Union station to LAX

[Quasar1011]

What is the best way to get to LAX from Union Station? Would it be the "Fly Away bus" that leaves from Patsaouras Plaza? Or take the silver line to the Harbor Freeway stop, and transfer onto the green line? How close to the terminal or rental car lots is the Aviation/LAX stop on the green line?

[Bruin Steve]

What is the best way to get to LAX from Union Station? Would it be the "Fly Away bus" that leaves from Patsaouras Plaza? Or take the silver line to the Harbor Freeway stop, and transfer onto the green line? How close to the terminal or rental car lots is the Aviation/LAX stop on the green line?

 

Are you heading to LAX for a flight? Or to pick up a rental car?

Either way, I would go with the Flyaway Bus over using the Green Line...especially if you have luggage...

 

Using the Metro, you are going to have to transfer somewhere in South Central Los Angeles...while dealing with luggage...The station at LAX is at Imperial Highway and Aviation...The Passenger terminals are several blocks away on Century, the other side of Sepulveda...The rental car facilities are generally north of Century...

 

The Flyaway bus is "door-to-door" and equipped for dealing with luggage. They will drop you right at the Terminal...If you're there for a rental car, the rental car shuttles will pick you up right there...

[zephyr17]

FlyAway bus, no question about it. Fast, non-stop, and designed for travelers with luggage.

 

BTW-if you are going to get a rental car, Union Station has Hertz and Budget rental desks. It's a lot easier than schlepping out to LAX.

[Dan G]

agree the bus is the best. I've used the Metro but the last stop you have to transfer to a bus then get to the terminals. Not bad but a lot of transferring and logistics.

[YubaSutter]

Flyaway is best.

[kenish]

If I understand your post, you're going to rent a car at LAX. As Bruin commented, why not rent at Union Station or downtown? You will get to the LAX area a lot faster (even with traffic) and avoid the airport taxes on the rental car which can add 25% to the base rate. All the major car companies allow you to drop your car off at a different location in the LA metro area without a one-way drop charge.

 

That said, I agree Flyaway is the best bet. I'd be very hesitant to take MetroRail late at night, it does not go through the best areas of the city (pretty close to the flashpoint of the LA riots). During the day you will be OK but the trains are *not* set up for luggage...they were designed for commuter traffic. The closest green line station is about 3 miles from the terminals.

[Quasar1011]

If I understand your post, you're going to rent a car at LAX.

That's the plan. We have a 7:40 a.m. flight to Panama. That way we won't have to rely on friends or family to take us, nor pay for long-term parking for 10 days.

 

All the major car companies allow you to drop your car off at a different location in the LA metro area without a one-way drop charge.

That's not what I saw, unless the Ontario area is not considered LA metro area. A one-way rental from Ontario-LAX had a $25 drop off fee slapped on top of it.

 

Should I just go across the county line, rent a car in El Monte or Pomona the night before, to save on the drop-off fee?

[Bruin Steve]

That's the plan. We have a 7:40 a.m. flight to Panama. That way we won't have to rely on friends or family to take us, nor pay for long-term parking for 10 days.

 

That's not what I saw, unless the Ontario area is not considered LA metro area. A one-way rental from Ontario-LAX had a $25 drop off fee slapped on top of it.

 

Should I just go across the county line, rent a car in El Monte or Pomona the night before, to save on the drop-off fee?

 

I am trying to piece this together...

Do you LIVE in Ontario...and are just looking for a way to get to LAX for your early morning flight out?

 

And you just don't want to drive your own car and park it at LAX?

 

There are lots of ways to do this...

But, if it were me, I would be looking for the LEAST COMPLICATED method, not necessarily the cheapest...

 

I am guessing you were looking at some form of rail from Ontario to Union Station, then another leg from there to LAX? To me, it is not worth that switchover at Union Station...

A rental car from El Monte just to save a mere $25 drop off fee? You would actually drive from Ontario to El Monte the day before to pick up a rental car just to avoid a $25 fee??? In my book, that's hardly a worthwhile expenditure of your time...

 

It's a 7:40 am flight, so you will likely need to beat LAX by around 5:40 am...

So, either you are leaving Ontario at around 4:00 am or you are coming in the night before and staying at an LAX hotel, correct?

 

The simplest way to do this would be to just take a shuttle...A shared shuttle from Ontario to LAX for two people should be around $70 each way...It's DOOR-TO-DOOR...They will pick you up at your home and deposit you right at the terminal...

 

In my humble opinion, that is well worth the $70...

You would not be saving all that much with a car rental...and with that, you have the added hassle of getting the car and of dropping it back off and getting the shuttle to the terminal...To save what? Between $10 and $30 depending on what kind of deal you can get with the rental car company? You are also paying for gas, taking the risks of tickets or accidents, etc.

 

If it's ME, I'd probably Priceline an LAX area hotel and just have a shuttle pick me up the night before and bring me to the hotel, then put in for an early morning wake-up call...

 

The CONVENIENCE is worth a few extra dollars...

[kenish]

I've rented from SNA and dropped at LAX, and another time some guests picked up at LGB and dropped at ONT. No one-way charges.

 

Are you checking the major companies like Avis and Hertz? I wouldn't be surprised if the "second tier" companies like Budget and Dollar charge a drop fee. Only you can decide on price (different than "cost") versus time savings/ convenience. But it sounds like you're spending a lot of time to save relatively few dollars.

 

There's the time for two people to make the round trip out to LAX and home. Add the cost of driving your car there and back (55 cents per mile for a midsize car), plus gas from LAX to your home in the rental car. The bar tab is at least $70 already...even with a $25 drop fee (which I still think can be avoided), you're $45 ahead of the game with a one-way rental...and that does not consider your time which I assume has value.

 

Let us know what you find out and decide to do.

[Donray]

I live in Laguna Niguel and if I have a morning flight from LAX always stay at the Hilton the night before. Nice Dinner and then can sleep at least two hours later in the morning.

PS You never know what traffic might bring around here.

[Quasar1011]

I am trying to piece this together...

Do you LIVE in Ontario...and are just looking for a way to get to LAX for your early morning flight out?

 

And you just don't want to drive your own car and park it at LAX?

 

 

Correct, I live near Ontario, and don't want to park my car at LAX for the 10 days I will be gone.

 

The simplest way to do this would be to just take a shuttle...A shared shuttle from Ontario to LAX for two people should be around $70 each way...It's DOOR-TO-DOOR...They will pick you up at your home and deposit you right at the terminal...

I had considered that. They would need to get me to LAX no later than 5:40 a.m.

 

How reliable are these shuttles? I have never used one before. I am just concerned that, if I book something for 5 a.m. the day of my flight, and it doesn't show up or is late, I'm screwed!

[Bruin Steve]

Correct, I live near Ontario, and don't want to park my car at LAX for the 10 days I will be gone.

I had considered that. They would need to get me to LAX no later than 5:40 a.m.

How reliable are these shuttles? I have never used one before. I am just concerned that, if I book something for 5 a.m. the day of my flight, and it doesn't show up or is late, I'm screwed!

 

I usually use Roadrunner Shuttle (They concentrate in my area of SoCal--Ventura County/Las Virgenes Corridor...So, not the company you would call for your situation)...I have never had a problem...They usually are fairly conservative in their estimation of drive time, so they usually schedule a pick-up time a little earlier than I might guess...or need. But, better to be a little early than a little late. They are usually right on time for the pick up--but it does vary...they've been as much as 15 minutes late--typically due to the fact they usually pick up others before they get to me and sometimes one of the others might not be ready...They always call and confirm the pick up time at least the night before...

 

Roadrunner has an internet reservation system that allows me to pre-pay the charges, including any tips...and the form includes a blank in which to give them instructions on how to find your home...and their dispatcher is available 24 hours by phone...

 

I know that some people may have had a problem or two with one or another of the big shuttle companies...but I really think those cases are rare...These companies are in business to do this exactly...

 

I typically go to the airport this way since I usually cruise for extended periods--long cruises, added pre- and post cruises...I never want to leave my car in a parking lot at LAX for that long...and the parking rates just aren't worth it...It's typically about $14-15 per day, so, if I do a three week trip, it's a better than $300 parking tab...and, from my house, the shuttle, with a tip, comes out to about $130 round trip for two...

 

Plus, I get to sit back and even nap during the drive...I don't deal with traffic, I don't worry about my luggage fitting in the trunk, I don't use up two or three gallons of $4 gas to get there...

 

If there's a drawback, it's that they pick up others to and from LAX...so, you may waste a little extra time while they make 2 or 3 pick-ups...

But, as far as cost-effectiveness and convenience, it's hard to beat...

They'll drop you and your luggage right at the terminal...

 

On your return, you may have to wait awhile at the curb for the pick-up or wait while they fill up the van, but, it's typically not that bad...

[kenish]

OP- You piqued my curiosity....I did a quick check renting a midsize car at ONT at 6pm and returning it at LAX the next morning at 5am.

 

Contrary to what I said, Hertz and Avis have drop charges while Budget and Dollar do not. The rate for Budget and Dollar are $40 including all fees. That's pretty hard to beat.

 

If you have discount codes from AAA, your employer, credit card, AARP, etc. you can save a few bucks, and I know if I use my employee code I usually don't pay drop charges with Avis, my company's preferred provider.

 

I got the info in about 3 minutes...use Expedia or equivalent, find the company with the best rate, then go to their website directly and see if the rate is the same or even lower.

 

Another tactic is to make the reservation, then call the local rental location. They will often override the online reservation with an even better rate.

 

Hope that helps

[Cruisin' Chick]

If I were you, I'll just stay overnight by the airport (we did this when we had an early morning flight for our Hawaiian honeymoon). But then we had our limo as part of our wedding package to drop us off at the Marriott. And then the hotel shuttled us to the airport in the morning.