LAX

[PigBoy#1 28]

Is it possibele to clear customs in LA and check in and get to the gate for delta in under 2 1/2 hours? My flight would arrive at 9:15 PM

 

Thanks

 

PB#1

[joekicker 53]

Yes. Through LA I usually have less than two hours to a domestic flight and have never been rushed about it.

 

Naturally that depends on being on time arriving, and on the nice Customs agents. But LAX is quite efficient. Be aware you'll probably have to catch a bus from the international terminal to the proper domestic terminal.

 

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[bigdelta 46]

easily

[bigorange1 0]

Is it possibele to clear customs in LA and check in and get to the gate for delta in under 2 1/2 hours? My flight would arrive at 9:15 PM

 

Thanks

 

PB#1

 

 

you should be able to do it. sometimes i get through customs in ten minutes and rush to my us flight only to find out there is a line out the door waiting to get thru security for the us flight. at that time of night you should be ok, good luck...

[LocalYokul 177]

90 minutes for me last time

[The Mook 105]

took me 2 hrs. 20 minutes to clear passport control/customs baggage in Nov.

[joekicker 53]

took me 2 hrs. 20 minutes to clear passport control/customs baggage in Nov.

 

You get searched, or what?

 

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[Zeus 56]

I live in LA and have done the LA flight from BKK (through NRT) 15 times. I can only remember customs taking more than 1 hour once, and that was because our morning flight was early and the customs staff hadn't arrived yet(which wouldn't be a problem for catching an ongoing flight). Typically you make it through immigration before the bags are arriving on the baggage carousel. If you can get by with just a carry-on, then you breeze to the front while everyone else waits for their bags. I've had my bags searched on 3 of those trips and it really doesnt delay you too much. On the other trips they just waived me on through, after taking my paperwork.

 

Zeus

[The Mook 105]

I have been searched every trip for the past 4 years. The last time it took me more than 1 hour to each the customs official. Then another hour to get to the search table and clear it. Why do they search me? They say the countries I visit are a red flag for drugs, even when I visit Singapore. Since 2004 about 10 searches and nothing found, since I am not a drug dealer or even a casual user. Why do they continue to flag me for a baggage check? Beats me.

[too_mutt 10]

Just curious which carriers you guys use when transiting LAX. I have used EVA so far through LAX.

 

The EVA overall experience was pretty good!

[joekicker 53]

Why do they search me? They say the countries I visit are a red flag for drugs, even when I visit Singapore.

 

Singapore is a red flag because mules LOVE to go through Singapore and think they're clean because they went through Singapore. But customs guys think like drug mules -- they know Singapore is tough on drugs, but they also know Singapore doesn't find any more drugs than any other country. So it's "why did this guy

spend a couple of days in Singapore, to get clean hmmmm????"

 

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[Zeus 56]

Just curious which carriers you guys use when transiting LAX. I have used EVA so far through LAX.

 

The EVA overall experience was pretty good!

 

For me most trips were on NW (before the Delta merger), So they had their own facilities in Terminal #2 ( instead of the intl. terminal). I am sure that and the fact that there were no competing flights when we arrived, led to the processing going smoothly.

 

With regards to the searches. It always happened when I was traveling with carry on luggage only. So I would be one of the few that went through customs while everyone else was waiting for their luggage. I think the inspectors needed to start their work and I was the first one through. Of the 3 searches I had in 15 trips, only one was more than a cursory view of my bag(s) unzipped. That one time they did go through everything - took about 15 min. for the search.

 

Zeus

[bigdelta 46]

I have been searched every trip for the past 4 years. The last time it took me more than 1 hour to each the customs official. Then another hour to get to the search table and clear it. Why do they search me? They say the countries I visit are a red flag for drugs, even when I visit Singapore. Since 2004 about 10 searches and nothing found, since I am not a drug dealer or even a casual user. Why do they continue to flag me for a baggage check? Beats me.

Racial profiling?

[joekicker 53]

. Of the 3 searches I had in 15 trips, only one was more than a cursory view of my bag(s) unzipped.

 

Okay but we were more interested in details about your luggage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry, but some straight lines just sit there and go, PLEASE comment on me.

 

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[The Mook 105]

Not racial profiling (IMHO), unless middle aged white guys that are white-collar professionals are a new drug smuggler demographic.

 

I typically make 2 trips per year and they always ask me what I did and why I am there, etc.

 

I tell the truth every time regardless the details of my trip and they always pick me for baggage search.

 

It's such a pain in the ass. I've begun to pack all my things in large, clear plastic bags. That sped things up the first time or two, but

now they even empty the bags though they can see and feel the contents.

 

There's nothing like being treated like a criminal in your own country. Makes me want to spend the rest of my life here...NOT!

[dv34917 13]

Remember to fill out the customs arrival card they give out on the plane. A couple years ago I thought it was only for visitors to the U.S. and didn't bother to fill it out. Put me at the end of the very long line and increased my wait by probably an hour.

[too_mutt 10]

I tell the truth every time regardless the details of my trip and they always pick me for baggage search.

Not quite sure I understand this. Does this mean you tell them the same thing every time, or are you saying no matter what you say, you are selected for search?

 

To me, the answer is pretty standard: travel, Thai culture, food, weather, affordable, nightlife, etc.