11:00 a.m. Flight out of LAX

[SadieN]

You are arriving on a Thursday. To leave early enough you will hit rush hour, need to add at least 45 minutes-an hour to whatever the maps program says it will be.

 

Anything can and does happen on our freeways. One early weekday afternoon the whole 405 was closed. The Sheriffs and CHP were doing a car-by-car search looking for bank robbers.

Traffic can jam up for the smallest thing. We've all experienced the looky-loo's slowing down for the TC on the far right side of opposite traffic.:mad:

 

Where are you flying to and out of what terminal? Domestic needs 2 hours to go thru luggage check and TSA. International, especially thru Bradley needs 3.

If your flight is out of 3, Bradley or 4 allow extra time because those terminals are at the bottom of the horseshoe. 1,2,6 and 7 are a bit easier. Many times the traffic flies on the freeway only to stop at the airport. On occassion it has taken us 45 minutes to get to the Bradley Terminal from the Airport entrance.

 

**

Another idea

 

Look at flights from Santa Ana/John Wayne (SNA) or Long Beach (LGB).

[MauiLvrs]

... but this way we won't have to stress about it.

And if you have time ... you could have a nice lunch with your Sisters. ;)

[rwadam]

I live in LA and have taken several cruises in and out of San Pedro and also worked at the Port for a few years. There's no guarantees (in case there is a delay due to CPB), but in my opinion you're ok on the earlier flight if you walk off with your own luggage and go out in one of the earlier groups. Just got off the Sapphire with my parents on Monday and we walked off the ship at 8:05 with our luggage -- plenty of time to make a flight out of LAX.

[MauiLvrs]

Just got off the Sapphire with my parents on Monday and we walked off the ship at 8:05 with our luggage -- plenty of time to make a flight out of LAX.

But did you actually make a flight out of LAX ... or are you just guessing that you may have been able to make a flight.

 

How about everyone that is telling the OP PROMISE to pay her tickets if she misses the first flight.

 

What Patty and other folks said!

Edited January 16, 2014 by MauiLvrs

[Husky61]

No matter what everyone else says, the choice is yours if you are willing to take the gamble.:)

[Colo Cruiser]

I prefer to give realistic advice and not based it strictly on luck. As someone pointed out' date=' there could be many people asking to be in the first group off the ship...and only so many will be allowed to do so. So why stress yourself out?[/quote']

 

Realistic advise based on pure luck?

With your logic this could be applied to any flight you book at all on any day in any city.

There is no luck invloved.

I wouldn't book the early flight either if I were the OP.

Sounds like doomsday has arrived. :eek:

[MauiLvrs]

You will be fine, we take a 10:00 flight as often as we sail out of San Pedro.

...

I wouldn't book the early flight either if I were the OP.

 

So .... you changed you mind or wouldn't take your own advice?

[Colo Cruiser]

Nice try but no banana.

We will always take the earlier flight and will never be bullied into anything else. :p

[Cruisin' Chick]

There was a recent thread on this board in which the OP talked about how one of her friends tried to fly to California from Ohio on the day of the cruise. This month during very adverse and typical winter weather. Didn't make it to LA on time. Decided to fly to the first port in Hawaii. Turned out both Princess ships on the Hawaiian itinerary went on a search for a crew member who jumped off the Grand. The friend's ship didn't make it to the first port. So flew to the second port. The OP said that her friend felt Princess should compensate her for missing half of her cruise and pick up the costs of the extra flights and hotel stays. Even the OP thought that was ridiculous as well as many of us. A few people thought it would be a goodwill gesture on the part of Princess, which many of us also thought was ridiculous. And this person has taken some 50 cruises and should have known this was a gamble.

 

So yes, you can fly in the same day of a cruise and make the ship. And yes, you can perhaps make a morning flight out of LAX. But it's a gamble. The one good thing if the OP tries for a morning flight and then misses it, perhaps she can get the afternoon flight (maybe with just a change fee and whatever is the difference of cost). But as someone else noted, it might also mean more time with sisters and a more leisurely trip to the airport, especially for the driver.

 

I would rather not stress myself by flying (or taking the train) with the hope of arriving the morning of a cruise (when not leaving from San Pedro). We did once fly the afternoon after getting back in Miami, and that actually was a good choice because a hurricane would hit hours after we got safely home (and if we had stuck around longer, we might have had to call our work to say we're not back yet). We've also built in time after our cruise to extend our vacation with a land stay.

 

And I want to give good advice, and IMO, telling someone that if all the stars in the sky align and the traffic gods smile on her, she'll make her flight, I can't do that.

[Pam in CA]

Nice try but no banana.

We will always take the earlier flight and will never be bullied into anything else. :p

People who live locally and have experienced the joys of LA traffic are giving reasonable advice. I don't think there's any intent to bully. I can't tell you how many times I've driven towards LA and as I start out, my GPS says 30 minutes, then immediately climbs to 40, 50, etc. The 405 can easily and quickly turn into a parking lot, even the HOV lane in a matter of minutes. It's not random nor is it unusual. I'm sure the others would agree with me that it's shocking when you're able to go the speed limit rather than the other way around. Just saying...

[waltd]

If conditions are Ideal you can make it. But we all know that not every time is ideal. Just remember the shooting at LAX. Those off the ship did not make their flight. As long as you have a back up plan go for the earlier flight.

[notentirelynormal]

The 405 can easily and quickly turn into a parking lot, even the HOV lane in a matter of minutes. It's not random nor is it unusual. I'm sure the others would agree with me that it's shocking when you're able to go the speed limit rather than the other way around. Just saying...

 

I laughed out loud at the "it's shocking". It is SO true. I didn't catch it all on the radio this morning but apparently if you were on the 405 N (and I really didn't hear "where" but it sounded like south of LAX since they were recommending the 605 etc. as an alternative) that you were going nowhere. The helicopters said there was no movement at all and they couldn't figure out what the problem was.

 

I live 35 minutes north of LAX. I allow no less than an hour to get there. It can easily take you 20 minutes once you enter the airport area to get to your airline, unload and get inside the airport.... never mind checking in, dropping luggage, TSA etc.

[poolreader]

To give an example of LA greater area traffic. On Tuesday I left at 9 a.m. to drive to Disneyland. I was planning on meeting my daughter and her hubby at 10:30 a.m. It is normally a 45 min. drive at that time and day of the week. I know it takes 15 min. normally for the shuttle from the parking lot to the gate. I was giving myself a 30 min. cushion, and since my daughter was driving from 75 min. away and leaving at the same time I thought I would arrive first and grab a cup of coffee. Well due to several pockets of traffic and unknown road construction I did not make it to the meeting spot until 11 a.m. They made it by 10:15. I have lived in Southern Calif. over 50 years and have had sales jobs where I drove every day, so I know how to plan routes. I have sailed mainly out of San Pedro or Long Beach, I would NEVER book an 11 a.m. flight on a weekday. Maybe on a weekend, but not on a weekend day when construction was happening on the 405, and yes they do it on the weekend to minimize impact on traffic.

[jmlh]

We have a 1 pm flight so should be fine if we walk off the ship with our luggage. My question to those of you with experience at this port is are there always taxis available or should we book a car/shuttle? If we book in advance, which company do you recommend?

[Colo Cruiser]

We have a 1 pm flight so should be fine if we walk off the ship with our luggage. My question to those of you with experience at this port is are there always taxis available or should we book a car/shuttle? If we book in advance, which company do you recommend?

 

Plenty of cabs available, approx $60 to LAX for up to 4.

[stinky1]

We disembarked in San Pedro in November on a Friday Morning and where home in LB by 8:30, but the cruise before that it took us 2 hours to get off with express walk off. Frequently Customs delays the progress. One friend was pulled into "the room" because of potpouri in her musty luggage. Listen to the locals, take the later flight.

[Husky61]

Plenty of cabs available, approx $60 to LAX for up to 4.

 

Or they could take a private town car for $65.00:)

[Cruisin' Chick]

We have a 1 pm flight so should be fine if we walk off the ship with our luggage. My question to those of you with experience at this port is are there always taxis available or should we book a car/shuttle? If we book in advance, which company do you recommend?

 

1pm should be fine even if you don't do self-disembarkation or one of the first group to get off the ship. Our concern is with morning flights, based on our knowledge of traffic, plus the inconsistency of customs/immigration procedures.

[Colo Cruiser]

Or they could take a private town car for $65.00:)

 

Too expensive.

[momof3cruisers]

You are arriving on a Thursday. To leave early enough you will hit rush hour, need to add at least 45 minutes-an hour to whatever the maps program says it will be.

 

Anything can and does happen on our freeways. One early weekday afternoon the whole 405 was closed. The Sheriffs and CHP were doing a car-by-car search looking for bank robbers.

Traffic can jam up for the smallest thing. We've all experienced the looky-loo's slowing down for the TC on the far right side of opposite traffic.:mad:

 

Where are you flying to and out of what terminal? Domestic needs 2 hours to go thru luggage check and TSA. International, especially thru Bradley needs 3.

If your flight is out of 3, Bradley or 4 allow extra time because those terminals are at the bottom of the horseshoe. 1,2,6 and 7 are a bit easier. Many times the traffic flies on the freeway only to stop at the airport. On occassion it has taken us 45 minutes to get to the Bradley Terminal from the Airport entrance.

 

**

Another idea

 

Look at flights from Santa Ana/John Wayne (SNA) or Long Beach (LGB).

 

Just FYI, I am originally from S CA and I fly in and out of LAX at least once a year. I always check SNA as well as Ontario but they're always quite a bit more, unfortunately.

[momof3cruisers]

 

 

And I want to give good advice' date=' and IMO, telling someone that if all the stars in the sky align and the traffic gods smile on her, she'll make her flight, I can't do that.[/quote']

 

:) we are going on another cruise in April out of Fort Lauderdale but we're flying into Miami on the day of the cruise with an arrival time of NOON.:eek: All of your aligning will need to take place then, for sure! This is NOT my travel plan, btw. I'm just a guest. Oh, and we live in MN where snow in April is not unheard of. Hoping it all works!

[MauiLvrs]

...we're flying into Miami on the day of the cruise with an arrival time of NOON.:eek: ...

With Princess air or did you book on your own?

If yuo booked it on your own, you may want to consider looking into trip interruption coverage that could protect a late arrival in MIA.

[donaldsc]

Am I crazy to book a flight that early? My next option is around 3:30 for the same price/flight. I'd rather not hang around the airport all day but don't want to miss the flight either. Debarking from the Sapphire on a Thursday.

 

I've never missed a flight through my own fault before. What do they do? Can you then fly standby?

 

A 3:30 flight is hardly "hanging around the airport all day". Get a later disembark from the ship where you do not rush off and you do not have to have to lug your stuff the ship. Grab some lunch at the airport. Have a beer. Bring a book to read. Surf the net.

 

Time will fly and you will not feel rushed to get to the airport.

 

I have never been able to figure why people have this need to get the first flight out especially when in this case there are equally priced alternatives.

 

DON

[Colo Cruiser]

 

I have never been able to figure why people have this need to get the first flight out especially when in this case there are equally priced alternatives.

 

DON

 

 

Probably because everyone does not have to be like you.

Why would it be your job to figure it out?

I think everyone is entitled to their own choices and have reasons for doing so.

How do you know what alternatives there are for everyone?

Edited January 17, 2014 by Colo Cruiser

[waltd]

A 3:30 flight is hardly "hanging around the airport all day". Get a later disembark from the ship where you do not rush off and you do not have to have to lug your stuff the ship. Grab some lunch at the airport. Have a beer. Bring a book to read. Surf the net.

 

Time will fly and you will not feel rushed to get to the airport.

 

I have never been able to figure why people have this need to get the first flight out especially when in this case there are equally priced alternatives.

 

DON

 

Not sure why it's hard to figure out why you would want to get on the earliest possible flight home. For those living on the east coast it's nice to get home at a reasonable hour. I'm not fond of arriving at 10 or 11 at night. For those leaving from the east coast flying west it's nice to be home by noon time. For me the cruise is over and I just went to be done with the cramped flying. The sooner the better.