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Old Dec 25, 2016, 1:58 pm
  #1  
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Connection advice at LAX

So, I'm flying on VA LAX-BNE in a few days, and I'll be connecting from VX out of SEA. Would it be fair to say that arriving at 2000 or 2030 for a 2305 departure would be sufficient time to transfer between airlines (and terminals, though I know that T3 and TBIT are next to one another) or do I need to err on the side of an earlier flight?
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Old Dec 25, 2016, 7:25 pm
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I presume these are separate bookings.

The VA flight will commence boarding ~10:25pm.

Will you have to collect and recheck luggage at LAX?

8pm is the latest I would loom to arrive at LAX, 7pm would be better.
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Old Dec 25, 2016, 9:37 pm
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Yes, but I'll be in First on VX and Business on VA so at least in theory my luggage should hit quickly coming in and security shouldn't be a total mess on the way out...but I've erred to a slightly earlier flight all the same (involving a connection through SFO...which gets me the added bonus of a run at the VS Clubhouse there).
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Old Dec 25, 2016, 10:04 pm
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Note the VA check in at T3 is at the most Westerly counters (nearest to TBIT).

Since December 19th VA Business class passengers out of LAX have had access to the "Etihad First & Business Class Lounge" at TBIT.

Last edited by serfty; Dec 25, 2016 at 10:14 pm
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Old Jan 6, 2017, 8:25 pm
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I posted a similar request for connection times in the VX forum. I was planning to fly VX 97 from IAD, lands in LAX at 7.50pm. The VA flight leaves at 9.55pm in February. Is this pushing it? I am starting to think it's not enough time with a checked bag.

The other factor is that AS have merged with VX so I am unsure if I would get priority bags or other benefits (ie Lounge access at IAD or DCA - depending which flight I take).

If no priority tags on my bag, then not worth the short conx time risk.

If we lose our VA benefits on VX, maybe I am better off flying with DL ex IAD. Thoughts?
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Old Jan 7, 2017, 5:10 pm
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VX will still be around as it is scheduled to move to T6 in May.

Although you'd likely make it, 2:05 minutes is not a connection I'd book.
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Old Jan 8, 2017, 3:56 am
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Originally Posted by serfty
VX will still be around as it is scheduled to move to T6 in May.

Although you'd likely make it, 2:05 minutes is not a connection I'd book.
Thanks for your help. Yes, I have decided to go from DCA and take an earlier flight. Not worth the stress or the risk.
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Old Jan 8, 2017, 6:55 am
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Of somewhat amusing note to this: It turns out that the later flight, when I got to SEA, showed up as a Virgin Australia codeshare. The baggage situation did complicate things, but I'm still amused even nearly two weeks later.

To be clear, I would've made the flight with time to spare, but that's because while TBIT doesn't have Precheck, the premium cabin line was so short it wasn't even funny.
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Old Jan 11, 2017, 10:50 pm
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Originally Posted by GrayAnderson
To be clear, I would've made the flight with time to spare, but that's because while TBIT doesn't have Precheck, the premium cabin line was so short it wasn't even funny.
TBIT doesn't have precheck, but T4 does, and the air-side walk between the two is about 5 minutes (I took that exact route a few days ago whilst on my way to the *A lounge)
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Old Jan 15, 2017, 9:52 pm
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I'll bear in mind that option in the future (I was not aware of airside access there, but then again aside from a flight when I was ten I don't think I'd used any part of LAX but the VX terminal until this trip).
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Old Jan 15, 2017, 11:56 pm
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Originally Posted by GrayAnderson
I'll bear in mind that option in the future (I was not aware of airside access there
There didn't used to be - it's new within the past year or so. All of TBIT and T4-T8 are now connected airside. T4<->TBIT is a relatively simple walk - any further than that and it gets a little interesting as it's a tunnel that is half-way along the pier, but at least you can do it if needed.
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Old Jan 16, 2017, 12:33 am
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This will be all moot later this year when VA moves into T2-T3 with DL and VX moves over to T5-T6 with AS.
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