<p>I am looking for any advice, tips on navigating through this airport. My 17yo is going to Korea for 2 weeks. He has a domestic flight to LAX on Alaska Airlines, has to get his baggage, then make his way to the international terminal, check-in, and go through security again. He will meet his group at the gate.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Does each terminal have its own baggage claim, or is there one big area?</p></li>
<li><p>How to get from domestic baggage claim to the international terminal after he picks up his bag? Walking, shuttle?</p></li>
<li><p>Is the international security check one of the really long ones? He will have 4 hours from domestic landing to international takeoff, which seems to be enough time.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>He will have 4 hours from domestic landing to international takeoff, which seems to be enough time. I am not familiar with this airport, so want to make it as simple as possible for him. He’s done some traveling on his own, but this airport is upping the travel I.Q. quite a bit, so any advice, tips, etc., would be appreciated.</p>
<p>LAX is actually not that big. The International Terminal is right next to Terminal 3 (where Alaska Airlines is). He could walk there with his baggage in 5 minutes. Four hours is plenty of time. I would think two hours would be more than enough since he is already at the airport. He’ll be fine.</p>
<ol>
<li> Each has its own.</li>
<li> As tptshorty says it’s not that far. There is a free shuttle but walking may be quicker.</li>
<li> Like most security lines, the line length depends on how many flights are leaving around the same time. I don’t recall the international security line at LAX to be especially long.</li>
</ol>
<p>Once you are inside the terminal, it’s not so bad. It’s getting through security the first time, if you are starting there. I have had domestic flights out of there and the line to get through security is out the door and down the street.</p>
<p>But, he is coming into the terminal already and just has to transfer. That should be much easier.</p>
<p>Once he gets his bag & goes through security, he can enjoy a nice meal, as there are quite a few decent places to eat in LAX once you are past security. 4 hours is plenty of time for him to get there.</p>
<p>Exit Terminal 3, and as Yogi Bear would say, head for “Stage right”. In other words, he should turn right, and follow the sidewalk, and the Tom Bradley International terminal will the first one he comes to. Length of security lines always depends, but TSA is getting much better. Four hours is plenty of time to move from one T to the next, check-in, pickup some reading materials, maybe a snack/lunch, and charge the laptop.</p>
<p>Are you sure he will have to get his baggage at LAX? My D had a conection in LAX when she was flying to China, and she was able to check her one piece of checked baggage all the way through to China (from our little, more or less middle of nowhere airport).</p>
<p>Yes, it is pretty common for bags to be checked all the way to their final destination & people to only be responsible for their hand-carry items, even when they are flying to China or other foreign destinations. It is a good idea to check with the Alaska as to whether the bag will be checked all the way through to the final destination–one less thing for your child to contend with.</p>
<p>D just flew into Tom Bradley LAX last week, so I am an expert, lol! As tptshorty said, he’s only one terminal away from the international terminal–so I would walk. Security lines are always a crapshoot, but 4 hours is MORE than enough time for him to get on his next flight. So don’t worry…</p>
<p>Thanks for all the info, it is very helpful. I am most familiar with O’Hare, so I forget that not all airports are that big of a bear; this doesn’t sound bad at all. I was worried, as I will be flying cross country as he is navigating this, so wanted to make sure it was as clear as possible for his teenaged brain.</p>
<p>My d (16) just flew internationally herself through a huge airport - Miami. When she checked in at her home airport she scanned her passport and her luggage went straight to her destination without having to recheck.</p>
<p>It is the way back when he will have to go through customs wherever he lands in the US and recheck to his final destination.</p>
<p>Since you can check in 24 hrs early - though not print a boarding pass for international - I just looked up the gate and had her check out a map. Then I reminded her that the flight attendants and other workers are right there as you get off the plane if you get confused.</p>
<p>Alaska Airlines now operates out of Terminal 6, so directions to TBIT are slightly different.</p>
<p>Alaska will generally check bags through to the final destination and charge the international carrier’s baggage fees.</p>
<p>People are often confused that because they have to claim and recheck baggage on return to the US to meet customs and security requirements, the same is not required when leaving the US.</p>
<p>When my D flew through LAX this summer with Rustic Pathways, they arrange the overseas air and we did the domestic. She did have to get her bag and take it to the international terminal herself. I think she took the shuttle. She was disappointed with the food options at the international terminal, so I would advise him to get food at the one he lands at.</p>
<p>I was at LAX in the Alaska terminal last week. It was busy. If he does not have to claim his luggage Alaska has a shuttle bus to other terminals where you don’t have to go through security again. Not sure how that works for international flights.The food at LAX in the Alaska terminal isn’t that great. The food at the American terminal was not any better.</p>
<p>Similar to mamabear1234’s DD, he does have to pick it up and recheck it according to the CIEE group; not sure why, but oh well. It sounds like he will still have plenty of time, however. Thanks for all the info.</p>
<p>I don’t know if airlines can check bagge to a final destination when the segments were purchased separately. If it were me, though, I would still ask–very, very nicely–when you first check in if the baggage could be checked all the way through. I have found that asking very, very nicely can get airline employees to do things they might otherwise not do (book a seat on another airline, or book a seat on one flight and reserve a seat on another flight if the original flight is running late are two examples I can think of). I have never had your exact situation, but it can’t hurt to ask. And he probably does have enough time, but I hate going through security–you just never know what those lines will be.</p>
<p>I was told years ago that airlines only check through luggage when they have a reciprocal baggage agreement with the other airlines. It could be the other airline doesn’t do this if it’s an international only airline.</p>
<p>I think you are correct. I recently flew to Vancouver by way of LAX and my flights were Delta/Alaska Airlines which were code share and our baggage was checked all the way through. The new Alaska Airlines terminal did not yet have a lot of food options. Four hours should be plenty of time to change plans and eat something even if you have to await bags and get re-screened, unless the first flight is super-delayed.</p>
<p>LAX has a few but not a lot of food options in every terminal that I’ve been in. In general it’s not a great place to dine. But it’s better than it used to be back prior to the upgrade they did for the 1984 Olympics. Prior to that they just a few cafeteria-style places, one in each terminal, and all run by the same wretched catering company - reminiscent of your old high school cafeteria, circa 1968.</p>
<p>Yes, am not familiar with international terminal. In the domestic terminal, I have eaten Wolfgang Pucks–pizza and salad. They have a few other offerings as well. Not the best selection but if you look, you can generally find SOMETHING edible.</p>