Enough time to get to the airport?

Can you make your flight? Possibly, but as others have said, there can be issues. If there is more than one ship in port there can be issues with Immigration/Customs. As others have posted, we had one cruise when they decided not to start processing passengers until after 8:30. We have driven friends to LAX after several cruises on the weekend without majors issues but there are times when the traffic in the airport isn't moving. Once you get to the airport the line to check in baggage can be very long although using curbside check-in will get around that. Then, unless you have priority passage through TSA as a frequent flyer, are flying first class or have TSA precheck you can be in a very long line. If you stay with your flight plans, have a Plan B.

That thread talks about LGB. Closer and easier to navigate than LAX.

The OP also asked this on the Ask A Cruise Question Board. Pretty much the same answers.

Actually they talk about LAX coming from Long Beach but I think they really mean San Pedro.

Yes, but you lead a charmed life. [emoji12]

I guess I do. ;)

Guess with my actual experience its great to be called a liar by the same ones each time too. :rolleyes:

Actually they talk about LAX coming from Long Beach but I think they really mean San Pedro.

Darn. You're right. There's another one about the Long Beach airport.

Anyways. He's sailing on the Miracle with us on Oct 3.

Good point about customs in LA. They do grill you (especially if returning from Mexico and other points south.) Once in awhile I have gotten through fairly quickly, but the normal thing is to stand in line for a time and then answer a barrage of questions once I get to the agent. LA has had the rudest agents I've encountered, too, though not all.

My friends who have managed to sail through the process and make early flights are lucky. However, keep coming to San Pedro and your luck will eventually run out. ;)

LAX is a nightmare on a good day, but they are still doing construction there, and some of the terminals are hard to get to. I was last there in June, and I swore as I always do that I would never go back. Somehow I get sucked in again. :)

Check to see if your airline participates in the EZ check program. That will get your luggage checked thru to your final destination and gets you your boarding passes. With walkoff and a taxi you should make it and all you have to do at the airport is go to your gate. Agreat program worth the $20.00/pp.

Flight is too early for EZCheck, assuming it is even offered in that port.

For some, the casino closes when the ship reaches USA waters when returning to the disembarkation port.

But for the OP, gambling can be continued right up until the 10:50 departure time for the flight.

Wow! I'd be VERY stressed out if I had to try to make such an early flight out of LAX.

 

LAX recommends arriving for check-in two hours before your flight, particularly a morning flight. Lines can be very long and it can take ages to go through Security. Heck, it can take half an hour to just get from the entrance to LAX to the terminal. So, that means arriving at LAX by 9am.

 

Many times, I've had disembarkation start at 8am or later in San Pedro. Even for self-disembarking passengers. And then you have to go through Immigration and down the escalator with all your luggage... and still have one hand free. This is closely guarded; otherwise, you have to wait for the elevator which can be a long wait. When my daughter was in a wheelchair, we'd wait for up to half an hour for the elevator.

 

Transportation to LAX can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes, depending on the traffic. Even Sunday. The 405 is notorious for accidents and slowdowns. Add in the time needed to get to the terminal.

 

Whenever this question is asked, I find it humorous that people who don't live in the LA area say, "No problem" but almost unanimously, those of us who live in the area and deal with LA traffic say, "Book a later flight." When I lived in the Boston area and flew home after a cruise out of San Pedro, I always booked a flight after Noon. Yes, it meant I got home late in the evening. Sometimes I had a wait in LAX for my flight but I'd much rather do that than stress over whether or not I'd make my flight.

Sounds like LAX is almost as bad for departing passengers as MIA.

I would like to hear from passengers that actually made a 10:30 flight out of LAX after a cruise. I am guessing there aren't many who have successfully made it to their plane without huffing and puffing. Not being mean or sarcastic. Just looking for validation to taking an early flight.

We must be the lucky ones. We have flown out of LAX after cruises 8 times since 2005 with the latest being this past April. Our flights have always been between 10:30 and 11:15 and we have never had a problem except as noted below the next quote. We have always asked for and received the earliest disembarkation time and have gotten through customs and to the airport with plenty of time to spare. The only time we did the "walk-off" was the last cruise and that was only because the airline changed our flight to 10:00. I'm not saying that many people are going to agree with me, I'll just say again that we must be lucky.

A 10:30am flight out of LAX? Are you kidding me? I missed a flight back in 2006 due to the cruise ship getting back in to San Pedro late. (mechanical problems) had to spend the night in a Hotel in LA. .

Barb,

If you remember, we didn't even tie up to the dock until almost 2:30 that afternoon and it still took a while for them to start letting people off. Even if they had late afternoon flights, they still didn't make it. I will agree that there are always chances for problems.

We must be the lucky ones. We have flown out of LAX after cruises 8 times since 2005 with the latest being this past April. Our flights have always been between 10:30 and 11:15 and we have never had a problem except as noted below the next quote. We have always asked for and received the earliest disembarkation time and have gotten through customs and to the airport with plenty of time to spare. The only time we did the "walk-off" was the last cruise and that was only because the airline changed our flight to 10:00. I'm not saying that many people are going to agree with me, I'll just say again that we must be lucky.

 

 

 

Barb,

If you remember, we didn't even tie up to the dock until almost 2:30 that afternoon and it still took a while for them to start letting people off. Even if they had late afternoon flights, they still didn't make it. I will agree that there are always chances for problems.

Yes, Joe I remember getting into San Pedro around 2:30pm

I guess I do. ;)

 

 

Guess with my actual experience its great to be called a liar by the same ones each time too. :rolleyes:

I believe you. We've flown out of FLL around 10:30 as well in the past. Don't have that time in November, but have always left before noon. Not saying I'd try that elsewhere, but ship arrival in FLL is normally WELL before the posted arrival time, so the ship is ready for disembarkation while we're still snoozing away. And the airport is so close. Mind you we do get priority security screening and the terminal we typically use at FLL is not terribly crowded. Not sure about situation in all terminals - results and experience may vary.

Good luck in whatever you choose.