Flying via Hawaii

[JessNewbs]

Just heard aussie Karen talking about what a nightmare LAX customs is Was wondering if anyone here has flown via Hawaii to LAX and if we have to go through customs at LAX or will we do this in our 3 hour stop over in Honolulu?

 

[PrincessInOz]

The couple of times where we flew in to LA via Hawaii, we cleared customs in Hawaii. That was quite a few years ago.

 

[JessNewbs]

Gee I hope that's still the case, does that mean it was a lot quicker in LA??

 

[PrincessInOz]

It really depends on how many services fly in around the time you arrive.

We've had brilliant customs clearance at LAX and not so brilliant ones. Likewise with Hawaii...it was great a couple of times and absolutely PITA the last time.

But the one constant....customs officers do not smile in ANY airport.

 

[JessNewbs]

Thanks, it's so tricky getting your head around all of this when none of us have ever flown out of Australia before. I am hoping we use the 3 hour stop over in Honolulu to check through customs there and when we arrive in LA at 9.30pm local time we can get to our hotel and get some sleep before an early morning departure for New Orleans! Hope were not cutting it too fine for time/sleep.

 

[DVCAustralia]

When you land in Honolulu (or any other airport in the USA) you MUST clear customs, immigration etc. even if it is only a short stop.
The main reason is security, but also your flight from Honolulu to LAX will be a domestic flight so when you land at LAX you will exit straight into the terminal and the USA without any checks at all.

 

[Melbourne5]

Might be a good idea to check the Honolulu airport site for incoming international planes arriving around the same time. That will give you a good idea how busy the customs/immigration line will be and who else might is in the hall at the same time.

 

[Mum from oz]

It would be good to breeze through LAX on a domestic flight. PIO is right all aiport officials are so serious. When we went through LAX last time the guy asked me where I was from. I said ummm Australia...thinking surely you can see I have an Australian passport. He then said no, where were you born and I said Korea. Then her said well why do you have an Australian passport? I was starting to wonder where he was going with this when I answered because I was adoted. That seemed to satisfy him and we went through but I was seriously a bit worried for a moment as he asked all this with that wonderful stony face.

 

[Beee]

I so wish we were doing this instead of hawaii on the way home, I am dreading LA customs. The one and only overseas trip the mr has been on he got pulled aside for a search by customs coming back into nz because he was too cheerful at 1am lol. Had to give him the pep talk before going that he wasn't to make jokes with them - they DO NOT have a sense of humour. He would be the passenger needing a full body search due to a badly timed joke...sigh...and you can bet if that happens in LA DD and I will be heading to disneyland without him lol

 

[Melbourne5]

I so wish we were doing this instead of hawaii on the way home, I am dreading LA customs. The one and only overseas trip the mr has been on he got pulled aside for a search by customs coming back into nz because he was too cheerful at 1am lol. Had to give him the pep talk before going that he wasn't to make jokes with them - they DO NOT have a sense of humour. He would be the passenger needing a full body search due to a badly timed joke...sigh...and you can bet if that happens in LA DD and I will be heading to disneyland without him lol

Whilst I agree the us customs folk are a little surly ( and carrying guns) I reserve a special place for the grumpiest, clueless and rudest customs folk in the world - right here in Australia . Sydney ones by a long way followed by Melbourne & Brisbane close 3rd. I do get the feeling they come to work with a permanent chip on their shoulder watching everyone else enjoy traveling.

 

[Travel Mum]

Whilst I agree the us customs folk are a little surly ( and carrying guns) I reserve a special place for the grumpiest, clueless and rudest customs folk in the world - right here in Australia . Sydney ones by a long way followed by Melbourne & Brisbane close 3rd. I do get the feeling they come to work with a permanent chip on their shoulder watching everyone else enjoy traveling.

OMG, Sydney Airport security screening people are amoung the grumpiest I've experienced based on my transit stop there last month on the way to Bangkok. We had been through NZ screening before we boarded the Emirates plane in Christchurch and, as soon as we go off the plane in Sydney to transit for an hour, we were marched over to the Sydney screening so we could hardly have got any contraband between screenings. But not a smile or nice feeling from any of them - so much for welcome to Australia!!

 

[JessNewbs]

Yay am happy I can clear customs in Honolulu! We have a 3 hour wait there so that should be plenty of time right We are stopping in Hawaii on the way home for a holiday from our long holiday as well!

 

[Andona]

Whilst I agree the us customs folk are a little surly ( and carrying guns) I reserve a special place for the grumpiest, clueless and rudest customs folk in the world - right here in Australia . Sydney ones by a long way followed by Melbourne & Brisbane close 3rd. I do get the feeling they come to work with a permanent chip on their shoulder watching everyone else enjoy traveling.

Yes, I'd agree with this! The queues were long at LAX last week but the immigrations officer was very friendly and chatty. No smiles from the guys in Sydney!
Amdona

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