA Gold, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Credit Card Diamond
Posts: 8,782
In March, I had about a 9 hour layover in LAX. I landed on a DL flight in T6 and stayed airside to visit the T5 Skyclub and then the TBIT Star Alliance lounge. We then left the airport in an Uber to meet a friend.
When we came back, we ran into the only snafu in my plan. We tried to clear security at T4 because our DL-printed BPs for our VA flight showed PreCheck and TBIT doesn't have PreCheck. The contract line dragon at T4 insisted we couldn't clear security there because we were in the wrong terminal. I told him we'd used the connector that afternoon between T4 and TBIT but to no avail. I tried to find an actual TSA employee to whom I could appeal my case, but I didn't see any. We ended up walking back to TBIT for the long security line and the nude-o-scope.
Jan 5, 2017, 2:28 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NYC
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Posts: 4,506
I think 6/7/8 are connected above ground (maybe below ground too?). I know you can definitely walk T8 - TBIT, though it's a bit convoluted with the above/below ground zig-zags.
Jan 5, 2017, 3:17 pm
#15
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
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