LAX Anxiety

[pirate33]

I just flew in and out of LAX, and it really is an extremely difficult airport. It’s not because it’s “big” but because it is outdated and overloaded. The main problem is that getting around the horseshoe road that runs by the terminals can take forever due to traffic. Just last week, we started in Terminal 2 (Delta) and spent 45 minutes, including waiting at the curb, to get to the rental car location. (Terminal 1 is the first on the loop as you enter, and Terminal 8 is the last so depending on which terminal you are using, it can take a long time to get out or to get in). If you avoid rental cars—as I do whenever possible at LAX—you will be better off. Otherwise, add an hour each way. If no rental car, allow at least an extra half hour beyond what you would allow at a regular airport. LAX is the only airport where I have missed flights, and I have flown well over one million miles commercial.

The traffic around the horseshoe is also a problem with drop offs, and if you have to go to the offsite location for drop off/pick up (“LA It”) then that is another bother.

All this said, I agree it’s generally not worth $1000 to avoid LAX but just please allow LOTS of extra time for LA traffic to get to LAX and for traffic at LAX itself.

The only good news is that LAX seems fairly far along with building a new train system that will take a lot of cars off of the horseshoe and, once that system finally opens, the situation should be much better.

 

[deejdigsdis]

Their shared shuttle services definitely do, I have used that service 18 months ago after LAX-it was implemented. I also believe their “private” shuttles do as well (where you book a shuttle just for your party) as these are still counted as a shuttle service. Some private cars (like Karmel, Lansky Limo etc) may or may not, as above look for “curb side pickup” when you book.

Quite often when you book a “shared shuttle” service for a larger party (5 or 6 people) you’ll often be the only group in the shuttle anyway. Karmel also guarantee they will only do 3 pickups around the airport with their shared service so it never takes more than a few mins to be underway to your destination.

Thanks for the info. It doesn't look like Karmel is doing shared services right now. I used to use Super Shuttle. I am glad there is still a shuttle option that people around here will recommend.

 

[lalasmama]

The cost difference for my travel party would be basically $1000 more total to fly out of SNA, for a non direct flight. Is SNA that much more convenient?

SNA is definitely more convenient, *however* NOT $1000 more convenient!

$1000 is 12+ sweatshirts. Dinner for 10 at Blue Bayou. 166 churros. Any extra day in the parks + another night in the hotel... You get the idea.

 

[sjmac42]

It doesn't look like Karmel is doing shared services right now.

Their private options seem to be $135 for up to 5 people. How many in your party?

 

[jklmrm]

While SNA and LGB are certainly the best options for leaving, don't discount the option of Ontario Airport (ONT). It's the same exact distance from Anaheim as LAX but with none of the hassle, especially on a Sunday morning. Easy to get to and navigate, as long as it's not during rush hour on weekdays. Sometimes it's more expensive than LAX but often it's not. I'd look at flights from ONT as well over LAX.

 

[deejdigsdis]

Their private options seem to be $135 for up to 5 people. How many in your party?

For my upcoming trip I have 6 people in my party. I was just thinking ahead for when it is a party of 1 or 2. I miss the days of Super Shuttle from/to SNA for $8 each way per person. So cheap when it was just me flying in/out solo and meeting my sister!

 

[sjmac42]

For my upcoming trip I have 6 people in my party. I was just thinking ahead for when it is a party of 1 or 2. I miss the days of Super Shuttle from/to SNA for $8 each way per person. So cheap when it was just me flying in/out solo and meeting my sister!

Yep, those were the days. I remember when there were courtesy phones at LAX where you picked up the receiver and called a shuttle service, walked outside to bay number x and were on your way to any hotel near Disney for $10 within a few mins. Funny thing was they had never heard of my $18 per night motel, had to give them the address
But back on topic, last time we used the Karmel shared shuttle service Christmas 2019, it was $27 per person so hopefully it will be back for your future trip. For this trip with 6 people a private shuttle with them is $165 and that would definitely drop you at your terminal curbside.

 

[DLgal]

SNA is definitely more convenient, *however* NOT $1000 more convenient!

$1000 is 12+ sweatshirts. Dinner for 10 at Blue Bayou. 166 churros. Any extra day in the parks + another night in the hotel... You get the idea.

My sanity is worth more than $1000. YMMV.

My last trip into LAX was a re route after a cancelled flight due to weather. I was returning from Orlando and a WDW trip and Southwest could only rebook me into LAX (my car was parked at SNA long term parking). Due to the delay, I landed at LAX at 11:45pm and then proceeded to wait over an HOUR for my bags to come off the carousel. I then had to get to the rental car I booked one way to drive myself the hour home. That was fun at 1 am as a solo female traveler. It was less scary than ordering an Uber at 1am for a long ride home, though. I got to the car rental place around 2am. Even at that ungodly hour, that stupid horseshoe traffic was a problem.

Nothing is efficient at LAX. Absolutely nothing. You couldn't pay me enough to use that airport again.

 

[AquaDame]

Not trying to downplay your experience at all, but delays can happen at ANY airport. I've been stuck in various airports due to mechanical issues and flight crews running out of hours in their work day - its never pretty. Seems like your issue was more about safety than sanity, in which case I would agree with you, its better to spend more money to be safe.

I wouldn't spend 1K to use SNA over LAX, but I WOULD gladly spend more money if its the difference between getting home at a reasonable hour instead of midnight. I got caught up with a delayed flight on my layover in SEA last night and didn't hit my driveway until 11:30pm when I should have been home by 10. The extra $400 it would have cost to fly out of SNA and not even have a stopover was looking mighty attractive at that point...

 

[DLgal]

Not trying to downplay your experience at all, but delays can happen at ANY airport. I've been stuck in various airports due to mechanical issues and flight crews running out of hours in their work day - its never pretty. Seems like your issue was more about safety than sanity, in which case I would agree with you, its better to spend more money to be safe.

I wouldn't spend 1K to use SNA over LAX, but I WOULD gladly spend more money if its the difference between getting home at a reasonable hour instead of midnight. I got caught up with a delayed flight on my layover in SEA last night and didn't hit my driveway until 11:30pm when I should have been home by 10. The extra $400 it would have cost to fly out of SNA and not even have a stopover was looking mighty attractive at that point...

I was supposed to arrive home at like 6pm to SNA. My options were fly to Pheonix and spend the night or fly to LAX nonstop. I chose LAX. It was the least offensive option.

 

[avalon451]

Yeah, we usually use SNA from Seattle, but in Sept ‘19 we had to do LAX. I have to say, it was just fine. No hassle getting in or out. We used an Execucar private car for the 4 of us (I think I saw that’s not available out of LAX any more? Not sure) and they picked us up curbside, no problem. That was a Wednesday early afternoon. 50 minutes to DLH.
Edited to add: I just checked Execucar again and we could indeed get a private van for $137 one way.

 

[fly girl]

Until 2020 we have been going to DLR annually (if not semi annually) for almost 10 years. We have always gone in/out of LAX because that is where the direct flight goes to out of Cincinnati. I'd always chose the direct flight if given the choice.

Anyway, our last trip 10 days ago, didn't have the direct flight back from Cincinnati as it was not operating over a holiday weekend. So, we flew out of SNA connecting in ATL. Yes, I loved the ease of SNA over LAX, but I still would hands down take a direct at LAX over it any day. It is all about personal preferences.

Personally, I would save the $1000 and fly out of LAX on a Sunday. As @WebmasterMaryJo said Sunday's are the best for traffic. But we came into LAX just last weekday morning at 8:15am and had no issues either. We always give added cushion for traffic no matter what day of the week going back to LAX. If our flight left at 1pm, we would leave our hotel around 10:00am. Granted, we have TSA Pre-Check too. We have always ended up waiting quite a while in LAX, grabbing a bite to eat before our flight, but we'd much rather be there and bored than stressing out in an Uber.