I'm travelling on a separate booking on AA from Mexico into LAX for a Qantas flight later that evening.
I've never had to transfer at LAX before, so will I have to go through customs and airport security in the United States after I pick up my bags or is there facilities for me to be able to check in my bag before customs and to check it into my Qantas flight home?
If you are able to manage with carry on only you’ll be able to stay airside and use the connector from T4 to Tom Bradley International Terminal. If you checkin on qantas online before you leave Mexico the qantas gate agents can print your boarding pass at the departure gate (go there as soon as you arrive in TBIT).
If you have to collect checked bags, you’ll have to walk outside from T4 to TBIT and re check-in at Qantas in TBIT then go upstairs and through TBIT security.
How much time do you have?
Last editedby BatteryBen at May 09, 2018, 01:50 AM.
If you can't through check your bags from Mexico then you will have to pick them up and then recheck after a short walk on the street.. The interconnector (airside) is a bit of a maze and poorly signed so be patient walking through it if you are able to use it..
I believe you will have to clear customs and immigration - whether or not you have carry on or checked bags. As far as I know, anytime you go through the US you have to do this.
If you were on a flight from within the US you can just go to your next gate as there is no exit immigration in the US, however as you will be coming from Mexico, you will need to clear immigration etc and checkin again.
With United to NZ I pick them up and then dump them as they are checked through. Ordinarily I'd expect AA - QF to do that. But isn't there a quirk in the OW set up that doesn't allow you to do that?
You have a MEX-LAX on AA, and a LAX-AU on QF. Both on different bookings?
Everyone flying into the US, even those connecting, go through CBP. There are very limited exceptions, but they don't apply here.
AA has gates in T5, T4 and TBIT. Their flights could use any one of them. My understanding is the T4 FIS was closed some years ago and arriving international flights at T4 feed pax into a tunnel that leads to the TBIT FIS.
What you need to do depends a lot on which terminal you end up in after clearing CBP following the flight from Mexico.
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Connecting from AA to Qantas at LAX
LachlanSturt
LachlanSturt
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 16 Apr 2014
Total posts 8
Hi everyone,
BatteryBen
BatteryBen
Member since 08 Aug 2017
Total posts 46
If you are able to manage with carry on only you’ll be able to stay airside and use the connector from T4 to Tom Bradley International Terminal. If you checkin on qantas online before you leave Mexico the qantas gate agents can print your boarding pass at the departure gate (go there as soon as you arrive in TBIT).
If you have to collect checked bags, you’ll have to walk outside from T4 to TBIT and re check-in at Qantas in TBIT then go upstairs and through TBIT security.
How much time do you have?
patrickk
patrickk
Qantas
Member since 19 Apr 2012
Total posts 731
If you can't through check your bags from Mexico then you will have to pick them up and then recheck after a short walk on the street.. The interconnector (airside) is a bit of a maze and poorly signed so be patient walking through it if you are able to use it..
pab2025
pab2025
Member since 25 Jun 2012
Total posts 126
I believe you will have to clear customs and immigration - whether or not you have carry on or checked bags. As far as I know, anytime you go through the US you have to do this.
StuParr
StuParr
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 01 Mar 2012
Total posts 203
With United to NZ I pick them up and then dump them as they are checked through. Ordinarily I'd expect AA - QF to do that. But isn't there a quirk in the OW set up that doesn't allow you to do that?
Himeno
Himeno
Member since 12 Dec 2012
Total posts 295
To make sure you're getting the right info...
You have a MEX-LAX on AA, and a LAX-AU on QF. Both on different bookings?
Everyone flying into the US, even those connecting, go through CBP. There are very limited exceptions, but they don't apply here.
AA has gates in T5, T4 and TBIT. Their flights could use any one of them. My understanding is the T4 FIS was closed some years ago and arriving international flights at T4 feed pax into a tunnel that leads to the TBIT FIS.
What you need to do depends a lot on which terminal you end up in after clearing CBP following the flight from Mexico.