With carry-on only and GE, you can do this no problem. Of course since they are separate tickets, you are not protected in case your inbound SQ flight is delayed. That's a risk you have to take no matter how much time you have to self-connect.

Many thanks, bzcat! Completely understood regarding the risk of separate tickets. And will be the process be - clear customs in TBIT, exit security, walk to the adjacent T3 landside, and re-enter security? I assume there is no way to remain airside after customs.

Yes, that is the process.

At every US airport, after completing the immigration and customs inspections, connecting/transiting passengers must clear TSA security after exiting the Federal Inspection Services facility and before reentering the secured area of the airport.

post-security terminal connections T1 and T2
 

The flylax websites states Inter-terminal connections between terminals 1, 2, and 3, and between them and the other terminals, require passengers to exit security, then walk or use a shuttle-bus to get to the other terminal, then re-clear security. Terminals 4-8, which comprise the south terminal complex, provide airside connections, which allow connecting passengers to access other terminals without having to re-clear security. The following airside connections are possible:
HoweverLAWA states bridge connecting T1 and T2 post-security was opened Nov 12, 2021.

Is the flylax website outdated? Or was the bridge opened and then closed?

Some time in 2022, I guess when the rebuilt "T3" was inaugurated, LAWA removed all signages of "T2". All gates 20-39 are now T3.

When I flew DL in Dec 2022, there was nothing eastward beyond Gate 21. The airside bus was operating out of Gate 26B. Later that day I returned on MX (TBIT West) and took the LLC airside bus to the new "T1.5" which was only connected to T1 but not "T2".

The connector between T1 and T2/3 was completed as the article stated and was open about a month or so before it was closed due to the ongoing construction. I have not seen an estimate as far as when it will reopen.

In theory someone could take the T1.5 bus to TBIT-W then walk to TBIT-E and catch the DL shuttle to T2/3 but I cant imagine it would be faster than leaving security.

Thanks for the update.
I just hate going through security, would rather take longer than go through security (I guess the opposite works for many people. They would rather take longer on the shuttle bus then just to walk from T1 to T7).

Wondering about Whether You Need to Schlep Baggage from TBIT to Domestic Terminals?
 

You do not (or so I've been told): "After customs there is a drop off desk for bags from international flights that are tagged to another destination. No need to schlepp anything to the domestic terminal. I have done it many times at many different US international gateways and never had a bag disappear or get delayed because of that. Obviously, if you have a really tight connection, the bag needs to get from TB to T6, but given your plan to hang out at a lounge, that doesn’t seem to be a concern."

After you exit custom at TBIT, the bag drop off area is to the right (follow the sign for connecting passengers). It is pretty straight forward and you can't miss it.

As long as the bag is tagged to the final destination and it is before the cut off time, you can hand over the bags and walk to the next terminal.

How long is the walk between tbit and terminal 3 please? I'm looking at flying DL into tbit and leaving from T3. 4 hour connection seems do-able, just want to be sure as the LAX-SAN leg will be the last flight of the day.

Technically they are next to each other, but in reality it depends on many factors. I’m assuming you’re talking about international to domestic. If you have checked bags to redeposit, you turn right before exit, making you slightly farther away from T3. After redeposit, you can reenter security right there at TBIT ground floor, go upstairs and walk north to the airside bus to T3. Or you can choose to walk out to the street like arriving passengers, turn left and walk to T3 either upstairs or downstairs.

“T3” now includes the former T2 and all gates 20-39. The DL check-in and TSA entrance are now right in between the 20s and 30s. The airside bus arrives at Gate 26B (near the tip of the former T2 finger). So if your next gate is one of the the 30s, taking the airside bus results in two unnecessary long walks. But if today’s gate numbers are representative (DL Conx using the 20s), the airside bus is not so bad.

Every detail can be seen on LAX’s interactive map (where you can ask for walking directions and time and distance call too) at: https://maps.lawa.org

So the landside walk from TBIT to T3 can be 5-10 minutes plus an elevator ride. But whether you want to take this route depends on many things.

I'll just add that - to the best of my recollection - the walk from the TBIT security checkpoint to the bus gates at TBIT is longer than the walk outdoors from TBIT to T3. The bus ride itself took another few minutes, so it it quicker to walk than to take the airside bus. Make sure to walk between the terminals on the upper - departures - level - to avoid cigarette smoke and vehicle exhaust fumes, and traffic noise.

Yes. International to domestic.

Thanks for the info. I'll redeposit my bags and walk outside, upper deck if possible, to T3. Seems easier than trying to find an airside bus.

Yes, it is. The bus gates are numbers 136 - 146. It's in the remnant of the original TBIT concourse at the very northwest end of the North Concourse.

The following maps should give you an idea of the location of the bus gates in relation to T3.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...590cb9aaf1.jpg

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...df72107164.jpg

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...90e0f2ae53.jpg

Is the airside bus between T3/old T2 and TBIT available for pax connecting from DL to AV (or any airline that's not a DL partner)?