Consolidated "Customs and Immigration at LAX" thread
Sep 8, 2011, 6:34 pm
#76
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Yorkshire
Programs: BAEC Gold, Aegean Gold, Skywards Silver, Tesco Clubcard Blue
Posts: 62
Hey all,
Arriving on a Saturday on BA283 which arrives at 3:05pm. What time do you guys think I can be in Downtown LA, allowing time for renting a car at Hertz and driving myself downtown?
Arriving on a Saturday on BA283 which arrives at 3:05pm. What time do you guys think I can be in Downtown LA, allowing time for renting a car at Hertz and driving myself downtown?
Sep 9, 2011, 12:22 pm
#77
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Plat, DL, AS, UA, IHG Plat
Posts: 2,407
7 pm at the earliest.
Your flight arrives at LAX TBIT at peak arrival hour so it will take at least 1.5 hours to get out of immigration and customs. More like 2 hours if you hold foreign passport.
The typical transit time from curbside to rental car desk (including wait time at curb side) is around 30 minutes. Once you get your car, you will be in rush hour traffic (yes, freeway will be VERY busy on Saturday evening around 6 pm heading to Downtown LA), which means minimum of 1 hours to reach Downtown LA, probably more like 1.5 hour.
Where are you going to be exactly? There may be alternate driving route or public transportation options that will get you there faster.
Your flight arrives at LAX TBIT at peak arrival hour so it will take at least 1.5 hours to get out of immigration and customs. More like 2 hours if you hold foreign passport.
The typical transit time from curbside to rental car desk (including wait time at curb side) is around 30 minutes. Once you get your car, you will be in rush hour traffic (yes, freeway will be VERY busy on Saturday evening around 6 pm heading to Downtown LA), which means minimum of 1 hours to reach Downtown LA, probably more like 1.5 hour.
Where are you going to be exactly? There may be alternate driving route or public transportation options that will get you there faster.
Sep 19, 2011, 9:06 am
#80
Senior Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: UA Plat/2MM [23-yr. 1K, now emeritus] clawing way back to WN-A List; MR LT Titanium; HY Whateverist.
Posts: 12,396
Let's seek the help of readers of the Travel->Los Angeles forum and I'll move the thread there. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.
Sep 19, 2011, 3:09 pm
#81
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold but PlatPro thanks to LPs
Posts: 4,439
I am a US citizen and travel every year on the exact same AA flight LAX-LHR and back.
Thus, for the past 20 years, or so, I have arrived at LAX on the same flight at the same time.
Sometimes the line is fast. Sometimes it is slow.
I would allow at least 2 hours, if I were you. Then, hope to be pleasantly surprised.
Sep 20, 2011, 5:59 pm
#82
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 9
HKT/LAX 8:15p Need to BOOK Access Services advance
sorry guys...don't know where 2 post this...
Arr lax 11/30/2011 @ 8:15p cathay. Need to book 1 day in advance(from phuket) for (disabled)access services for a ride home to west hollywood. Anyone know which terminal i arriive in for the van(4 or 5) and about how long should i plan...p/u @ 9:30p?
Thanks
vince
Arr lax 11/30/2011 @ 8:15p cathay. Need to book 1 day in advance(from phuket) for (disabled)access services for a ride home to west hollywood. Anyone know which terminal i arriive in for the van(4 or 5) and about how long should i plan...p/u @ 9:30p?
Thanks
vince
no idea.
I am a us citizen and travel every year on the exact same aa flight lax-lhr and back.
Thus, for the past 20 years, or so, i have arrived at lax on the same flight at the same time.
Sometimes the line is fast. Sometimes it is slow.
I would allow at least 2 hours, if i were you. Then, hope to be pleasantly surprised.
I am a us citizen and travel every year on the exact same aa flight lax-lhr and back.
Thus, for the past 20 years, or so, i have arrived at lax on the same flight at the same time.
Sometimes the line is fast. Sometimes it is slow.
I would allow at least 2 hours, if i were you. Then, hope to be pleasantly surprised.
Sep 21, 2011, 11:33 am
#84
Join Date: May 2006
Location: PMD
Programs: UA*G, NW, AA-G. WR-P, HH-G, IHG-S, ALL. TT-GE.
Posts: 2,911
sorry guys...don't know where 2 post this...
Arr lax 11/30/2011 @ 8:15p cathay. Need to book 1 day in advance(from phuket) for (disabled)access services for a ride home to west hollywood. Anyone know which terminal i arriive in for the van(4 or 5) and about how long should i plan...p/u @ 9:30p?
Thanks
vince
Arr lax 11/30/2011 @ 8:15p cathay. Need to book 1 day in advance(from phuket) for (disabled)access services for a ride home to west hollywood. Anyone know which terminal i arriive in for the van(4 or 5) and about how long should i plan...p/u @ 9:30p?
Thanks
vince
Sep 21, 2011, 11:40 am
#85
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Plat, DL, AS, UA, IHG Plat
Posts: 2,407
Sep 22, 2011, 12:00 am
#86
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Santa Cruz, CA USA
Programs: AA, UA, WN, HH, Marriott
Posts: 7,290
LAX International Arrivals
Last year I flew AZ from FCO to LAX and was surprised that we arrived and cleared immigration and customs in terminal 2. I was curious as to which international flights arrived at which terminal and went to the LAX website to look this up but could not find any info.
Could someone direct me to a site where I can find out where the different international flights arrive? Thanks.
Could someone direct me to a site where I can find out where the different international flights arrive? Thanks.
Sep 30, 2011, 2:10 am
#87
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 2
2 hrs from TBIT to Terminal 5/6 possible?
Hi.
I am looking at tickets for coming back home from my study abroad in Hokkaido Japan. Given that I fly Delta 90% of the time for its convenience for me, I am looking on Orbitz at a Korean Air/Delta via LAX option for heading back to DTW. Here's what it looks like.
Korean Air 17 arriving at 11am from Seoul Incheon (ICN)
Delta 1806 departing at 1:15 for DTW.
Is having 2 hours to connect and go through customs and all too risky? I do have global entry, and I do think that will help speed things along for me.
Thanks in advance!
I am looking at tickets for coming back home from my study abroad in Hokkaido Japan. Given that I fly Delta 90% of the time for its convenience for me, I am looking on Orbitz at a Korean Air/Delta via LAX option for heading back to DTW. Here's what it looks like.
Korean Air 17 arriving at 11am from Seoul Incheon (ICN)
Delta 1806 departing at 1:15 for DTW.
Is having 2 hours to connect and go through customs and all too risky? I do have global entry, and I do think that will help speed things along for me.
Thanks in advance!
Oct 2, 2011, 7:44 am
#89
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,188
I thought most such services would ask you to phone once you are ready to depart, or close to departing, the termnal (you can't use the phone in Immigration-- not sure about baggage and Customs), since they know the amount of time required can vary and they don't want to have their driver sitting out at the curb for long periods of time, possibly incurring a fine. The driver may circle the airport road or wait in a parking area. I'd ask the service to confirm.
Oct 3, 2011, 5:01 pm
#90
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Plat, DL, AS, UA, IHG Plat
Posts: 2,407
2 hours is about right if you have global entry. Also helps if you are on the same ticket/PRN... just in case your inbound flight is delayed. DL may decide to hold your outbound flight if there are enough passengers on the same itinerary (ICN-LAX-DTW).