Jan 1, 2020, 6:10 pm
Last edit by: TWA884
2018 - 2022 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.
________________________________________
2019 INFO
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.
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 an 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 and Delta's shuttles between their gates in T2, T3, and TBIT). 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 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.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 and 2017 LAX Connecting / Connection / Connections thread contain relevant information, however, to keep them from getting too long they have been archived and the 2018 - 2019 updates are in this thread.
2018 -2022 LAX Connecting / Connection / Connections thread
Oct 26, 2019, 2:48 pm
#331
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Louisville, KY, USA
Posts: 2,583
LAX connect time - JL62 to domestic AA1247
What is normal connect time at LAX when arriving on JL 62 and flying out on AA1247 to DFW.
JL 62 from NRT to LAX has a 69% on time record. JL 62 is scheduled in at 9:50 am and our flight out on AA departs at 1:25. That is 3h35m. Assuming that even though we are on different tickets, JL will interline the luggage to AA, my guess is that two hours should be plenty of time. Am I close?
JL 62 from NRT to LAX has a 69% on time record. JL 62 is scheduled in at 9:50 am and our flight out on AA departs at 1:25. That is 3h35m. Assuming that even though we are on different tickets, JL will interline the luggage to AA, my guess is that two hours should be plenty of time. Am I close?
Oct 26, 2019, 3:19 pm
#332
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Louisville, KY, USA
Posts: 2,583
We are arriving LAX from NRT on JL62 at 9:50AM. Before I found this forum I posted a similar question on the JL forum. Sorry for any duplication. My question is how long should it take to connect to AA1247 to DFW at that time of day.
We will have checked bags. We are on two tickets both written on AA. We have Global Entry. We are flying business class and should get off the plane pretty promptly. We will not have anything to declare to Customs. AA1247 is scheduled out at 1:25 pm. JL62 averages 22 minutes late. We have been told that JL "USUALLY" will check bags through to the final destination, particularly when flying on a partner airline.
We are in our mid-70's and will have been up for close to 24 hours upon landing less any sleep we get on the plane. As long as we don't have to tote checked bags it looks like terminal 4 is a short walk. How is the best way to go while avoiding having to go through security again? If we need to drag bags, are porters available?
We will have checked bags. We are on two tickets both written on AA. We have Global Entry. We are flying business class and should get off the plane pretty promptly. We will not have anything to declare to Customs. AA1247 is scheduled out at 1:25 pm. JL62 averages 22 minutes late. We have been told that JL "USUALLY" will check bags through to the final destination, particularly when flying on a partner airline.
We are in our mid-70's and will have been up for close to 24 hours upon landing less any sleep we get on the plane. As long as we don't have to tote checked bags it looks like terminal 4 is a short walk. How is the best way to go while avoiding having to go through security again? If we need to drag bags, are porters available?
Oct 26, 2019, 3:34 pm
#333
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Falkirk, Scotland,VS Red, BA Gold, HH Diamond,UK Amex Plat
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What is normal connect time at LAX when arriving on JL 62 and flying out on AA1247 to DFW.
JL 62 from NRT to LAX has a 69% on time record. JL 62 is scheduled in at 9:50 am and our flight out on AA departs at 1:25. That is 3h35m. Assuming that even though we are on different tickets, JL will interline the luggage to AA, my guess is that two hours should be plenty of time. Am I close?
JL 62 from NRT to LAX has a 69% on time record. JL 62 is scheduled in at 9:50 am and our flight out on AA departs at 1:25. That is 3h35m. Assuming that even though we are on different tickets, JL will interline the luggage to AA, my guess is that two hours should be plenty of time. Am I close?
Do you have Global Entry to speed your immigration process into the US?
This should be doable . You will need to pick up your baggage at LAX ( point of entry to the US) , clear customs then drop the bags off at the baggage recheck counter as you leave secured area before clearing security again.
Regards
TBS
Oct 26, 2019, 3:52 pm
#334
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,639
Hello @KyRoamer,
As I have posted in this thread in the past, with Global Entry and without checked luggage, I always make it from plane to curb at LAX in under 15 minutes and often even faster.
You have plenty of time to make this "connection."
There are two issues.
First, it is not unusual for checked bags to take up to an hour to show up on the luggage carousels at LAX. You must clear customs with your checked bags before exiting the Federal Inspection Facility (customs hall).
Since you are traveling on separate tickets, JL may not check your luggage through to your final destination. If they do, all that you will have to do is follow the "Connection" signs and drop off your already tagged bags at the recheck desks.
If JL does not check your bags through to your final destination, you possibly still may be able check them for your AA flight at the recheck desk.
If you are unable to check your bags for your AA flight at the exit from the FIS/customs hall, T4 is only a couple of hundred feet from TBIT. Luggage carts should be available to take your bags from the one terminal to the next.
Finally, unless departing from an airport with a preclearance CBP facility, every international passenger arriving in the US must clear TSA security before reentering the secured airside area of the airport after exiting the immigration and customs hall. If you have PreCheck, do so in T4; if not, there is a TSA security checkpoint at the exits from the transfer/recheck desks area (no PreCheck, only PreCheck light - shoes and light jacket on, liquids and electronics out).
As I have posted in this thread in the past, with Global Entry and without checked luggage, I always make it from plane to curb at LAX in under 15 minutes and often even faster.
You have plenty of time to make this "connection."
There are two issues.
First, it is not unusual for checked bags to take up to an hour to show up on the luggage carousels at LAX. You must clear customs with your checked bags before exiting the Federal Inspection Facility (customs hall).
Since you are traveling on separate tickets, JL may not check your luggage through to your final destination. If they do, all that you will have to do is follow the "Connection" signs and drop off your already tagged bags at the recheck desks.
If JL does not check your bags through to your final destination, you possibly still may be able check them for your AA flight at the recheck desk.
If you are unable to check your bags for your AA flight at the exit from the FIS/customs hall, T4 is only a couple of hundred feet from TBIT. Luggage carts should be available to take your bags from the one terminal to the next.
Finally, unless departing from an airport with a preclearance CBP facility, every international passenger arriving in the US must clear TSA security before reentering the secured airside area of the airport after exiting the immigration and customs hall. If you have PreCheck, do so in T4; if not, there is a TSA security checkpoint at the exits from the transfer/recheck desks area (no PreCheck, only PreCheck light - shoes and light jacket on, liquids and electronics out).
Nov 12, 2019, 9:09 pm
#335
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 5
Departing LAX on DL7 to HND, currently scheduled for a 10:10a departure from LAX. I need to get to LAX from the Bay Area for this, either SFO or OAK. All Delta has is a flight that lands at 9:13am, which I think violates D->I MCT.
What do you recommend for making this work? Would Delta be able to link the itineraries even if the connection time is 57 minutes? Or is it better to book an earlier flight out of SFO on a different airline with more of a buffer for delays & terminal transfers?
What do you recommend for making this work? Would Delta be able to link the itineraries even if the connection time is 57 minutes? Or is it better to book an earlier flight out of SFO on a different airline with more of a buffer for delays & terminal transfers?
Nov 12, 2019, 10:17 pm
#336
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 6,546
book Southwest - easy walk at LAX from T1 to T2
OAK safer for avoiding a delay
OAK safer for avoiding a delay
Nov 13, 2019, 9:21 am
#337
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,639
Departing LAX on DL7 to HND, currently scheduled for a 10:10a departure from LAX. I need to get to LAX from the Bay Area for this, either SFO or OAK. All Delta has is a flight that lands at 9:13am, which I think violates D->I MCT.
What do you recommend for making this work? Would Delta be able to link the itineraries even if the connection time is 57 minutes? Or is it better to book an earlier flight out of SFO on a different airline with more of a buffer for delays & terminal transfers?
What do you recommend for making this work? Would Delta be able to link the itineraries even if the connection time is 57 minutes? Or is it better to book an earlier flight out of SFO on a different airline with more of a buffer for delays & terminal transfers?
When you fly on separate tickets, you are on your own and your risk tolerance is the only determining factor.
That being said, according to the Minimum Connection Transfer Time at Los Angeles (LAX): The Definitive Thread DL in the Delta Air Lines | SkyMiles forum, the D-I MCT at LAX is 45 minutes except when connecting from T2/T3 to TBIT when it is 1 hour.
If you are traveling on separate tickets with checked bags and have to pick them up and check them for your next flight, that is grossly insufficient.
You also must keep in mind that SFO is notorious for delays, especially on short haul flights.
Whether DL will link the PNRs is a question best asked in the DL forum. According to this thread, they will; however, I'm not sure whether it is still the current policy.
Nov 19, 2019, 10:51 am
#338
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,423
I just had the worst connecting experience at a USA airport that I can ever remember. I arrived on a Qantas flight from Australia at a remote gate (I vaguely recall a similar Qantas experience at LAX from a few years ago), where we had to take a 5+ minute bus ride to the Bradley terminal to clear customs, plus significant delays in getting everyone onto the buses. I was transferring to an AA widebody flight that left Bradley from Gate 136, which is really just a bus depot at the very far end of Bradley, completely away from AA's other facilities. Conditions at that gate were beyond crowded, and the actual aircraft was parked beyond AA's hangar, again a more than 5+ minute bus ride and then we had to use air stairs. The AA flight left an hour late, mostly due to the confusion and delays associated with the busing and remote location of the aircraft. Does AA routinely use Gate 136? This has to be the worst "gate" in their system.
People routinely complain about USA airports, but I actually find the boarding process at USA airports to be better than at most foreign airports, as bus gates are rare. I'm kind of used to them from foreign travel, but I could tell that "everyone" else on my AA flight was absolutely amazed at the "third world" nature of our boarding process (it was pretty terrible).
People routinely complain about USA airports, but I actually find the boarding process at USA airports to be better than at most foreign airports, as bus gates are rare. I'm kind of used to them from foreign travel, but I could tell that "everyone" else on my AA flight was absolutely amazed at the "third world" nature of our boarding process (it was pretty terrible).
Nov 19, 2019, 2:09 pm
#339
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Plat, DL, AS, UA, IHG Plat
Posts: 2,407
QF parks remote pad because their plane stays at LAX all day. Normally, they gate at TBIT and are then towed to the remote pad. However, if T4 alley is busy (meaning QF plane will have to hold for a long time to enter), QF may opt to gate at the remote pad.
AA always parks its 777 and 787 at remote pad when they arrive at LAX to overnight (e.g the last flight from DFW). In the morning when they are ready for departure, they are towed in to TBIT or Gate 41/43. However, they are subject to the same T4 alley congestion that prevents QF from going to the gate, so AA may opt to depart directly from the remote pad by bus.
Basically, you got hit with a double whammy - T4 alley must have been crazy on the day you arrived. Neither situation is standard ops for QF and AA but it seems with all the construction around LAX, this is happening more often. Hopefully when MCS opens, this problem will be eliminated.
AA always parks its 777 and 787 at remote pad when they arrive at LAX to overnight (e.g the last flight from DFW). In the morning when they are ready for departure, they are towed in to TBIT or Gate 41/43. However, they are subject to the same T4 alley congestion that prevents QF from going to the gate, so AA may opt to depart directly from the remote pad by bus.
Basically, you got hit with a double whammy - T4 alley must have been crazy on the day you arrived. Neither situation is standard ops for QF and AA but it seems with all the construction around LAX, this is happening more often. Hopefully when MCS opens, this problem will be eliminated.
Nov 19, 2019, 3:38 pm
#341
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,639
Moderator's Action
For indexing and future search purposes, posts discussing the Midfield Satellite Concourse which are not related to connecting or transferring at LAX were moved to the following thread:
TWA884
Moderator
TWA884
Moderator
Nov 22, 2019, 2:45 am
#342
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PEK, AUS, WAS, HKG
Programs: CX Gold
Posts: 1,123
AA intl to UA dom LAX separate tickets - 2:00 enough time?
Question: I am arriving on AA NRT-LAX at 11:50 AM, and will depart on a separate ticket on United LAX-ASE at 1:50 PM. Do you think this is a safe connection, or should I book the later flight to ASE (departing LAX at around 5pm) instead? Thanks!
Nov 22, 2019, 3:32 am
#343
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
Posts: 6,087
Personally I would take the later flight. Although doable, should there be even a minor delay on the arrival you are on shaky ground, and presumably not protected as the 2nd flight is on UA and on a separate ticket.
Nov 22, 2019, 9:58 am
#344
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 6,546
if it were me (without checked luggage, global entry, business class on AA, not basic economy on UA which prevents OLCI boarding pass), i would have no qualms booking the 150PM
Nov 22, 2019, 10:56 am
#345
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: AA LT Gold
Posts: 3,646
Be aware though that it is a looooong walk to your ASE flight from TBIT or T4. United regional jets depart from T8 (check in at T7)
Last edited by carlosdca; Nov 22, 2019 at 11:12 am