Airport procedure

[carlnlisa]

Hi everyone this question may be a bit of a pain to answer but can anyone tell me what exactly we have to do at LAX in terms of security, immigration and customs and where all these things are we have looked at heaps of LAX maps but can't find them. We are going to be flying Virgin Australia which from what I understand lands at Tom Bradley International Terminal and connecting with Delta from what I can see is at terminal 5. Our flight would land at 6:30 am and we have a choice of connecting to a delta flight at either 9:45 or 3pm so we are trying to figure out how long it will take to clear everything and get to the right terminal and not knowing where any of it is makes it a bit hard. Also do we have to go through the same process at MCO or is LAX the only place?

 

[PrincessInOz]

Which connection you take really depends on how long it takes to clear customs/immigration. And that's a very hard question to answer.


If your flight lands at 6.30 am, you'll be one of the first planes in. Customs/immigration opens at 6.30 am; so if your flight is early, you'll be waiting on the tarmac until that time comes round before they open the door to the air bridge.

Once you get out of the plane, everyone will walk in one direction towards customs/immigration. You'll be processed for entry into the US there.

At that time of morning, there is usually flights from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane arriving. I think there are flights from Asia as well. So, if your plane is a little delayed, there might be a queue for immigration. If you end up queueing with people arriving from China or from South America, be prepared for a longer wait.
If you're travelling with small children, you might be lucky. Someone in the arrival hall may notice and ask you to get out of line to a shorter queue. Follow their instructions immediately!


Once you come out of immigration, you'll head towards picking up your bags. Again, it depends on which flights have come in ahead of you as to whether the baggage handlers are on the case straight away or not.

After picking up your bags, you'll clear customs. From memory, there might be sniffer dogs around and/or you'll need to get your bags screened.


For internal transfers, there should be ground staff that will direct you to where you go. From what I can see, you'll be transferring terminals. I can't remember if there is somewhere for you to re-check in your bags at the International Terminal if you have your bags checked all the way through to MCO. I *think* so; but it's been a while since I've travelled all the way through. Some of the other ANZACS will know for sure.


When you get to MCO, there won't be the same scrutiny. You will be travelling on what is effectively an internal flight. You just pick up your bags and go. No immigration nor customs if you've cleared them at LAX.


Hope this helps.

 

[AussieCaribou]

So, the only thing that I can add to the above is that it normally takes us about 2 hours to clear customs/immigration on a bad day (we often have increased issues because two of us are US cits and one is Australian - so we have to navigate a system not designed for splitting parties but that doesn't like it when we all go into a line together...sigh).

Because you are coming in so early, you are unlikely to experience anything longer than about an hour. Getting through immigration/customs is very much a follow the person in front type thing. The walk can be a bit long but it is clearly marked. You may come across sniffer dogs and the security will be armed. Don't let this bother you. The staff is friendly and will help you if you have any questions.

For ease through customs, pack food items closer to the top of bags.

As you need to transfer from one terminal to the other, ask (before you clear airside) if there is a bus to the other terminal. Sometimes they have them, sometimes not...

Word of warning: LAX is a HORRIBLE experience for extended layovers. We try to avoid staying in it any longer than we have to. We plan for 3 hour layovers (or as close as we can get to that) and have never had a problem.

Enjoy your trip...and just look at LAX as an interesting insight to the US workings...

 

[LivingforDisney]

I would take the early flight to MCO, you will just want to get there, not hang around LAX.
Is your ticket all on one?

 

[englanddg]

If there is not a place to check bags with Delta once you get through Customs, you can proceed to your departure gate at Delta and do what is called a "gate check".

When you get to your gate, go up to the desk and let them know you would like the "gate check" your bags. They'll take them and put them below the plane.

The only issue with this is if you do not have a direct flight to MCO. If you have a layover on your way to MCO on Delta, then you'll want to go to the Delta baggage check area (in the main domestic terminal) and check your bags there.

 

[carlnlisa]

I would take the early flight to MCO, you will just want to get there, not hang around LAX. Is your ticket all on one?

That is something we still aren't to sure on whether to book it all on one ticket or separately because it works out cheaper to separate but we keep being told it's risky but is it still risky at that time of day?

 

[zanzibar138]

That is something we still aren't to sure on whether to book it all on one ticket or separately because it works out cheaper to separate but we keep being told it's risky but is it still risky at that time of day?

If you're on one ticket, you might still miss your connecting flight. The difference is, it will be up to the airline to get you on the next flight with no charge to you. If you miss your connecting flight with a separate ticket, it will be too bad and you will have to pay for new tickets on the next flight, even if it's because your first flight was delayed for 3 hours.

If you want to get the 9:45am flight I would get one ticket, just in case your first flight is delayed or it takes longer than expected to get through the airport. If you're happy to wait it out til 3pm you should be ok on separate flights.

 

[elphaba91]

My travel agent said they recommend 3 hours between flights for LAX (or 2 if going United the whole way...yet still gave us a 3 hour stopover). I think you'd be fine with the earlier flight.

 

[zanzibar138]

My travel agent said they recommend 3 hours between flights for LAX (or 2 if going United the whole way...yet still gave us a 3 hour stopover). I think you'd be fine with the earlier flight.

3 hours would probably be fine. I'm just paranoid about delays I like 5 for an international/domestic connection.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

3 hours would probably be fine. I'm just paranoid about delays I like 5 for an international/domestic connection.

Lol, you sound like me. I'm paranoid also.

In all likelihood 3hrs would be fine, but I still don't think I would be happy taking the risk unless the flights were all on one ticket.

 

[PrincessInOz]

If you book your travel through to MCO on the one ticket, you won't be slugged for internal baggage costs.

3 hours at that time of morning might be fine. But I'm with Zanzibar and Wanderlust. Paranoia runs amok on the Dis.

 

[ssour]

You'll be able to drop your checked bags at the transfer point before changing terminals. Three hours should be ok, since Virgin and Delta codeshare you should have your boarding pass for the flight to MCO in hand when you depart Oz. This saves some time. As others have recommended I'd aim to have the flights on the one ticket.

 

[FireflyFi]

you should have your boarding pass for the flight to MCO in hand when you depart Oz.

Yes, should. I flew Virgin MEL-LAX and then Virgin to JFK all on one ticket, but the stewardess at Melbourne forgot to check us into the LAX-JFK flight. but it all worked out in the end.

I'm sure there are people here with a lot more experience than me, but I remember dropping off my bags almost as soon as I picked them up. There was a person at a conveyor belt that took the bags between flights. And then it was a quick walk from one terminal to the other. We didn't bother with the buses - it was good to stretch the legs!

And I'm not the paranoid type, so I say 3 hours is fine! (but then, maybe I just haven't been burnt by a bad experience yet...)

 

[LivingforDisney]

I would def book it all on one ticket, because if you are delayed as others said, u will have to pay for the next flight, also on one ticket baggage is included.
We flew Virgin Aust and Delta on one ticket.
Our flight from Sydney was delayed, we sat on the tarmac at Sydney airport for 3 hours, because they needed to replace a part, really thought at once stage we would not be flying that day!!
We did make up a little time, but by the time we arrived in LA so had 50 (I don't know) other flights and the lines were horrendous!!!
We were fine cause we were staying in Hollywood for 3 nights before flying onto NY, but if we were not doing that, we would have missed the next flight I reckon.
So I would do it on one ticket.
A lady on Tripadvisor from Brisbane who I have been following, is in Orlando now and they were on VA & Delta to MCO, she said when they were checking in for the flight to MCO, they were told they flight was full and if they would wait for the next flight in 4 hours they would them a $5,000 voucher!!!
She refused as she said her kids were shattered and wouldn't last hanging around LAX for all that time lol.
So they offered it to other people.
I was like "What", hope that happens to me next year lol.
Would you guys take the voucher??

 

[WanderlustNZ]

I'd absolutely take the voucher. Just 4 uncomfortable hours of my life would essentially equate to free flights for my family back to the States. Yes please!

In saying that, $5000, is such a large amount. I'm surprised. I've heard of instances like this in the past, but the offers were no where near that large. Delta must have been pretty desperate that day.

 

[zanzibar138]

A lady on Tripadvisor from Brisbane who I have been following, is in Orlando now and they were on VA & Delta to MCO, she said when they were checking in for the flight to MCO, they were told they flight was full and if they would wait for the next flight in 4 hours they would them a $5,000 voucher!!!
She refused as she said her kids were shattered and wouldn't last hanging around LAX for all that time lol.
So they offered it to other people.
I was like "What", hope that happens to me next year lol.
Would you guys take the voucher??

I'm waiting for something like this to happen to us! You gotta be pretty lucky though. I'd say we fly way more than average, plus we have status, and out of all our flights, we've never gotten a free upgrade or any offers like this. The closest we've come was when we once asked for seats as close to the front as possible, and the check in clerk gave us a sad look and said they were all taken, and the best he could offer us was an emergency exit row Yep, we'll take that

 

[LivingforDisney]

Agree , it seems like a big amount hey?
Must have way overbooked
She was with her husband and two kids.
I would have grabbed it, as you said another trip
She might think differently when she gets home