Flying out if LAX - how early to get there?

[CarolynFH]

Our United flight leaves at 4:00 PM on a Wednesday. What time should we arrive at Budget to turn in the car, ride their shuttle, drop off checked bags and get through security? We'll check in online the day before.

PS I'd rather be sitting at the gate than in traffic worrying we won't make it!

 

[sherilaine]

I'd leave by 1 at the very latest, that allows for 1 hour to reach Budget, a half an hour to get to the terminal (dropping off the car takes about 2 minutes), and then that allows 90 minutes at the terminal prior to your flight.

Now, just to be safe, because traffic can happen, I'd leave around noon - to give myself LOTS of time - but that is just me!

 

[SMD]

Normally I would say 60-90 minutes to get there, 30-45 to return the car, and assuming you're not checking luggage, 30 minutes for security. So that would be in the 1pm-1:30 range. But if the trip is soon, LAX has been issuing an alert for hotel and rental car shuttles that they may take longer due to construction. I'd add another 30 min for possible delays. I'd probably leave at 12:30 and if you make good time getting there, like under an hour, stop at In n Out before you return the car. I think you'd be ok leaving as late as 1:15, it really just depends where and when you want to eat your last meal before leaving.

 

[CarolynFH]

Thanks - actually I forgot to mention that we'll leave Anaheim in the AM and hope to visit the tar pits before heading to LAX. So if we aim to arrive at Budget between 1:30 and 2:00 we should be ok?

TIA!

 

[sherilaine]

Like I said - returning the car itself takes minutes - you pull up, they take the keys, print off your receipt, you take your bags and head to the shuttle - if the shuttle time is delayed that can affect things - it has only ever taken us 15 minutes tops to get from dropping off our car to arriving at the terminal but this has been between 7 and 10AM.

 

[SMD]

Just keep checking Waze to decide when to leave. When I got to the LACMA/Farmer's market area it can take me over an hour to go one way and then 30 or less the other. You're highly dependent on traffic on La Cienega and Fairfax and whether or not you get stopped at signals.

 

[TxWriterMama]

As long as your bags are checked by 3:15PM, you're fine. United has the 45 minute rule for checked bags. At LAX, especially, they're firm on that.

If you're doing skycap/curbside, you'll be fine if you drop off your car by 2 and grab the shuttle to curbside/skycap. When I flew out of LAX for my HNL trip last week, I was checked in curbside and had my bags handed off to the attendant under that little tarp/canopy in less than 5 minutes. Security was a bit of a drag but they marched half our line what felt like 12 terminals away (ha!) and then ran us through an open security hub. It was really only 20 or 25 minutes. Nothing like the nightmare at MCO where they herd you in there like cattle...

 

[ChrisParker]

How do those numbers change if you are taking an international flight? We will be flying to Toronto from LAX, not sure yet what time.

Thanks!

 

[MomForFrozenAddicts]

Nothing like the nightmare at MCO where they herd you in there like cattle...

LOL. Finally, a little words to sum up the mess at MCO.

 

[sherilaine]

How do those numbers change if you are taking an international flight? We will be flying to Toronto from LAX, not sure yet what time.

Thanks!

We have flown out of LAX to Canada several times - we aim to be there at least 2 hours prior to our flight time and have always had loads of time once we clear security and arrive at the gate.

 

[ChrisParker]

Thanks for that! I was hoping two hours would do it. In Detroit and Toronto we have been told 3. Now to decide whether I want to stay the extra day at the end of the Conference and get home at 2am with a 3 hour drive in front of me...just kidding. There's no question!

 

[sherilaine]

Thanks for that! I was hoping two hours would do it. In Detroit and Toronto we have been told 3. Now to decide whether I want to stay the extra day at the end of the Conference and get home at 2am with a 3 hour drive in front of me...just kidding. There's no question!

We usually arrive closer to 3 but that is just because we always give ourselves tonnes of time for traffic and dropping off car etc. and so far have not ending up needing all that time - but you never know when that traffic jam is going to materialize or a shuttle bus is going to break down - things can certainly go wrong. Hope you have a great trip.

 

[SMD]

Thanks for that! I was hoping two hours would do it. In Detroit and Toronto we have been told 3. Now to decide whether I want to stay the extra day at the end of the Conference and get home at 2am with a 3 hour drive in front of me...just kidding. There's no question!

LAX also recommends 3 hours. It is highly dependent on which terminal and what time your flight leaves. If you're leaving from Terminal 2 in the morning I wouldn't feel safe with 2 hour. Likewise the international terminal at night is incredibly busy and has a relatively small screening area, and 2 hours might not be enough.

 

[sherilaine]

LAX also recommends 3 hours. It is highly dependent on which terminal and what time your flight leaves. If you're leaving from Terminal 2 in the morning I wouldn't feel safe with 2 hour. Likewise the international terminal at night is incredibly busy and has a relatively small screening area, and 2 hours might not be enough.

It is crazy though - as we have always arrived with so much time flying back to Canada and we end up sitting with 2 hours to kill because we arrive at the terminal (4) from the car rental shuttle and about half an hour, 45 minutes tops, later we are at the gate - so we go eat or shop or kill time. But you are right, you never know when it could be busy.

 

[CarolynFH]

OP here, wanting to thank all who posted - it was very helpful! Being in that group of folks who would rather be early than late, we got to Budget about 1:30 and were through security by 1:50 (thanks to TSA Pre-check). Now relaxing with a cold drink and charging my phone! Thanks again!

 

[sherilaine]

We just flew out of LAX yesterday - we left Anaheim at 7:15 (earlier than we planned as we were just up and ready to go earlier than we thought we'd be) - we stopped got gas, dropped off the car, got the shuttle to the airport, got our bags checked and were through security before 8:30 - it was ridiculously fast - the drive itself was about 35 minutes. However, had we left later on the traffic would have likely been heavier and we noticed the terminal get busier and busier as the times for our flight got closer.