How bad is LAX?

[LeslieG]

This isn't Disney related, but next year I'm hoping for a trip to Hawaii. We're on the east coast, and the flight time would be 15 - 18 hours. So I was thinking of possibly flying to the west coast the day before, staying overnight at an airport hotel, then continuing on the next morning. Just to break up a very long day of flying. But there now seems to be N/S flights only from LAX or SEA. I've heard LAX is bad. Should I definitely avoid it in favor of Seattle? But LAX seems to give more flight options.

 

[carolina_yankee]

LAX is BIG, but it functions like any other big airport - shuttles to hotels and cars run frequently and such. The only problem is that I think there are up to 10 shuttles stops for all of the terminals - so if you're the first on, it can take forever to get to your destination (that happened to us with the Hertz shuttle picking us up in terminal A for Southwest).

I've never had any problems with delayed landings or take-offs.

Hotel shuttles might be more focused to specific pick-ups so that part would be better. We've not stayed overnight at LAX, so others could have hotel recommendations. Priceline might be a good bet, too.

I would transfer through LAX for flight convenience and short flights. Wouldn't Seattle add 2-3 hours of flight time to Hawaii?

Dirk

 

[LeslieG]

LAX is BIG, but it functions like any other big airport - shuttles to hotels and cars run frequently and such. The only problem is that I think there are up to 10 shuttles stops for all of the terminals - so if you're the first on, it can take forever to get to your destination (that happened to us with the Hertz shuttle picking us up in terminal A for Southwest).

I've never had any problems with delayed landings or take-offs.

Hotel shuttles might be more focused to specific pick-ups so that part would be better. We've not stayed overnight at LAX, so others could have hotel recommendations. Priceline might be a good bet, too.

I would transfer through LAX for flight convenience and short flights. Wouldn't Seattle add 2-3 hours of flight time to Hawaii?

Dirk

Actually, Alaska Air has added some N/S out of Seattle.

 

[LeslieG]

Just for clarification, I was looking for N/S flights to Kauai and Maui, not Honolulu.

 

[MrMarv]

The difference in flight times from LAX/HNL vs. SEA/HNL is almost nil; twenty minutes or less, according to Travelocity.

There are far more nonstops from LAX/HNL then there are from any other West Coast airport; you have several airlines to choose from.

You didn't say where in Ohio you're located, but since United flies nonstop from Honolulu/Chicago, followed by a short flight to anywhere in Ohio, put them on your list; that flight from Honolulu arrives at O'Hare around 5AM, so you'd be back in Ohio by 9:30 or 10 AM at the latest.

I've lived in LA my entire life, and I'd recommend Delta at this time; their terminal is gorgeous and almost always empty or nearly empty; Delta only has 30-35 flights per day out of LAX.

 

[BCV23]

This isn't Disney related, but next year I'm hoping for a trip to Hawaii. We're on the east coast, and the flight time would be 15 - 18 hours. So I was thinking of possibly flying to the west coast the day before, staying overnight at an airport hotel, then continuing on the next morning. Just to break up a very long day of flying. But there now seems to be N/S flights only from LAX or SEA. I've heard LAX is bad. Should I definitely avoid it in favor of Seattle? But LAX seems to give more flight options.

Are you sure your flight time would be 15-18 hours? We live near Chicago and our flights to Maui or Oahu are 9 hours if I recall correctly. Or is that flight time including layovers?

Anyway, we've done what you propose with stops in LA or SF. After a number of times doing the trip different ways, my favorite is nonstop to Maui or Oahu. Coming home since three of us don't sleep on red eyes, I prefer stopping.

LAX is sort of grimy IMO but it functions and feels safe. We have always stayed at the airport Marriott which has a free shuttle. It's a nice hotel.

Happy planning. Maui is so wonderful!

 

[LeslieG]

Are you sure your flight time would be 15-18 hours? We live near Chicago and our flights to Maui or Oahu are 9 hours if I recall correctly. Or is that flight time including layovers?

Anyway, we've done what you propose with stops in LA or SF. After a number of times doing the trip different ways, my favorite is nonstop to Maui or Oahu. Coming home since three of us don't sleep on red eyes, I prefer stopping.

LAX is sort of grimy IMO but it functions and feels safe. We have always stayed at the airport Marriott which has a free shuttle. It's a nice hotel.

Happy planning. Maui is so wonderful!

Yes, that time includes layovers. I'm just trying to think of the best way to plan this. It's been 20 years since I've been to Hawaii, and I recall it wasn't too bad going over, but coming back was really tiring with the time change.

Is there still a N/S from Chicago to Maui? I read somewhere where the N/S to Honolulu was being eliminated.

 

[BCV23]

Yes, that time includes layovers. I'm just trying to think of the best way to plan this. It's been 20 years since I've been to Hawaii, and I recall it wasn't too bad going over, but coming back was really tiring with the time change.

Is there still a N/S from Chicago to Maui? I read somewhere where the N/S to Honolulu was being eliminated.

I agree about the trip back. If we take nonstop back, we arrive at ORD around 6am. We're tired and wiped out that entire day. If we stop in CA, we don't get home until around dinner the next night but feel so much better.

We took a nonstop from ORD to Honolulu this January but it well could have been eliminated. Things are changing so fast with the airlines right now. Too bad if it's no longer an option. But that nonstop is Flight 001, I think, and is a long tradition on UA as I understand it.

 

[safetymom]

I haven't had any problems at LAX. I have stayed at a few of the airport hotels also. I like the idea of splitting up the trip.

 

[BCV23]

I like the idea of splitting up the trip.

Yes, especially since it's 15-16 hours.

Leslie, I just checked UA site with a random date in Feb.'09. It still showed flight 1 as nonstop. The fare was over $1,000! Yikes.

Also have you checked into flying through Texas instead of California or Seattle? It was some years ago but someone I met had stopped there and then had a nonstop to Hawaii...again so long ago I don't remember if it was Oahu or Maui.

BTW, there are no nonstops from Maui to Chicago because of the shorter runway on Maui. Instead, the flights stop on Hawaii to add more fuel.

Oh, and I was wrong about landing at 6am. At least next Feb, the nonstop from Honolulu to ORD lands shortly after 5am. After a sleepless night, one hour doesn't matter to me.

 

[LeslieG]

There appear to be some N/S flights from LAX to Maui and Kauai. I'm also trying to avoid the redeye back. Seems like there were only a few that weren't.

I can fly from either Cleveland or Pittsburgh, but it would be two layovers to get to Maui. But I can fly to LAX n/s from either, stay the night, then n/s to Maui the next day.

It's kind of hard to plan for next year, because who knows what the airlines will be doing by then. What I book now may disappear by next year. Especially if I split my trip, changes in flights could really mess up my plans.

 

[CruisinEars]

I would def. check the ns flights from SEA. The airport has been remodeled and is very nice. Alaska Air has several ns flights to Hawaii now and it is only about 5.5 to 6 hour flight time. Alaska is my fav. airline so it should be a decent flight. I have also been to LAX a few times and don't find it bad at all.

 

[1GR8DISNEYFAN]

Although it is a very long flight, it would not be worth it to me to pick-up luggage and then have to recheck in the next day, unless you are just taking carry on. LAX can be very crowded and the check in lines very long.

 

[snowbunny]

Although it is a very long flight, it would not be worth it to me to pick-up luggage and then have to recheck in the next day, unless you are just taking carry on. LAX can be very crowded and the check in lines very long.

I kind of agree with this. Have had no problems with LAX, but by the time you get your luggage, shuttle to the hotel, sleep, get up early or whatever, back to LAX and through security...extra time, extra cost...I would considering just getting on the next plane and continuing on. If you do stay, I like the Westin LAX.

Haven't been to or through SEA in 10 years but it wasn't impressive at that time.

 

[MrMarv]

LAX is surrounded by nice hotels; you have two Embassy Suites, two Courtyard by Marriotts, a Westin, a Hilton and all the others, including the Marriott.

I mentioned Delta as being the best bet among the six legacy carriers because of their small number of flights out of LAX, at least when compared to United, Southwest or American.

I don't know if the folks at United or American have their acts together as wonderfully as the folks at Southwest do as it relates to the 'arrive at the airport two hours before your flight' rule goes; I usually arrive at Southwest's terminal 75-90 minutes before my flight, and I'm always in the waiting area with 40-60 minutes to spare.

But since United does fly nonstop to Maui (not sure if anybody else does), I guess that might limit your choice of strategy somewhat.

 

[LeslieG]

I would def. check the ns flights from SEA. The airport has been remodeled and is very nice. Alaska Air has several ns flights to Hawaii now and it is only about 5.5 to 6 hour flight time. Alaska is my fav. airline so it should be a decent flight. I have also been to LAX a few times and don't find it bad at all.

How are SEA's airport hotels? And how big is the SEA airport?

 

[beachbunny]

I've flown ORD to Hawaii many, many times. The best, fastest, and cheapest way to go is to fly from ORD to HNL (8 hours) and HNL to OGG (20 minutes). Sometimes, it's cheaper to purchase two tickets - one for the ORD to HNL roundtrip and one for the HNL to OGG roundtrip. There are TONS of flights from HNL to OGG (almost every half hour from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.) so I'd schedule my interisland flights close to my mainland flights. Why waste a day of vacation sitting in LA? I'd rather recover on the beach in Hawaii.

SEA is much smaller than LAX. Since there are fewer flights, it generally costs more from SEA than LAX to HNL.

 

[LeslieG]

I've flown ORD to Hawaii many, many times. The best, fastest, and cheapest way to go is to fly from ORD to HNL (8 hours) and HNL to OGG (20 minutes). Sometimes, it's cheaper to purchase two tickets - one for the ORD to HNL roundtrip and one for the HNL to OGG roundtrip. There are TONS of flights from HNL to OGG (almost every half hour from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.) so I'd schedule my interisland flights close to my mainland flights. Why waste a day of vacation sitting in LA? I'd rather recover on the beach in Hawaii.

SEA is much smaller than LAX. Since there are fewer flights, it generally costs more from SEA than LAX to HNL.

But then do you have to claim your bags and back through security at HNL?

 

[beachbunny]

Depends. If the two airlines are in a partnership, you should be able to do one check-in. The walk between the domestic airline arrivals and the interisland terminal is 15 minutes tops. Even if you need to claim your bag and re-check, the interisland check-in lines are generally short because lots of people doing interisland travel are on business without luggage. If you had to do two check-ins I'd still schedule my flights, at most, 1.5 hours apart. The interisland flights close their doors about 10 minutes prior to departure.

 

[LeslieG]

Do you know who partners with Hawaiian Airlines by chance?

The other thing that worries me about that is these days airlines are cancelling flights and moving the schedules around. It would be my luck the schedule would change and I wouldn't be able to make the second flight. And since it was purchased separately, I'd be out of luck.