FLYING THROUGH LAX TO SYDNEY QUESTIONS

[jamscckmc]

Hi, flying from Charlotte through LAX to Sydney. Do we need to collect our luggage in LAX and go through security again before heading to Sydney or on return do we need to get our luggage in LAX and go through customs before flying on to Charlotte? Trying to figure out how much connection time we need.

[lisabucsfan1]

I think you should only need to collect your luggage in LAX on the return, not the outbound part.

[SelectSys]

On the return you will go through immigration at LAX and then pickup your bags to go through customs.  After customs you will find a bag recheck area to put your bags onto your flight to Charlotte.  After that you'll need to reenter the departure area and go through airport security once again.

 

The time really depends on how crowded the airport is when you arrive.  I would think a couple of hours should be sufficient.  It also may be airline dependent.  My gut suggests you are on American and/or QANTAS and American.  Is this correct?

 

Moderators - this should probably be on the "cruise air" board.

[jamscckmc]

Yes, American. Thanks for the replies!

[jelayne]

If your flight is booked as 1 ticket with a plane change in LAX you should not need to collect luggage on the way over.  
 

We are in Dallas and booked LAX to Sydney using miles as that was 42.5k less miles pp than Dallas - Sydney with a plane change in LAX.  
 

The downside is we have 2 tickets DFW - LAX and LAX-SYD so we will have to collect luggage when arriving in LAX and then check in again for the LAX -SYD leg.  

[TT81]

On the way over you can fly straight through without collecting luggage as long as its booked on one ticket. But on the way back you will need to collect luggage and clear customs since that is you US entry point. Its super easy, after you go through customs they have bagging drop where you leave your bag if its all booked on one ticket. As for how long you need, who knows, I've travelled through LAX twice, first time took less then 20 min, second time about an hour.