LAX vs SNA

[Aurora0427]

We are travelling from Canada, and I was just about to book our flights to SNA, which involves a connection in Vancouver. Total travel time with layover approx 8 hours.

This week, a Canadian airline has announced a direct flight from here to LAX. Cheaper than doing the SNA flights, and total travel time just less than 4 hours. Sounds great at first, but the days and times of these direct flights don't coincide with our original travel dates, but we could work around that. The return flight from LAX is 8 am, which will mean a crazy early morning to come home, compared to an 11 am return flight from SNA. The time we arrive home really never bothers me....I'm always more concerned about what time we need to leave the hotel for the airport.

So I'm wondering if LAX is a complete nightmare, especially considering it's further out than SNA. The savings in airfare should cover the added shuttle cost, but I guess what I'm asking is... if you had to choose, would you pick a layover in Vancouver and longer air travel so you could fly into SNA with better return flight times; or fly to LAX for the convenience of shorter travel day, but bigger airport, further from hotel and inconvenient return flight time?

Decisions, decisions....

Would it be possible to stay the last night in a hotel near LAX so it’s easier to make that early morning flight?

 

[Disney Dad ADL]

Thank you all….No clear winner, it seems. So, another question… if we fly to LAX, we would arrive at 9 am on a Monday morning, and leave LAX on Friday at 9:30 am - how long would it take us to travel from the airport to/from the hotel (across the street from theme park entrance)? Would travel time to LAX be better if we travelled home Saturday vs Friday ?

For Arrival, If you land at 9 am, you'd probably leave the airport at what, 9:45 or 10 AM? Traffic should be *ok* at that point, though that of course is a relative term in Southern California. Most of the morning rush hour will be done by then, and the evening rush hour starts around 3-3:30 pm.

Friday you would be driving during rush hour for a 9:30 AM flight, you would want to leave pretty early. Saturday would be better, or if your Friday flight were earlier or later. But ultimately it's not impossible to manage even if you keep the 9:30 AM Friday flight, you'll just need to leave really early.

Edit to add: if you are really curious about driving times, you can look at Google Maps tomorrow (Monday morning) around the time you would be driving and you can get approximate driving times. Monday morning and Friday morning traffic probably not that different, unless there is a special event somewhere like a sporting event

 

[Merrb]

Another Canadian chiming in! We've flown into LAX a couple of times and SNA 10-ish times. We vastly prefer SNA, even though it always costs more. The travel time from SNA to DLR is the biggest selling point for us but the ease of getting through the airport is another important one. LAX is fine but it takes much longer to get to DLR.

Now, we are on the West Coast so either fly through YVR or Seattle, there are never direct flights because we are on Vancouver Island.

Another Vancouver Islander here! We had originally booked our flights through SNA but they changed the flights on us 3 different times and there was a layover so there was no way we would have made it back to the Island on the same day, so I ended up switching our flight from LAX instead. Hopefully that one will work. We used Airmiles for them and its only one way since we'll be cruising there from Vancouver!

 

[E.Jane]

For Arrival, If you land at 9 am, you'd probably leave the airport at what, 9:45 or 10 AM? Traffic should be *ok* at that point, though that of course is a relative term in Southern California. Most of the morning rush hour will be done by then, and the evening rush hour starts around 3-3:30 pm.

Friday you would be driving during rush hour for a 9:30 AM flight, you would want to leave pretty early. Saturday would be better, or if your Friday flight were earlier or later. But ultimately it's not impossible to manage even if you keep the 9:30 AM Friday flight, you'll just need to leave really early.

Edit to add: if you are really curious about driving times, you can look at Google Maps tomorrow (Monday morning) around the time you would be driving and you can get approximate driving times. Monday morning and Friday morning traffic probably not that different, unless there is a special event somewhere like a sporting event

Thanks so much!

 

[PirateBrigade]

I hate LAX with a passion, but given your situation, I would skip the YVR stopover and increased travel time, and fly directly to LAX.

I'm actually flying to LAX this weekend because a) it was $30 cheaper and b) the only late night flight in available, so apparently I hate LAX but am swayed by $30, hahaha.

 

[E.Jane]

I hate LAX with a passion, but given your situation, I would skip the YVR stopover and increased travel time, and fly directly to LAX.

I'm actually flying to LAX this weekend because a) it was $30 cheaper and b) the only late night flight in available, so apparently I hate LAX but am swayed by $30, hahaha.

Hahaha…well, that puts it in perspective….if it saves $30, it’s worth it!

Actually, it saves us $1400. Minus the $400 for the transportation to/from the hotel, so $1000 net savings.

 

[DLgal]

I hate LAX with a passion, but given your situation, I would skip the YVR stopover and increased travel time, and fly directly to LAX.

I'm actually flying to LAX this weekend because a) it was $30 cheaper and b) the only late night flight in available, so apparently I hate LAX but am swayed by $30, hahaha.

$30??? I don't think I'd even fly LAX to save $300.

 

[fly girl]

Actually, it saves us $1400. Minus the $400 for the transportation to/from the hotel, so $1000 net savings.

OMG, $1400 in savings. I would definitely book direct and save some scratch. Right now with the airlines and short staffing, going direct is the best way to go, imho.

LAX isn't my favorite either but it's not that bad. (just my personal thoughts, but that is up for debate. -- don't get me started on JFK or LGA.)

Just looked up Uber rates, I don't know how big your party is but an Uber X was around $60. XL if you party is larger is $88. Lyft was the same rate. I'd keep checking rates to see how they fluctuate.

You could likely save more than $1000.

 

[E.Jane]

OMG, $1400 in savings. I would definitely book direct and save some scratch. Right now with the airlines and short staffing, going direct is the best way to go, imho.

LAX isn't my favorite either but it's not that bad. (just my personal thoughts, but that is up for debate. -- don't get me started on JFK or LGA.)

Just looked up Uber rates, I don't know how big your party is but an Uber X was around $60. XL if you party is larger is $88. Lyft was the same rate. I'd keep checking rates to see how they fluctuate.

You could likely save more than $1000.

There will be 4 of us. I thought I'd read somewhere that Uber at LAX was a headache - you have to take a shuttle somewhere first? I could be wrong, I'm getting so confused LOL

 

[fly girl]

There will be 4 of us. I thought I'd read somewhere that Uber at LAX was a headache - you have to take a shuttle somewhere first? I could be wrong, I'm getting so confused LOL

Unless they changed it recently, from Terminal 3 (the only terminal I use, so others will have to chime in if you are using a different one) it is a short walk to a dedicated ride share lot. At most 5-7 minute walk from baggage claim. It wasn't hard at all.

If you do Black they will pick you up curbside. But that's a big jump in price. Then you'll likely be $400 for round trip. I'm cheap, I'll walk a few minutes to save $200.

 

[China Expat]

SNA

 

[DLgal]

There will be 4 of us. I thought I'd read somewhere that Uber at LAX was a headache - you have to take a shuttle somewhere first? I could be wrong, I'm getting so confused LOL

Yes, you will have to shuttle to the ride share lot.

 

[afan]

Yes, you will have to shuttle to the ride share lot.

And hope someone takes the ride to Anaheim.

 

[jbh275]

Is your flight during rush hour? That can mane a big difference.

 

[ktlm]

From our home airport, we have direct flights to LAX, but no direct flights to SNA. LAX is also often cheaper because it is one leg. We have flown LAX for a DLR trip only ONCE. We find it worth the extra money and connection to get to SNA. SNA has short security lines, usually short counter lines, is easy to get around, and if you are rental a car has counters there with no need for shuttles. It is about a 15 minute drive to get to DLR, and cabs and Uber are easy to get if you aren't renting a car. SNA is a laid back airport-- so easy.

I checked the UBER app putting in destinations just now and for an XL (which our family needs for luggage), it quoted $150 from LAX to DLR and $40 from SNA to DLR, so figure that in for cost if you don't plan to rent a vehicle.

To us, LAX is a pain-- there is traffic to get to DLR, the drive is twice as long (and can take even longer in traffic), you have to take shuttles to rental cars, have to take shuttles between legs of flights etc.

 

[Aurora0427]

OMG, $1400 in savings. I would definitely book direct and save some scratch. Right now with the airlines and short staffing, going direct is the best way to go, imho.

LAX isn't my favorite either but it's not that bad. (just my personal thoughts, but that is up for debate. -- don't get me started on JFK or LGA.)

Just looked up Uber rates, I don't know how big your party is but an Uber X was around $60. XL if you party is larger is $88. Lyft was the same rate. I'd keep checking rates to see how they fluctuate.

You could likely save more than $1000.

Compared to LGA, JFK and Newark, LAX is a piece of cake!

 

[PirateBrigade]

$30??? I don't think I'd even fly LAX to save $300.

Bahah, I agree, but fine print, we're flying to LA for concert + other things (no DL/OC on this trip, for reasons discussed in Magic Key thread, lol). No babysitting until late in the evening, therefore landing around midnight at LAX.

BUR is our go-to airport as that's usually closer to where we stay.

Kinda had no choice. But I'm 100% doing Uber Black to avoid having to go to that collective rideshare area.

 

[E.Jane]

From our home airport, we have direct flights to LAX, but no direct flights to SNA. LAX is also often cheaper because it is one leg. We have flown LAX for a DLR trip only ONCE. We find it worth the extra money and connection to get to SNA. SNA has short security lines, usually short counter lines, is easy to get around, and if you are rental a car has counters there with no need for shuttles. It is about a 15 minute drive to get to DLR, and cabs and Uber are easy to get if you aren't renting a car. SNA is a laid back airport-- so easy.

I checked the UBER app putting in destinations just now and for an XL (which our family needs for luggage), it quoted $150 from LAX to DLR and $40 from SNA to DLR, so figure that in for cost if you don't plan to rent a vehicle.

To us, LAX is a pain-- there is traffic to get to DLR, the drive is twice as long (and can take even longer in traffic), you have to take shuttles to rental cars, have to take shuttles between legs of flights etc.

If you were saving $1400 on airfaire by flying to LAX vs SNA, would you do it? So after accounting for, say, $300 for a car service, our net shavings would be $1100.

 

[Obi-J Kenobi]

If you were saving $1400 on airfaire by flying to LAX vs SNA, would you do it? So after accounting for, say, $300 for a car service, our net shavings would be $1100.

Depending on the length of your stay and restaurant choices, $1,100 could pay all (or the vast majority) of your dining expenses.

 

[Disney Dad ADL]

If you were saving $1400 on airfaire by flying to LAX vs SNA, would you do it? So after accounting for, say, $300 for a car service, our net shavings would be $1100.

I would take LAX over SNA to save $1000 for sure, but I don't hate LAX that much, lol.