We are senior travelers going to Australia and New Zealand for the first time. We are flying on Delta from Atlanta to Los Angeles and then on Quantas to Melbourne. Our main concern is getting from terminal 5 to terminal B at LAX.. We think there is a bus from terminal 4 that will allow us to transfer without having to go through security again. Can we get from terminal 4 to 5 by walking and still stay in the secure area?

We transfer in Melbourne to a Quantas flight operated by Jetstar. I understand that we can check our luggage from Atlanta to Hobart which would preclude any necessity to handle anything but our carry-on. Is that correct?

In Melbourne it looks like we go from terminal 2 to terminal 1. Is that a reasonable walking distance?

Many thanks. We are really looking forward to seeing what has been described to us as THE most beautiful Australia and New Zealand. We are so sorry that the people in Christchurch and surrounding areas are experiencing an earthquake and its aftershocks. Keep the faith.

To clarify: There is no terminal B. I know that Qantas calls it that, and that's stupid - it means the Bradley International Terminal. So when you are at LAX airport, don't ask for Terminal B, ask for the Bradley International. Just one of those things...

It sits at the top of the horseshoe, where on one side you have T1 - T2 - T3 then the curve with the Bradley Int'l terminal, then on the other side T4 - T5 - T6 - T7 - T8.

Qantas flight QF 94 to Melbourne flies out of the Bradley Int'l (and QF26 to Melbourne flies out of T4 where Qantas has a special section, T4 is otherwise all occupied by American Airlines).

It is a long way from T5 to the Bradley - I know, I walked it 5 times the other day while chasing a misdirected suitcase from a delayed flight (long story...)

There is a bus, but you will not be able to remain in the secure area. The bus simply goes around the horsehoe all day, in the wrong direction for you, so you'll get the grand tour.

At the dreadfully outdated Bradley it can get awfully congested, so I suggest that, if you have luggage, as you get off the bus, one of you stands aside with the bags, out of traffic's way by the entrance, while the other goes to scope out exactly where your check-in area is, rather than dragging your stuff all over looking for your target.

Be early, it takes forever to fill up the big jumbos. Qantas staff are pretty efficient usually, in a friendly no-nonsense kind of a way, but it's a huge job to get everybody in. Then you'll have the TSA, another long wait, so plan your snacks and your bathroom breaks and be patient.

I don't know about checking the luggage through from ATL to Hobart - great if that's possible! That's for Delta to know since they have to check it and label it etc.

Have a toothbrush etc. with you, nothing of value in the checked bags in case they don't make it to Hobart at the same time as you get there.

You'll love Hobart, and go see the former penal colony in Port Arthur, it's quite something.

If you can read Robert Hughes "The Fatal Shore" before this trip it will mean even more to you. Your library probably has it, it was a bestseller.

It's quite a haul from the International T2 to Jetstar in T1 in Melbourne, but first you stand in line to do immigration, then customs. They are very strict about organic matter - no fruits, no nuts or almonds or any other kind of food, so check your pockets and eat up before you land...

If you need assistance, ask when you check in at LAX, the request may be forwarded.

Enjoy your trip in my favorite part of the world!

Here are the maps of the LAX terminals: http://www.lawa.org/welcome_lax.aspx?id=256

and here you'll find airport maps for Melbourne: www.melbourneairport.com.au/

Thanks DalaiLlama for both of your replies. We will keep investigating and will certainly use your information. If you come up with anymore info, please continue to correspond with us.

Do check carefully because we have always had to clear customs and immigration in Melbourne when we arrive back in Australia - and that means collecting bags - not having them sent on to Hobart in your case.

You will clear immigration and customs and then walk quite a long way - but all within buildings - to the domestic terminal.
And yes - they are very strict about foodstuffs - so read the card carefully.

It is correct that you are likely to have to take hold of your bags in Melbourne and present them to customs, since that is your first point of entry, but there is a slight chance that you might be able to do that in Hobart. When I was there last I saw some passengers ask for their bags and an officer had to be found to deal with them - not sure if they had come in with a group or what...

We will have luggage with rollers so should be okay. The walking is okay in Melbourne. Hopefully 3 hours will cover it if we walk quickly. Still would be best not to have to bother with luggage. We will check with Quantas again and again. A while back they said (and I know that isn't always what happens) that checking to Hobart is okay, and then again checking it all the way and having to pick it up part way might be the same thing. Who is to know?

LAX is the one that scares us, but surely since we will still be in the US we won't have to claim luggage going out. I realize we have to do customs at LAX coming back but with everything being reasonably on time we have about 4 hours there.

Love seeing new places, but hate the hastle of airports.

Thanks again to everyone.

international arrivals at Melbourne is next to the domestic part and as previously said in the same builing.We have always been able to book luggage straight through to our final destination with Qantas-but there are some variations when a leg is jetstar-good idea to check.

Coming back through LAX is rough. There is no welcoming concourse with food and places to rest, you come up from doing US immgration and customs and you're at the top of the horseshoe I mentioned, staring at a parking garage across.

There is nothing welcoming in the terminals to either side before you go through security, either (your Delta terminal will be to your right, past T4 on the bend, a ways down the straight).

You could go there and check in - once you're in the secure area of the concourses with the gates, there are restaurants etc.

So if you feel like a legstretch, turn right and walk to Terminal 5 and check in and do TSA security, then have breakfast and wait for your flight.

If you really have 4 hours between flights, you can take a taxi to a nearby civlized location. you'll get back in plenty of time to check in.

Suggestions:

Do you know the bread/coffeeshop chain Panera? At that time of the day it might be tempting for coffee and yummy bakery items, and there is one at 8647 S Sepulveda Blvd, tell the cabbie to turn left from Sepulveda onto West Manchester Blvd, the entrance is from the rear carpark west of Sepulveda and south of W. Manchester. There is also a Trader Joe adjacent. This is very close to the airport horseshoe, less than mile.

If you'd rather spend time in the lobby of one of the major hotels along Century Blvd, go to Google Maps and bring up Century Blvd and Airport Rd. Los Angeles, zoom in and take our pick of the many hotels that will appear on the map.

I trust that they will have coffeeshops and such accessible even if you're not guests. They also have their own shuttles to get you back to the airport - again, no matter that you didn't stay the night, you'll look like guests who have just checked out.

Have you really been through TBIT Dalai Lama? I just wonder because there are a dozen food stalls ranging from Sushi Boy to Cinnabon to Maccas to Daily Grill at the food court, which is BEFORE security so that anyone can visit it, such as people waiting to pick up international arrivals. There is no reason to go off site. There are also food vendors in all of the other terminals AFTER security. I don't know what time your flights are but there is typically something open as early as 4:30-5 am and the McDs in TBIT stays open until 2 am.

The shuttle busses leave from outside the terminals on the sidewalk. There is no way to take a bus without leaving the secure area.


You will have to go through security again no matter how you change terminals. It may be possible to send your checked luggage on ahead, check with Delta/Qantas to see if they offer this service.

I've come and gone through the Bradley terminal many times over the years, the last two times earlier this year. Never saw a food court outside of the secure area. I'll be very happy to stand corrected and make use of it the next time. Where is it?

Neither these two resources mention it:

http://www.lax-airport.net/tom-bradl...-terminal.html
http://www.scpr.org/news/2010/05/26/...terminal-unve/

DaliaLama - I think the food area in question at TBIT is that bit up the escalators. Standing in the center ticket counter area, back to the windows and a security point on either side, look up and straight ahead. directly above the duty free/clothing shops.

To my mind and having been in my share of international terminals, I'd say it isn't much. There's that Daily Planet Bar and Grill area on the right - pricey, but the only place we've ever typically found to actually get an open seat. Then there's a line of a few take away type places on the left - Chinese (just noodles and soup as I recall - a few dried out looking things in steam trays that I've ever saw), sushi (admittedly I tend to ignore sushi places so I did forget that one until mlgb posted), a burrito place and a McD's. All fronted by a very thin balcony of plastic seats that are almost always full to the hilt. I still don't recall the Cinnabon or any others though.

I guess I've been through there 20 times or so and of all of them, still find TBIT to be the rock bottom of international terminals. ( But when half the family is in the US and the other half on OZ... and neither SF or SEA offer a good connection to the US leg...) And after you pass security at LAX, forget it. Wasteland.

No... not true...not the worst. There was the concrete floored, un-airconditioned shed at Siem Reap where you came in from the tarmac to the immigration queue via the open garage doors. That was a bit worse.

Yes many but not all are upstairs at the mezzanine level aka "food court". Daily Grill is at the departure level.

Here is the link to all restaurants at LAX, you can sort by terminal (click the heading "Terminal"), then click the name of the restaurant for further info such as location and hours.

You will find more information on the website as well (It is the official "LAWA" website").

There has been recent construction at TBIT and there are some new restaurants. Daniel's Bar and Bistro at the International Arrivals level (ie ground floor) would be worth a look.

Duh...the link!

http://lawa.org/tenantLAXResult.aspx...&sindicator=qs

I realize many people are just rushing thru the airport and if something is not right in your face you may not even realize it is there. Or it may be new since your last visit.

Thank you very much! I'll know to detour and re-enter and go look for these locations on my next arrival. Like Clifton, I'm a regular US-Oz traveller - more often than not I choose the SFO departures, or the QF flights from T4 in LAX, but I've done my share of stumbling out of the Bradley on arrival, hungry and tired, and ignorant of the options you describe.

I wonder if they came about with the renovations that were done this Spring? My last arrival was in March from Hongkong, maybe I missed it.

Sooo - BETTYBOOP 10 - I hope you're still with us here - there is hope for you after all!

Thanks to all!

Some of them such as the one I mentioned are new from the renovations. Others such as McD and Daily Grill have been there for a while.

Yep, we are still here and enjoying your comments.

Now, to change trains of thought, or maybe to show my ignorance. As we move from our arrival T-5 terminal, we plan to go my foot to TBIT. Is it best to go up to the departure level before we walk toward TBIT, or should we or must we stay on the arrival level? In other words how do we actually go from 5 to TBIT without taking the bus? Am I just confusing myself and should I just wait and follow the signs?

Thanks for your patience in answering the questions of a worrier. We have traveled quite a bit and have never gotten lost in an airport and it usually all comes together when you see the actual facility.

Clifton, we agree with you on Siem Reap. But then Cambodia was an education in itself. Glad we went, but don't think we will ever return.

I think you're micromanaging it a bit, Betty. Just follow the signs when you get there. As you said, you've travelled a lot and never been lost before. There will possibly be one or two others headed for that QF flight to Australia

Relax - we want you to arrive fresh & stress-free, ready for your Australian adventures.

BTW - It's QAntas (no "U") It helps when you know the origin.
Queensland And Northern Territory Aerial Services.

I was wondering what else would go in there. They had a small area in the middle that had the partition up when we last went through in December.

I think they have the Daily Grill mislabeled though. We've eaten in there a number of times (love the old fashioned luggage racks over the booths). But it's up at the same level as the food court rather than the departure level, unless they've moved it downstairs somewhere since we were there last.

Sorry that was in regard to LAX food. I left the thread up on the screen for ages and only just now saw the later posts.

Bettyboop, one of the nice things about traveling is that everyone gets a different experience and brings home different memories. Siem Reap airport wasn't an illustrious start, but for us, the rest of the country made up for it and we fell in love as we traveled around Cambodia. It's still our favorite country after visiting 6 continents.

I'm not sure that T5 holds one of the super secret airside connections which dump you into the "black hole" of the Tom Bradley International Terminal, behind security, where there is almost no services. Our connections outbound are always long enough that we'd never want to go in there until it's only a couple of hours left.

Assuming you're going through the usual way, with the rest of the crush of humanity, you pretty much walk from your gate in T5 and out the front doors of the terminal. You're now outdoors on one long sidewalk that loops around in front of all the terminals. Take the bus all the way around the loop, or if walking, turn left and make your way 2 terminals over to TBIT and walk in.

Here's a map of all the terminals in relation to each other:

http://www.iflylax.com/lax_map0.html

The arrows show the direction of traffic and the shuttle bus. But of course you can walk any direction you want on the sidewalks. You're heading for the big purple terminal at the end.