LAX international terminal
#1
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Join Date: Nov 2003
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LAX international terminal
Has anyone flown domestically to LAX and then transferred to the international terminal. I'm flying to New Zealand from LAX and wondering if 5 hours is enough time to get through security. My flight would arrive LAX at 2:15 PM and my international flight leaves at 7:45 PM.
THanks Joe
THanks Joe
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
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You should have time to spare. Check your bags in at Air NZ and then go over to the Encounter restaurant and sit by the window and have a drink! (Or lunch) Quite a view of all the planes and the airport. It is near Air NZ. The building looks like a spider on legs! Just ask at the air NZ terminal what time you should head back to the gate.
#4
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I've done a similar flight, but coming from ORD to New Zealand and changing planes in LAX. The international check in line was VERY long and it took over an hour to get to the counter. You are very lucky to have the 5 hours just in case you run into long lines at the int'l terminal like I did. I second the idea of going to the Encounter restaurant if you have time.
#6
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Joe...I have flown to New Zealand from TBIT myself (I assume this means you are on Qantas) but I didn't connect as I live in Los Angeles. My advice to you is pretty simple, if you arrive at 2pm, that is pretty low-flow time at LAX. you only need to get out and take a shuttle bus to the Bradley International Terminal.
However, be prepared for the New Zealand ticket count not to open until approximately three-four hours before your flight departs. If you can check in once you mosey over there, do that and then make sure to return to the Terminal to go through security about an hour before. The International Terminal from about 3pm to 6pm will be empty and you won't even seen much security. However as soon as evening sets in you will see things get much busier. Since your flight leaves at 7:45pm though, you will miss the evening rush as long as you line up for security. Just know that beyond the cordon, there are no shops or restaruants in the International Terminal. If you have the chance to eat in the pre-security food court in the TBIT you will be pleasantly surprised, but Encounter (which you don't want to try and walk to with all your bags) is great just to watch the people, the planes, and the mod lighting. Sure if your flight is two hours late you will be scrambling but if you get to LA on time, you should be a-okay
However, be prepared for the New Zealand ticket count not to open until approximately three-four hours before your flight departs. If you can check in once you mosey over there, do that and then make sure to return to the Terminal to go through security about an hour before. The International Terminal from about 3pm to 6pm will be empty and you won't even seen much security. However as soon as evening sets in you will see things get much busier. Since your flight leaves at 7:45pm though, you will miss the evening rush as long as you line up for security. Just know that beyond the cordon, there are no shops or restaruants in the International Terminal. If you have the chance to eat in the pre-security food court in the TBIT you will be pleasantly surprised, but Encounter (which you don't want to try and walk to with all your bags) is great just to watch the people, the planes, and the mod lighting. Sure if your flight is two hours late you will be scrambling but if you get to LA on time, you should be a-okay
#7
Join Date: May 2003
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Last year I flew into LA on United and then out on Air New Zealand. When I checked in at United in Washington, I was able to check my bags all the way to New Zealand. SO we didn't have to lug bags from United to Air New Zealand. We did have to check in at the Air New Zealand counter which was in a different terminal than United. However, the year before when we went to Australia, there were Australian and New Zealand flights leaving from the same terminal as our incoming United flight. We didn't have to go thru security from our domestic flight to our Australian flight.