LAX Airport Security Lines
 

Hi -- Can anyone tell me what the security line wait time would be on a Saturday morning? Staying in Laguna - and deciding between a non stop out of LAX or a one stop from John Wayne. Is it worth the drive and whatever security wait. Any other pros and cons. Thanks!

Personally I avoid LAX when I can. It is such a busy airport and I have almost missed flights waiting in their lines. I really like John Wayne and the only reason I don't always use it is because it can be very expensive to fly there from Chicago.

I've never flown from John Wayne, but I've left from LAX several times, most recently on a Saturday morning a few weeks ago. Our plane was scheduled to leave at 9:30 am, so we arrived 2 hrs early. By the time we had checked in our bags (there was a line of about 20 people ahead of us), passed security (an even longer line, but only 25 min), and arrived at the gate, it was about 8:45 am. We boarded 15 min later.

There's usually no heavy traffic on the 405 north from Laguna on a Sat morning, but I'm guessing it may take about 40-50 mins. LAX can seem hectic (it's worse if you're running late), but it doesn't bother me. I'd probably take the nonstop from LAX, since I'm not a fan of flying.

To me it really depends on what kind of connection you are talking about. If it is just an hour on the ground in some fairly decent airport - I'd choose John Wayne in a heartbeat. You'd spend that extra hour driving to LAX anyway so the nonstop isn't that much better. But if the connection is some 6 hour detour - then I'd give LAX a lot of consideration.

John Wayne is a terrific airport and very easy to negotiate. LAX is OK but you'll have no idea how bad the security lines until that day . . . .

It depends on what terminal too. I flew on AA out of LAX a few weeks ago and I buzzed right through security, but my mother who flew the same morning on SW was in line so long she had scant minutes to make it tio her gate. She said her terminal was a mob scene, while mine was nearly empty.

I think Terminal 1 (where SW is located) is the very worst one at LAX as far as time. It is always packed and busy. If you are going out of another terminal chances are it will not take half as long as Terminal 1. If I had a flight on SW I would fly out of any other S. CA Airport before LAX. Actually, I try to use any other LA Area Airport other than LAX whenever I can and it is becoming easier and easier. If I had the choice between John Wayne and LAX I would pick John Wayne. Hope you have short lines whichever airport you use.

I flew out of LAX on Southwest in July, and from the time I got dropped off at the curb, to checked in and to the boarding gate was 20 minutes tops.
I was shocked because we arrived 3 hours early, expecting a 2 hour line/wait.

I flew out of LAX last Monday on a HAL flight at 6pm. Took me about 10 minutes total for bag drop with TSA and the security line. Two friends who'd flown earlier in the day on NWA had about a one hour wait in line. A third friend who arrived 15 minutes before them had about a 10 minute wait.

Go via John Wayne if you can.