LAX or Long Beach Airport

I could use some advice on which airport to fly into. Southwest Airlines to LAX is a very good price and I would arrive approx. 9am OR Southwest Airlines to Long Beach and I would arrive 11:10am(a little more money but not much). I am trying to decide if I should arrive earlier to LAX(which would give me more comfort)and a better price but have to pay more money to get to port OR arrive later to Long Beach and cheaper price to get to port because it's closer. Flying from Las Vegas so it's only an hour flight but I still worry about delays. I really don't want to fly in the day before and have to pay for an expensive room on a Friday night. Cruising on the Splendor. Please advise!

Transportation costs should be less from Long Beach airport based on distance

I would go earlier. That is how I would make the decision since you don't want to fly in the day before.

Keith

On those rare occasions when we must fly in the same day we get into the port city as early as we can . And always on non stop flights. A shared shuttle from LAX to Long Beach will cost about $17.00.

Being that close I would consider driving. After adding up the cost of parking in Vegas, airline, cost of transportation to/from ship or gas/parking in LB you might come out ahead driving. Just another idea to consider.

The reason one would fly into Long Beach rather than LAX is NOT that it is closer--it really isn't that much closer...

The reason a lot of folks like Long Beach is that it is a much smaller and less intimidating airport than LAX. LAX is the fifth busiest airport in the world and that scares some folks. LAX can also be fairly difficult to those making a connection there--since the airport has no tram or peoplemover system and, if you need to switch terminals it may be hard to do that. But, for those merely arriving or departing, the issues are usually the possibility of long lines at check-in and/or security or waits at baggage claim. Personally, (and I fly in and out of LAX a lot) I've never had an issue with these. It helps to do on-line check in and to be TSA pre-screened. Absent that, long lines are really only at times, depending on the airline and time of day.

As to the cost to get to port, LGB really doesn't save you that much--if at all. Since LAX is so much bigger, there are more options...and shuttles are cheap...the economy of scale. If you were using Uber or a taxi, you might save a very small amount of money from LGB being a slightly shorter trip, but not enough to make a great difference.

For me, I'd definitely take the lower price and earlier arrival to go through LAX--especially on the flight to your cruise--when you won't have to worry about check-in or security lines.