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2023 - 2024 LAX Connections and Transfers Thread

Old Jan 5, 2017, 3:29 pm
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Last edit by: TWA884
2023 - 2024 LAX Connections and Transfers Thread
Connecting passengers who are arriving at LAX on international flights will also find useful information in the following thread:


FAQ:

Does LAX have Automated Passport Control available for tourist visa holders?

Yes.


Does the US have international transfer desks?

No.


How can I obtain a boarding pass at Tom Bradley International Terminal?
  • The first way is the most obvious: check in online via your phone.
  • The second way is to use the automated kiosk. There are several located airside throughout TBIT and in the T4 - TBIT connector.
  • The third way is to show up at the gate or the check-in counters and get a paper boarding pass (this is not suggested for those with time constraints)

Do you have to go through security when going from one terminal to another?

Terminals 4 through 8 and Tom Bradley International Terminal are connected airside. There are Delta Air Lines shuttle buses connecting T2, T3 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal. To go to or from T1, you will need to exit and re-enter security. Please consult this link for more information.


How long will security take at Tom Bradley International Terminal?

Plan on at least 30 minutes.
"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, 4 and 6. View recent postings in this thread for more information.

________________________________________


Resources

Los Angeles International Airport website.

How to enter LAX/Parking Map.

LAX Terminal Maps.

Inter-Terminal Connections.

How Do I Connect from Terminal B through Terminal 8? Follow the Yellow Dots.

All terminals at LAX are connected airside (above ground hallways between terminals 1 and T4, and T6, T7 and T8, and tunnels between terminals 4, 5 and 6). There are occasional airside shuttles elsewhere, but are subject to change (e.g. AA to American Eagle). Airport policy allows you to access any LAX terminal, even if your flight departs from another, with a same day boarding pass for a flight departing from LAX.


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 T1 to T2, T3, TBIT, 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.

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, 2016 LAX Connecting / Connection / Connections thread, 2017 LAX Connecting / Connection / Connections thread and 2018 - 2022 LAX Connecting / Connection / Connections thread contain relevant information, however, to keep them from getting too long they have been archived and the 2022/23 updates are in this thread.
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2023 - 2024 LAX Connections and Transfers Thread

Old Mar 9, 2023, 1:19 am
  #31  
 
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Originally Posted by DELee
Well, even if you don't clear Customs early enough, there are a plentiful of flights on AS or other airlines to LAS since you're arriving mid/late morning.

David
If I miss my 13:00 connection (likely-UK passport) the next available flight with capacity may be late in the evening? I can only see two direct flights with AA and they are 18:30 and 19:20.

The rest go via PHX and get in later than the two direct ones so it would be a huge gamble IMHO.
I'm travelling on an AA Award ticket if that makes any difference.
I may change to the 18:30 flight so I'm not on the last direct fligth that day.

Thanks for the input.
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Old Mar 27, 2023, 2:14 pm
  #32  
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Arriving at TBIT and I am connecting to DL, while my SO is connecting to UA. I will have a longer connection, so would prefer to go with her to T7, check her in etc. What's the fastest way to get from TBIT to T7? Walk? If so, how long?
Then what's the easiest way to get from T7 to DL Terminal?
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Old Mar 28, 2023, 12:07 pm
  #33  
 
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TBIT to T7 is about a 15 min walk, straight shot down the sidewalk landside. Your choice of upper (departure) level or lower (arrival) level. The recommendation is usually take the elevator or stairs up to the upper level for fresh air and lower noise level. You can also take the Terminal Connector bus from the lower level at pink sign but the closest pick up point from TBIT is at T4 (basically, you have to walk either way so I recommend just walking to T7).

Google Map walking direction TBIT to T7

From T7 to T2, you can walk via East Way (the road next to the Theme Building). Walk from T7 towards T6 and then use the lower level crosswalk at East Way and take East Way to T2. It will be about 7 or 8 min walk. But there are lots of construction at LAX near the Theme Building at the moment so taking the Terminal Connector bus is probably not a terrible idea.

Google Map walking direction T7 to T2

Link to the PDF map for buses
https://www.flylax.com/lax-traffic-a...sportation#ten

Last edited by bzcat; Mar 28, 2023 at 12:17 pm
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Old Mar 31, 2023, 2:22 am
  #34  
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I just did the walk from T1 to T7 last week. It's fine if you take the sidewalks along East Way, but construction barricades will be in the way if you try to cut through the garages. The sidewalk along the Center Way side of the garages is blocked, so if you walk out the driveways you end up on the roadway on Center Way.
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Old Apr 2, 2023, 3:08 am
  #35  
 
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Int.-to-Domestic - 2h20m AA connection at T4 Eagle's Nest vs. 2h AS connection at T6

I am looking at two possible international-domestic connecting flights through LAX with a similar price, and was wondering which is the better and safer option when connecting from an international flight arriving at TBIT in the evening around 7/8pm. The whole ticket (the ticket, sold through BA, will include both international and domestic legs on one ticket, connecting at LAX) will be in J, so I should have access to priority security lanes (where available), but I do not have PreCheck or Clear.

Option 1:
2h 20m of connecting time
Transfer from a BA flight arriving at TBIT around 6pm to an AA (Eagle) flight departing from T4 Eagle's Nest for SJC.
This is the last AA flight of the day from LAX-SJC, though there are still one or two AS LAX-SJC and AA LAX-SFO flights remaining scheduled for later in the evening should a rebooking be necessary due to delays and immigration/customs queues.

Option 2:
2h of connecting time
Transfer from a BA flight arriving at TBIT around 6pm to an AS flight departing from T6 for SFO.
There are still several more LAX-SFO and LAX-SJC AS and AA flights remaining scheduled for later in the evening should a rebooking be necessary due to delays and immigration/customs queues.

Taking into account walking distance between TBIT and T4 vs. TBIT and T6, T4 vs. T6 security wait times around 7/8pm, the availability of Priority Security lanes (on a J ticket but no PreCheck or Clear) in T4 vs. T6, and extra time required for the Eagle's Nest bus, which is the better option given both options are of a similar price?

Last edited by phh1998; Apr 2, 2023 at 10:52 am Reason: Adding title to increase clarity of post
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Old Apr 2, 2023, 11:54 am
  #36  
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Originally Posted by phh1998
Int.-to-Domestic - 2h20m AA connection at T4 Eagle's Nest vs. 2h AS connection at T6
LAX is my home airport, so I have never connected there. I have Global Entry, which includes PreCheck, so my personal experience of going through passport controls and immigration, and TSA security are likely to be different than what you will experience.

With that in mind, let me point out the following:

It can easily take 20 minutes or longer to get from T4 or T5 to the remote Eagle terminal - I have done that more than once - so that evens out the two options.

Walking between adjacent LAX terminals takes between three and five minutes, so figure on 6-10 minutes longer to walk from TBIT to T6 than to T4.

Will you have checked bags? Those can take a long time to start showing up on the baggage carousels at TBIT. I rarely, if ever, travel with checked bags, however, from what I have heard, it can take as long as 40 minutes or even longer. Yes, the carousels are located after passport controls, so some of the wait will be spent while in the immigration line; however, after collecting your luggage, you will still have to pass by and possibly chat with the CBP officers who staff the exit from the Federal Inspection Service facility.

If I were in your situation, I'd opt for the AS flight with a two-hour connection; I think that you'll get to the T6 gate sooner than to the remote terminal gate and you'll have a backup flight leaving from the same terminal.
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Old Apr 2, 2023, 1:39 pm
  #37  
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Originally Posted by TWA884
LAX is my home airport, so I have never connected there. I have Global Entry, which includes PreCheck, so my personal experience of going through passport controls and immigration, and TSA security are likely to be different than what you will experience.

With that in mind, let me point out the following:

It can easily take 20 minutes or longer to get from T4 or T5 to the remote Eagle terminal - I have done that more than once - so that evens out the two options.

Walking between adjacent LAX terminals takes between three and five minutes, so figure on 6-10 minutes longer to walk from TBIT to T6 than to T4.

Will you have checked bags? Those can take a long time to start showing up on the baggage carousels at TBIT. I rarely, if ever, travel with checked bags, however, from what I have heard, it can take as long as 40 minutes or even longer. Yes, the carousels are located after passport controls, so some of the wait will be spent while in the immigration line; however, after collecting your luggage, you will still have to pass by and possibly chat with the CBP officers who staff the exit from the Federal Inspection Service facility.

If I were in your situation, I'd opt for the AS flight with a two-hour connection; I think that you'll get to the T6 gate sooner than to the remote terminal gate and you'll have a backup flight leaving from the same terminal.
I second this, though I'm a bit biased as primarily an AS flyer. If there are more AS flights later they'll be easy to switch to as long as there are seats. I think the same day change fee for intra CA flights without AS status is still only $25. You might lose the J seat if you have to switch, but it's such a short flight it doesn't matter much. The last flight of the day tends to be least full and sometimes seems like it's just a shuttle full of airline crews (multiple airlines). I've only made connections at LAX a few times, and it's been when I was on multiple itineraries where it wasn't worth the trouble of trying to go home between the end of one and start of the next.

Eagles nest kinda sucks, and has the added time of getting shuttled there. If you look at the AA/AS strategies, AA is reducing intra-CA and regional flights in favor of steering people to AS, while AS is very competitive in the west and uses AA and international parters as feeders. The nest is scheduled to shut down next year to make space for T9, so is probably getting slowly worse.

If you don't have Precheck or Clear, T6 security will probably be faster than T4 or T5 (you can go through any). T6 load drops so much in the early evening that CLEAR closes by 8, and around that time Pre is sometimes mixed into the regular line and run as pre-light. The longest it's taken after 8 pm is about 10 minutes (before 8 I can get from the curb to airside in 5). I'd also check the line at TBIT though -it may be even faster, though I've only gone through the CLEAR/Pre line there and it's always been zero wait. The interactive map (here) is actually pretty reasonable at time estimates, and if you're a fast walker you can treat it as an upper limit. The airside hike from B to T6 is a little convoluted (changing levels multiple times) and can be longer than the landside hike, depending on what gate you're going to, but is very doable.
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Last edited by chrisl137; Apr 2, 2023 at 1:44 pm
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Old Apr 3, 2023, 12:25 am
  #38  
 
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Thanks both for the detailed advice, it is really helpful and much appreciated. Given all this information, connecting to AS in T6 definitely seems like the better option over connecting to the AA Eagle's Nest via T4/T5 - I'll opt for the AS flight.

I will have checked bags and hopefully they will not take too long to show up, but if not I am hoping that with several remaining AS flights to SFO/SJC scheduled for later in the day, rebooking shouldn't be an issue if I miss my original connection due to Immigration/Customs/Baggage wait times.
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Old Apr 3, 2023, 7:40 am
  #39  
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Originally Posted by phh1998
Thanks both for the detailed advice, it is really helpful and much appreciated. Given all this information, connecting to AS in T6 definitely seems like the better option over connecting to the AA Eagle's Nest via T4/T5 - I'll opt for the AS flight.
I'll just add one more detail.

As you will be connecting from one oneworld carrier to another, you will probably be flagged as a passenger with a tight connection. Look for an agent in the jet bridge or just outside it who will be handling out orange "Express Connection" boarding pass sleeves. The agent should have one with your name and flight information. That should speed up your process through immigration, customs and security.
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Old Apr 20, 2023, 7:57 am
  #40  
 
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Talking Getting around Los Angeles LAX airport- could someone help?

Hello and best wishes! My wife and I will be arriving from Honolulu on Hawaian Airlines at 4:55PM on August 7. Then we will need to find the terminal/gate for Aviana for a flight to Bogota, Colombia at 8:45pm same day. Will it take long to get from our arrival to our departure? Any advice? My wife and I are elderly.
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Old Apr 20, 2023, 8:32 am
  #41  
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Originally Posted by Johnguidry
Hello and best wishes! My wife and I will be arriving from Honolulu on Hawaian Airlines at 4:55PM on August 7. Then we will need to find the terminal/gate for Aviana for a flight to Bogota, Colombia at 8:45pm same day. Will it take long to get from our arrival to our departure? Any advice? My wife and I are elderly.
Welcome to FlyerTalk!

It appears that both HA and AV use Terminal B (formerly, the "Tom Bradley International Terminal") at LAX, so it sounds like you will have an easy connection.

Are both of your flights on a single ticket, or do you have separate tickets for each flight? Will you be checking baggage?
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Old Apr 20, 2023, 8:36 am
  #42  
 
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Originally Posted by guv1976
Welcome to FlyerTalk!

It appears that both HA and AV use Terminal B (formerly, the "Tom Bradley International Terminal") at LAX, so it sounds like you will have an easy connection.

Are both of your flights on a single ticket, or do you have separate tickets for each flight? Will you be checking baggage?
These are separtate tickets and yes I will be checking baggage! I appreciate your kindness! With 4 hours, we should be okay to get checked in and baggage from one gate to another! Have a great day!
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Old Apr 20, 2023, 8:52 am
  #43  
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Originally Posted by Johnguidry
These are separtate tickets and yes I will be checking baggage! I appreciate your kindness! With 4 hours, we should be okay to get checked in and baggage from one gate to another! Have a great day!
You don't get your baggage at the gate. You will have to go landside, retrieve your baggage from baggage claim, check it back in at the Avianca check-in counter, and then go through TSA security to get back airside for your second flight. You should be fine, if your HA flight is not cancelled or significantly delayed.
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Old Apr 21, 2023, 5:20 pm
  #44  
 
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Originally Posted by Johnguidry
These are separtate tickets and yes I will be checking baggage! I appreciate your kindness! With 4 hours, we should be okay to get checked in and baggage from one gate to another! Have a great day!
It's a bit of a walk because Hawaiian uses the west gates at the Bradley terminal. You'll need to walk to baggage claim in the main terminal building and then take the elevator upstairs to check in with Avianca. The nice thing is that you'll be in the same terminal, so no hoofing it around the airport. Just collect your bags and head upstairs.

Here's a map: https://hawaiianair.custhelp.com/app...-%E2%80%94-lax
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Old Apr 22, 2023, 6:07 am
  #45  
 
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Thanks!
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