seahxt

Hi,

I will be arriving by China Airlines at Los Angeles Airport on a Sat at 1:25pm. I wish to take a domestic flight to Orlando by Frontier from Terminal 3 at 2:50pm.

Can anyone advise on whether I can catch the domestic flight in 1.5 hours?

(2:50pm is the last flight that will get me to Orlando on the same day, midnight)

SkiAdcock

Technically you can, but it could be a bit 'iffy'. Depends on how backed up immigration is - ie, how many flights are arriving around then. You arrive at Tom Bradley Intl Terminal (T4 if you will) & depart on T3, so the terminals aren't too far apart. Also, you have to clear security again at T3 & that could eat up some time.

Cheers.

seahxt

Hi,

Thanks. I was thinking of not checking in my baggage to save more time for catching the 250pm flight. Thought I could bring cabin baggage instead.

Btw, do I check-in at the ground floor of LAX for my boarding pass? (how long before flight departure time do I need to check-in and get to the gate?)

Will I get more time allowance before departure if I check-in online first 24 hours before, while in transit at Taipei Airport? (I'm just worried Taipei Airport does not offer internet printing for my boarding pass)

What are the chances of still catching the flight?

Unfortunately, on Tom Bradley terminal traffic at 125pm for Sat, I tried searching for information on flights arriving at LAX on the same day but couldn't get any. They only publish information on specific flights arriving at LAX from specific airports/ airlines.

mizzou65201

All check-in counters are located on the upper level. Lower level is baggage claim and baggage service offices.

I'm not familiar with how long it takes to clear customs & immigration at TBIT. Not checking baggage will certainly help. If your original flight is on time, and you don't have checked luggage, I think you have very good chances of making your connection.

SkiAdcock

It really depends on how many other flights are coming in at the same time. I've been at TBIT when getting through is somewhat easy, & other times backed up for ages. Not having luggage will certainly help. Flying C or F helps more in getting off the plane first.

You'll come out on the lower level, but just take the escalator up & walk to T3. I don't know if Frontier has EZCheck-In Machines. If online check-in is available and you can print boarding pass at Taipai, that would save time & make the connection more likely to occur. If not, hope for EZCheck-In.

If you're lucky the China flight will come in early, and then the connection is certainly doable. If the China flight comes in late, you'll miss the connection. I don't know if you can track flights on the China website, but you may want to check to see how their daily arrivals are going, so you'll know/can plan accordingly Also, you'll need a back-up plan if the flight is late/you miss the connection.

Actually the more I think about this the more I think it's 'very' tight. Let's say wheels down is 1:25pm, then taxi to gate 1:30-1:35pm, then unload plane (depending where you are that could take 5-15 minutes), then immigration 5min-45min, then walk to T3 (5 minutes), then check-in (1-15minutes), then clear security (5-10). If all the minimum times are listed, you'd be ok. If you run into any of the larger amounts of time, then you'd miss.

I'd think of a back-up plan (ie, does Frontier have a red-eye?) in case you miss the connection.

Cheers.

Constant Motion

I think its too tight to guarantee. Best case you're pushing it. Minimal delays anywhere and you miss the next flight. Tom Bradley lines when three or four 747's arrive at the same time are really something. Customs and immigration can/are glacial. Just your luck they putting everyone through tough scrutiny whilst you're at the back of the line waiting. And fuming.

stimpy

If it were me, I'd do it. I'm generally the first off the plane, and I hustle to immigration, and hustle again to the next flight. I only do carry on so no waiting there. TBIT usually doesn't have bad lines for US citizens. But you didn't say if you are a US citizen? If not, you may have a bit longer to get through the immigration process depending on your visa type.

However if it was me I wouldn't be flying Frontier. I don't know how long the security lines might be in T3. Low cost airlines generally have the worst lines at LAX. Also they don't have electronic check in kiosks. For that reason, you might not make it.