Jan 5, 2017, 3:29 pm
Last edit by: chrisl137
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.
________________________________________
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.
LAX also now has an interactive map that will give detailed instructions between any two name-able points in the terminals (e.g. gates, restaurants, lounges, etc): Interactive Map
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.
2023 - 2024 LAX Connections and Transfers Thread
May 13, 2023, 8:13 am
#46
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Sunny AZ
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Hi,
i am trying to figure out if 1h 40min is possible between arriving from Frankfurt on Condor at 5:20pm (Global Entry / only carry on / business) and decorating at 7 on AA to Phoenix.
Could be impossible or doable …
Any input on typical terminals etc
i am trying to figure out if 1h 40min is possible between arriving from Frankfurt on Condor at 5:20pm (Global Entry / only carry on / business) and decorating at 7 on AA to Phoenix.
Could be impossible or doable …
Any input on typical terminals etc
May 13, 2023, 10:58 am
#47
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,631
AA mainline flights depart from Terminals 4, 5 and TBIT. T4 is a five minutes walk from the exit from the customs hall, T5 is another five minutes.
May 13, 2023, 1:50 pm
#48
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Sunny AZ
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Posts: 3,213
It should not be a problem. With Global Entry and carry-on bags only, when arriving on international flights, I have routinely gotten from plane to curb at the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) at LAX in 10 - 12 minutes. I don't know which gates Condor uses; if your flight arrives at the West Gates concourse, you should probably add 15 minutes for the walk from the gate to the immigration and customs facility.
AA mainline flights depart from Terminals 4, 5 and TBIT. T4 is a five minutes walk from the exit from the customs hall, T5 is another five minutes.
AA mainline flights depart from Terminals 4, 5 and TBIT. T4 is a five minutes walk from the exit from the customs hall, T5 is another five minutes.
May 13, 2023, 2:37 pm
#49
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
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When arriving in the United States on an international flight and going through immigration and customs inspections at the first port of entry, one always has exit landside and pass through TSA security before reentering the secure airside areas of the airport. TBIT, T4 and T5 are all connected airside; thus, once you have cleared security at any of those terminals, you can go between any of them without having to reclear a security. There is a map in the wikipost showing how to go between the terminals while staying airside.
May 13, 2023, 5:36 pm
#50
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Sunny AZ
Programs: HH Diamond, Sixt Platinum, IHG Spire Ambassador, Marriott/SPG Gold .....
Posts: 3,213
When arriving in the United States on an international flight and going through immigration and customs inspections at the first port of entry, one always has exit landside and pass through TSA security before reentering the secure airside areas of the airport. TBIT, T4 and T5 are all connected airside; thus, once you have cleared security at any of those terminals, you can go between any of them without having to reclear a security. There is a map in the wikipost showing how to go between the terminals while staying airside.
May 18, 2023, 12:17 pm
#52
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
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Posts: 20,631
One ticket/PNR or separate? Checked luggage? Citizenship/passport? Global Entry?
May 18, 2023, 12:58 pm
#54
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
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Dutch, German and Swiss citizens are eligible for Global Entry membership.
Your connection meets the international to domestic MCT at LAX, however, it is a bit tight for my taste. Should you miss your Delta flight to HNL, there should be at least one later DL flight to HNL that day.
Your connection meets the international to domestic MCT at LAX, however, it is a bit tight for my taste. Should you miss your Delta flight to HNL, there should be at least one later DL flight to HNL that day.
May 18, 2023, 1:01 pm
#55
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 981
Sorry not a connection question, but my family of four with 2 checked bags and a checked car seat bag and carry-on bags have a 7:15 AM Alaska Airlines flight to HNL. We are going to be staying at the HR LAX the night before departure. Would it be OK for us to arrive at the AS check-in area around 6:00 AM? We all have Pre-Check so that might help with the TSA lines. And anyone have any datapoint on how long the HR LAX shuttle takes to get from the hotel to Terminal 6?
May 18, 2023, 4:33 pm
#56
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Plat, DL, AS, UA, IHG Plat
Posts: 2,406
I would go for this connection since you are on the same ticket. If you go thru the normal immigration line for visitors, you should be able to clear immigration in about 45 min, maybe less. Last time I flew AMS-LAX on KL, I did not see them handing out connection pass which would let you use the shorter line at immigration. But if they do, grab one and it should save you some time. The big unknown is luggage which could take a while to show up at the belt. But once you have your luggage, you can exit custom and turn right to recheck your bags (make sure they tag your bags to HNL when checking in at AMS). From there, it is a short 5 min walk to T3 to clear security again.
Is HR supposed to be Hyatt Regency? If the shuttle is going directly to T6, I would budget 10-15 min. If it is making the rounds from T1 all the way to T6, I would budget at least 30 min for the shuttle ride. I would recommend walking from Hyatt Regency to T6 (about 15 min) but I realize you have kids and car seats... that maybe too much.
Sorry not a connection question, but my family of four with 2 checked bags and a checked car seat bag and carry-on bags have a 7:15 AM Alaska Airlines flight to HNL. We are going to be staying at the HR LAX the night before departure. Would it be OK for us to arrive at the AS check-in area around 6:00 AM? We all have Pre-Check so that might help with the TSA lines. And anyone have any datapoint on how long the HR LAX shuttle takes to get from the hotel to Terminal 6?
May 18, 2023, 4:55 pm
#57
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 981
I would go for this connection since you are on the same ticket. If you go thru the normal immigration line for visitors, you should be able to clear immigration in about 45 min, maybe less. Last time I flew AMS-LAX on KL, I did not see them handing out connection pass which would let you use the shorter line at immigration. But if they do, grab one and it should save you some time. The big unknown is luggage which could take a while to show up at the belt. But once you have your luggage, you can exit custom and turn right to recheck your bags (make sure they tag your bags to HNL when checking in at AMS). From there, it is a short 5 min walk to T3 to clear security again.
Is HR supposed to be Hyatt Regency? If the shuttle is going directly to T6, I would budget 10-15 min. If it is making the rounds from T1 all the way to T6, I would budget at least 30 min for the shuttle ride. I would recommend walking from Hyatt Regency to T6 (about 15 min) but I realize you have kids and car seats... that maybe too much.
Is HR supposed to be Hyatt Regency? If the shuttle is going directly to T6, I would budget 10-15 min. If it is making the rounds from T1 all the way to T6, I would budget at least 30 min for the shuttle ride. I would recommend walking from Hyatt Regency to T6 (about 15 min) but I realize you have kids and car seats... that maybe too much.
May 18, 2023, 7:21 pm
#58
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,631
May 18, 2023, 8:09 pm
#59
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 981
Jun 1, 2023, 6:12 am
#60
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 26
Hi all - how unrealistic would it be to attempt a 90 minute connection from TBIT to T3 on separate tickets? Hoping to arrive in TBIT via SQ at 12:50pm and catch a domestic connection in T3 via DL at 2:20pm. We’ll have carry on luggage only, Global Entry, Clear, and TSA Pre.
From my understanding, we’ll need to clear immigration, exit security, walk to the adjacent T3 landside, and re-enter security - is that correct? Historically, I’ve been comfortable with tight connections but is this one too ambitious? Thanks all!
From my understanding, we’ll need to clear immigration, exit security, walk to the adjacent T3 landside, and re-enter security - is that correct? Historically, I’ve been comfortable with tight connections but is this one too ambitious? Thanks all!