Cruise to/from LA - return flight

[cruise&travelgirl]

For those that live around LA or cruise out of there often, would a 1:30 pm flight be reasonable to book for our return flight out of LAX? I just want to ensure we have enough time to debark the ship (Star Princess) and get to LAX by about 11:30am. Would it be better to look for a later flight?

Thanks in advance!

[melody hounddog]

Yes, you will make a 1:30 flight.

[Gunner22aa]

You should have no issues at all even if traffic is heavy. Although I have only gone from the airport to a hotel near the port three times and never the other way our shortest time by cab was just over 30 min and our longest in what I consider heavy traffic was just under an hour.

[lamchops]

Just got off the Sapphire on Saturday and had a 2:10pm international flight. We used the Princess shuttle and was at LAX by 10:30am.

[bjcanady]

For those that live around LA or cruise out of there often, would a 1:30 pm flight be reasonable to book for our return flight out of LAX? I just want to ensure we have enough time to debark the ship (Star Princess) and get to LAX by about 11:30am. Would it be better to look for a later flight?

Thanks in advance!

 

Princess says on their site to not book one before 12:30..........ours it at 12:25

[cruise&travelgirl]

Thank you all for the advice! I will book the 1:30 flight then. The nice thing is, this is also cheaper than the later ones I was looking at, and it's direct.

[Jim Avery]

We just got off the Star last Sunday (I think Sunday is the reason) doing the Walk Off Disembarkation and had a 20 minute cab ride to LAX. We could have made a 9:30 flight but I would not bet on it. Our flight was 11:30 and we had 2 hours to spare.:D

[Bruin Steve]

It is only just less than 20 miles from the pier in San Pedro to LAX...

Traffic in LA has a bad reputation, but, seriously, even on a work day, things would have to be incredibly screwed up for it to take any longer than an hour.

 

And boarding a plane at LAX is not nearly as difficult as some make it out to be. You don't necessarily want to be making a connection there...but having a taxi or shuttle drop you at the curb and from there getting to the gate is not that bad most of the time...especially if you've checked in on-line...The security line sometimes drags a bit...but, it's not really much to stress about...

 

The larger concern is getting off the ship...rolling your luggage off helps that scenario IF you think you'll be stressed for time...But, realistically, most ships have everyone off by 10:00 am at the latest...They've got to clean the ship for the next bunch. If you know you have an early flight, make sure they get you in an earlier group...

 

I would not sweat about any flight Noon or after...If you MUST fly out between 11:00 and noon, you are likely still okay--but you may sweat a bit if customs is slow and there's heavy traffic...

 

I would never book before 11:00 am...just because of the uncertainty getting off the ship...

[SadieN]

Sometimes the traffic problems can be at the airport itself. A few times it has taken us 45 minutes just to get to the Bradley International Terminal at the top of the horseshoe.

Add extra time if you are taking the cruiseline shuttle and are flying out of United in Terminal 7.

You should be fine with a 1:30 departure.

 

(FWIW Arriving Angelenos have been known to cross the parking lots to Terminal 1 if all the shuttles are arriving full at Terminal 7.)

[Piepkorn]

We just came off the Golden on Monday morning, and it took us 30 minutes from exiting the ship to get through customs and out of the terminal. Left the parking lot at 920am, and it took 30 minutes in moderate traffic to get to LAX terminal 1 (was actually driving to Monterey, but stopped at LAX to check travel times for another CC person). :D You will have no problems at all.