Transiting in LAX and thoughts on United

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Asteros

227 posts

Master Geek

#3274460 22-Aug-2024 13:09

Getting from the Star Alliance lounge to Terminal 7 takes 30 minutes at a brisk walking pace. They have improved the airside connection but it is still horrendous compared to other airports. Remember you have to collect your bags and clear immigration for international to international at US airports. I'm not sure how much transit time you have but this might be very tight.

Have a look at this step by step map:

https://www.flylax.com/map#/

I quite like the LAX Star Alliance lounge though.

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umark

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3274467 22-Aug-2024 13:34

Immigration at LAX is a real pain - I'm told if you do it the old-fashioned way it can take 1-2 hours of waiting in the queue. 4 hours should be enough even in the worst case but still not fun!

We did it in July and used the MPC (mobile passport control) app to fill out our arrival card. Ask someone where you line up when you get to passport control as you don't want to get in the wrong queue. It only took us 15-20 minutes of waiting and we were one of the first people to baggage claim - even after I had fruit in our bag and we had to go to another area and wait to be interviewed which added another 15-20 minutes. Even if you have to do it on WIFI in the airport it's well worth it.

wellygary

8253 posts

Uber Geek

#3274475 22-Aug-2024 13:53

openmedia:

nztim:

You still need an ESTA and clear immigration P.S this is the OFFICAL Site https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/ note there are lots of sites claiming to be ESTA charging huge fees, the official site should cost $20USD

There now an Offsical ESTA App also

The good news is if you are transiting the states to another international flight you don't need to collect your bags, you still however need to clear immigration

Depends on the airport. I've had to collect and re-check my bags going via Houston

Air NZ say you do , after immigration you need to collect to go through US Customs & Agriculture then if they are final destination tagged you just drop them at the re-check counter,

https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/connecting-at-los-angeles

This is certainly how it has always been done since back in the day....

nztim

3745 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

TEAMnetwork

Subscriber

#3274496 22-Aug-2024 14:48

wellygary:

https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/connecting-at-los-angeles

This is certainly how it has always been done since back in the day....

You are correct

its only Qantas and AA flights with ITI at DFW that don't need to collect bags

https://www.americanairlines.it/content/images/jp/ti/pdf/iti_en.pdf

I thought LAX had to too and I was wrong

EDIT: Miami Airport has ITI too https://www.miami-airport.com/arrivals.asp

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

acetone

179 posts

Master Geek

#3274541 22-Aug-2024 17:25

Getting the MPC (mobile passport control) app is a must. I did this on my last trip through LAX a few months ago and it took me 10 minutes to go through customs and skipped a massive queue.
More people might have caught onto this so times may vary but I couldn't recommend this approach enough!

As others have already corrected, yes you will need to collect your bag and drop it off on your way out of the terminal.

Chrisclarke

195 posts

Master Geek

#3274564 22-Aug-2024 19:42

acetone:

Getting the MPC (mobile passport control) app is a must. I did this on my last trip through LAX a few months ago and it took me 10 minutes to go through customs and skipped a massive queue.
More people might have caught onto this so times may vary but I couldn't recommend this approach enough!

As others have already corrected, yes you will need to collect your bag and drop it off on your way out of the terminal.

Useful to know - thank you! Have downloaded. Seems to say you can't complete the form until you've arrived in LAX - hopefully there's free wifi there!

nova

242 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

#3274586 22-Aug-2024 21:02

Chrisclarke:

acetone:

Getting the MPC (mobile passport control) app is a must. I did this on my last trip through LAX a few months ago and it took me 10 minutes to go through customs and skipped a massive queue.
More people might have caught onto this so times may vary but I couldn't recommend this approach enough!

As others have already corrected, yes you will need to collect your bag and drop it off on your way out of the terminal.

Useful to know - thank you! Have downloaded. Seems to say you can't complete the form until you've arrived in LAX - hopefully there's free wifi there!

LAX has a few wifi network, and there is also a dedicated network for MPC that you can use:

https://www.flylax.com/lax-customs-and-immigration

The MPC documentation says that "returning" visa waiver applicants can use it, I suspect that means that you need to have gone through US customs before and submitted the requisite biometric data, but don't know for sure what their definition is.

umark

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3274646 23-Aug-2024 06:53

nova:

LAX has a few wifi network, and there is also a dedicated network for MPC that you can use:

https://www.flylax.com/lax-customs-and-immigration

The MPC documentation says that "returning" visa waiver applicants can use it, I suspect that means that you need to have gone through US customs before and submitted the requisite biometric data, but don't know for sure what their definition is.

I can see that condition on the website but I don't think that was obviously advertised when we used it at LAX in July.

We were "returning" visa waiver applicants, but the family we travelled with were not. Their kids had never been to the States and I'm 90% sure the parents hadn't either. Even if you weren't "returning" I'd give MPC a go, saves so much time. Obviously, don't lie or flout the rules as presented in the app, but if it lets you it lets you.

Otagolad

364 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3274878 23-Aug-2024 21:21

The Star Alliance lounge is actually run but Air NZ so that may be of some help - useful review/guide here

https://www.pointhacks.com.au/reviews/star-alliance-lounge-business-class-los-angeles/

afe66

3181 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3275656 26-Aug-2024 23:29

I download the maps of the relevant terminals and study them in advance so i know where everything is to minimise wrong turns.
Ie anz to ny via huston, i knew where baggage drop off were etc, i know there were signs but i knew where to head anyway. Also how gates numbered.

For stressful time rushed transfers i think theres no real downside.

Chrisclarke

195 posts

Master Geek

#3280136 9-Sep-2024 07:20

Since the OP this I've been and arrived back...

Needn't have worried about United. I'd say on balance they were superior to Air NZ, on this occasion. Genuinely warm and friendly service, two decent meals and a mid-flight snack (a warm chicken roll on one leg and a bag of snacks (pretzels, Cheese & biscuits and chocolate) on the return. Drinks cart before dinner, with the meal, and afterwards on both legs - as opposed to Air NZ who came around once with the meal. No mid flight snack offered on the Air NZ operated flights - my wife who is diabetic asked for something midflight to be told 'we don't really have anything other than the meals'. Not great on a 13 hour flight. Air NZ service was quietly efficient, but lacked the warmth and friendliness of the United crew.

Appreciate others will have different views - but this was my experience based on this particular trip.

Took the plunge and renewed my Koru membership - and pleased I did. No lounge access at LAX for the United flight - but immigration took over two hours so there wasn't really time. And wasn't bothered at Heathrow. Transiting back through LAX we were through immigration and bag transfer in about 15 minutes, so had plenty of time to enjoy the excellent Star Alliance lounge and take a shower before the trans pacific leg.

Writing this from the AKL domestic lounge where I've enjoyed another shower (sooo good!) and killed three hours before our transfer to Chch.

LAX was as unpleasant as I'd remembered it. Old, tired and dirty with an occasional smell of stale urine. Heathrow much improved - I used to fly a lot for work when I lived there but was spoiled flying from the (then new) T5. But little old Auckland remains the best from my perspective for ambiance and user experience.

On balance, I still prefer to fly via to Europe via SE Asia - but this was an unplanned trip with 2 days notice to visit my wife's father who has been given a short time to live - so we took what was available for a reasonable price.

Asteros

227 posts

Master Geek

#3280160 9-Sep-2024 08:49

How did you find moving from the International Terminal to United Terminal 7? It's a pretty interesting walk with lots of tunnels if I remember correctly.

pdh

323 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3280254 9-Sep-2024 11:11

San Fran is a much nicer gateway/transfer point - sometimes as cheap as LA.
I imagine Houston or Chicago must also be better.
LAX has been a nasty experience for decades.

noroad

943 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#3280363 9-Sep-2024 14:53

pdh:

San Fran is a much nicer gateway/transfer point - sometimes as cheap as LA.
I imagine Houston or Chicago must also be better.
LAX has been a nasty experience for decades.

I've always found LAX to be pretty awful, although the Tom Bradley terminal is certainly better than the others. I suppose I shall see how good or otherwise it is tomorrow morning.

Chrisclarke

195 posts

Master Geek

#3280422 9-Sep-2024 15:15

On the outward journey the tunnel was closed - staff didn't seem to know what was what so we exited and walked to T7 along the side of the road - didn't have time to fiddle fart around! On the way back, we were able to use the tunnel to get from T6 to Tom Bradley. Stinking hot, and, well, stinking. But marginally better than taking the outside route!

I regularly traveled for work via LAX about 20 years ago - and avoid it if at all possible now. It was as bad as I remembered it. Incredible for a 'first world' country. Tom Bradley is definitely the better of the LAX terminals - was a hot day and the air con wasn't effective, but other than that it's reasonably pleasant. The whole rigmarole of processing through immigration when transitting is painful, especially when there are two staff to process a plane load of arrivals. They use facial recognition, but also felt the need to take fingerprints on each leg. I don't know that much about them, but suspect they don't usually change over a two week period!!!

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