Long Beach Airport

[mfleeting]

We’re flying into and out of the Long Beach Airport for our June 1st trip. Anything in particular we need to know about this airport? We’ve only flown into LAX before but decided to give Jet Blue a try since it was a little cheaper.

Also, we normally get drinks/breakfast before getting onto the plane. Is this something we will be able to do at this airport?

Thanks

 

[dawnball]

Long beach is a pretty small airport. We're flying in due to the lack of jet bridges. The toddler is airplane obsessed, so ramps and walking on the tarmac is a treat for him. It also means you don't have to get to the airport two hours early for departures.

You should be able to get coffee and pastries before your flight but I wouldn't count on a hot breakfast.

 

[mfleeting]

My kids may actually like walking on the tarmac as well... and yeah mostly just need to pick up bottled drinks and pastries. But our flight is 930am so maybe we don’t have to worry about breakfast and just cold drinks if we don’t have to show up super early! Thanks!

 

[figment_jii]

I've only flow into Long Beach once and it was a very small airport, which in some ways was pretty nice. Everything seemed fairly compact and easy to find. There aren't a lot of dining options and I don't know their operating hours (but I would assume at least the bakery-type place opens on the early side). I found this list of food and restaurants on the Long Beach airport website:
http://www.lgb.org/travelers/amenities.asp

 

[DLgal]

There are food places there. You don't need to show up any earlier than an hour before your flight. It is a TINY airport and will take you all of 5 minutes to check your bags and go through security and be at your gate.

 

[DLgal]

My kids may actually like walking on the tarmac as well... and yeah mostly just need to pick up bottled drinks and pastries. But our flight is 930am so maybe we don’t have to worry about breakfast and just cold drinks if we don’t have to show up super early! Thanks!

Just be aware, it is very loud out there! If your kids are at all sensitive to loud, sustained noise, warn them ahead of time. Mine are autistic and one needs to use ear defenders at LGB.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Long Beach is an awesome airport. Super easy. A handful of decent food options in the very small terminal. Security and parking are a breeze.

 

[pblack]

Long Beach is a great airport because of how small it is. There isn't a whole lot to do there though and not a ton of food choices, but pastries/drinks shouldn't be a problem.

 

[lalasmama]

There's a bakery there for morning breakfast I like their cinnamon rolls and the ginormous muffins. Seriously like 6 inches across!

There's something like 14-16 gates--3 on the left side, the rest on the right. Jet Blue boards from the right, which is where the bakery is located. No idea if there's a bakery on the left concourse, as I've only flown into that side once.

The longest TSA wait I've had was 15 minutes. I was detained because I had something that looked suspicious in my backpack. I carry my coins to be pressed in a mini-M&M container that they thought looked like a weapon. Once they inspected the bag and saw what it was, we were on our way!

You'll be spoiled by the airport; so much nicer than LAX!

When you land, just follow the crowd to baggage claim. Jet Blue is usually at carousel 2 or 3 on the right. The carousel area can be pretty loud. The left side (Southwest's baggage claim) is worse than the right side in my experience. Claim your bags, then go right out to the curb. Drop-offs inner curb, pick-ups (uber, Lyft) outer curb, and taxis across the street

 

[PatMcDuck]

Thanks for this! I am flying into Long Beach in August, first time thru there.

 

[Barnabus Collins]

Ever since I flew out of LGB for the first time, I have done all possible to go in and out of that airport when I can. It is my favorite airport in the area, as it is never a hassle getting in or out. You will be very pleased with LGB.

 

[stardusty21]

We always fly into Long Beach instead of LAX or SNA for every trip to SoCal. Everything is so easy at LGB.

 

[pharmama]

We enjoyed our LGB/Jet Blue experience last year as well but I do think I would try to avoid taking an evening flight out in the future. Our flight was delayed several hours due to the inbound aircraft suffering a bird strike on departure from Las Vegas. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 8:22pm so by 8:30 or so all food and shops were starting to close for the evening. By 9pm they made a "last call" for the Newsstand for snacks and then that was it. Jet Blue did provide little snack packs but it was a bit annoying to not be able to get anything else. I have a feeling that if the flight delay had gone much longer they would have had to cancel for lack of ground crew as we were clearly the last flight of the day (I did overhear some conversation at the counter to this effect as well). Fortunately they found another aircraft and we were able to get out around 10:30pm.

Delays happen but this did bring into focus a downside of a very small airport as I started to worry if we were going to get out that night at all. And I was glad we had decided to eat a decent meal earlier in the evening. Other than that the small size of LGB is very nice.

 

[violina]

LBG is my preferred airport to fly in and out of... though that's partially because we have friends in Santa Ana and that's their preference for picking us up. As others mentioned, it's a smaller airport, but I love it. The food options are slim as a result, but you've definitely got some good ones in the mix.

 

[GenGen22]

I love this airport! I've seen breakfast burritos there as well as the large muffins and cinnamon rolls.

 

[cmwade77]

There are food places there. You don't need to show up any earlier than an hour before your flight. It is a TINY airport and will take you all of 5 minutes to check your bags and go through security and be at your gate.

If you are checking bags, they are requiring you to show up 90 minutes before flight, otherwise your luggage may arrive after you do, although I have never seen that happen.

Really Long Beach is the lowest stress airport ever in my experience.

 

[DLgal]

If you are checking bags, they are requiring you to show up 90 minutes before flight, otherwise your luggage may arrive after you do, although I have never seen that happen.

Really Long Beach is the lowest stress airport ever in my experience.

Who is "they?"

The only reference I could find to arriving that early was from a 2016 news article ahead of a particularly busy travel week.

 

[cmwade77]

Who is "they?"

The only reference I could find to arriving that early was from a 2016 news article ahead of a particularly busy travel week.

That would be the people handling your luggage.

 

[DLgal]

That would be the people handling your luggage.

And how do you find that out before your arrival? As far as I know, the baggage handlers don't post that information publicly.

 

[cmwade77]

And how do you find that out before your arrival? As far as I know, the baggage handlers don't post that information publicly.

Well, they are the ones behind it, but it is clearly posted on the airlines website under each airport and on the airports website, as well as TSAs to arrive 90 minutes early.....not hard to find out said information.