Time from Long Beach to LAX?

I am getting ready to book my flight. What is the earliest flight I should book without missing it? I realise the traffic plays into this a lot. Thanks!

I am getting ready to book my flight. What is the earliest flight I should book without missing it? I realise the traffic plays into this a lot. Thanks!

Long Beach to LAX is about 23 miles...With no traffic, it only takes about a half an hour...but locals will always tell you to figure for a full hour...Obviously, day of the week plays into it...Saturdays or Sundays it may be closer to that half hour, on work days, that hour estimate is closer to correct since this is one of the busiest stretches of traffic in LA...

BUT, the drive time is NOT the biggest factor here...Getting off the ship, through the lines, locating your transportation, etc. IS...

Somehow, it's never easy disembarking in Long Beach...You wait for the ship to clear customs...then you will wait in a long line just to get off. Wheeling off your own luggage is a good idea--BUT almost everyone else will be doing that...

Then, lines at LAX could be horrendous. I've never found them to be bad at all, but others have...it tends to be hit and miss...It's one of the five busiest airports in the world...

Due to all of this, the typical advice is to never book a flight before noon...From 1:00 pm on is even safer advice...Yes, you CAN make a flight as early as 11:00 am, but you'd better have EVERYTHING fall perfectly into place...so, don't risk it...

You don't say to where, but 1PM is the soonest I'd make.

Other factors are day of week and how many ships are in port that day.

We book flights at around 1:00 PM.

Keith

My experience with LAX is you always want to get there several hours early. Coming from Long Beach can also add significant delay. Normal rush hour traffic can add an hour to the trip, if it's a nice day on the weekend traffic can be brutal with people heading to the beach, but heading away should be easier.

I'd definitely have as much time as you can comfortably allow for. With Los Angeles, random lengthy delays can always happen.