We have to fly into LA for a 1 pm flight to Tahiti. We can get a flight where there is about 1 1/2 hours layover time. Is that enough time to get luggage and check in for the Tahiti flight?

There are alot of variables. Usually the airline should let you know. Sometimes they will check you through to the international destination (if it is the same airline.) We recently experience several head aches with connecting flights. Qantas and Air New Zealand seem to change their timetables much more than US airlines. As a result, a 1 hour 40 minute layover we had connecting in Brisbane to Auckland disappeared when they upped the departure to Auckand by 55 minutes. We ended up having to revise our itinerary. Therefore, I would recommend you should check with the airlines and then take enough in your carryon in case the luggage is late.

That's cutting it a little close for an international flight. LAX gets pretty crowded. Some of the commuter flights on the west coast to LA have to stay parked and can't take off until LAX has the room. A few weeks ago I was stuck on the tarmac in San Jose for 1-1/2 hours waiting for LA clearance. Since it is an international flight you're connecting to, I don't think I would risk it. If you miss your connection (or your luggage does), you may have to wait a long time for the next flight (or your luggage!) I think you can check the on-time percentage for a particular flight, but I'm not sure how.

I would recommend more time between flights. Depending on your airline, there is usually only one flight to Tahiti per day for that airline, so if you miss it, plan on staying the first night of your lovely tahitian vacation in LA. My fiance and I went to Tahiti last May. Our Flight was to Leave at 12 midnight, (AOM airlines, which is the absolute worst- do not use them is you have any choice at all!!). We arrived at 10pm the recommended time (2 hours early), for an international flight. Our flight had been cancelled, but people who had checked in even earlier than 2 hours pre flight were squeezed onto another airline's flight leaving at the same time. As for us, we spent our first night at the Holiday Inn at the airport, and were not able to leave until the next day at 2pm!! We lost an entire day of our vacation. This was not only us either, there were about 25 people who had to do the same thing. Anyway, Good luck!

The answer is no. Requirements for international flights the last time I flew was 2 hours. I would not chance it.

P.S. <BR> <BR>If you can't check your bags through to destination allow at least 3 hours.

Thanks for the info. We will be flying Northwest or AA and they have a deal that we don't have to pick up our luggage again once we leave from our home flight. Do you think 2 hours would be enough then?

If you are flying through on the same carrier 2 hours should be ample or what they allow as the minimum connection time. Depending on where you start allow for schedule slippage. They will give you the average late time on the flight to LAX. If you have to go from the domestic to the international terminal allow about 30 minutes and you will take a bus that goes between terminals in the center of the complex to get there.