Air Flight from LAX

We are taking a cruise on Carnival Miracle in January. We have our flight booked. Southwest has changed the time of the flight departure to 11:45.

Will we be able to make that flight time? Our daughter will pick us up at the Cruise Terminal.

If your daughter will be there as early as possible...7:30, no later than 8am.

Thanks so much! This is our first time to Cruise from California.

We are taking a cruise on Carnival Miracle in January. We have our flight booked. Southwest has changed the time of the flight departure to 11:45.

Will we be able to make that flight time? Our daughter will pick us up at the Cruise Terminal.

The usual advice is to pick a flight time after NOON...But, yes, there is a little extra time built into that...11:45 should still be very makable...

They claim you should get to LAX two hours before flight time to leave time for check-in and security...We always do that--because I don't like to leave much to chance...But we've actually never ever needed that much time...You can "check-in" on the internet within 24 hours prior...but security is the crapshoot...Sometimes the lines are bad...and slow...other times, you breeze right through...But, if you are running too close, they will often let you jump the line...

Getting from Long Beach to LAX is a 23 mile drive...On a weekend morning, it's not too bad...likely about a half an hour...On a weekday, there is going to be major traffic--figure about an hour...

Basically, if you are in the car by 8:45-9:00, you are doing perfectly fine...

The real issue is disembarkation...Carnival can be REALLY slow in Long Beach...and you never know when Customs clears your ship...

Tell Carnival that you have a very early flight and need to be among the first to leave the ship (of course, everyone is telling them this)...Also helps to roll your own luggage off the ship...

It helps that Southwest is in Terminal 1.

Thanks Bruin Steve!!!!! My mind can rest a little easier.

I will have one of our daughters check in for us with in the 24 hours. One of our Daughters is flying back with us to Missouri.

This is also on a Saturday Morning. Maybe that will help as well. We always roll our luggage off! As most ports we drive to.

Saturday morning is good. Less traffic to the airport.

What date are you arriving back as I can look up for you how many ships will be in port that day.

Keith

Saturday morning is good. Less traffic to the airport.

 

What date are you arriving back as I can look up for you how many ships will be in port that day.

 

Keith

Of course, they are on Carnival (the Miracle has only two sailings in January that return on a Saturday...so they are arriving back on either the 10th or the 17th...)...so, Long Beach Terminal--where they can only accommodate one ship at a time...so, they will, of course, be the only ship in Long Beach....OTOH, my experience with Carnival/Long Beach is that they can be a bit slow...why it helps to be "at the front of the line" getting off the ship...

OP - Try to either do self assist debarkation or go to Guest Services with your airline tickets to get a lower zone tag.

We have sailed out of LB over 20 times and only 2 times were we delayed. One time was when the crew was doing their 90 day visa and the other time was when the gangway couldn't connect to the ship. Other than those, debarkation usually starts around 7:30 for self debarkation and going through customs can take up to 30 minutes.

Thanks everyone. Have had a family emergency. Got it taken care of.

Yes we arrive back on January 10. We are Platinum so I hope that will help with getting off the ship early.

If the daughter picking you up is a LA-area resident, she will probably know the AM stations that broadcast traffic updates and alternate routes to the freeway (if necessary, probably shouldn't be, but ya never know!)

...debarkation usually starts around 7:30 for self debarkation and going through customs can take up to 30 minutes.

Are you sure about that? The itinerary shows 9:00 am.