Will 12:00 pm flight work?

[dickinson]

I just got word that my flight on March 4, 2015 from LAX has been changed from 12:30 to 12:00 pm. I know Princess says not to book flights before 12:30 pm. Will my now 12:00 pm flight work? How long on a Wednesday morning does it take to go to LAX from San Pedro? Do ships coming from Hawaii and Ensenada tend to come in late? (that one I know is rhetorical as there is no telling). I could change my flight but my options are either have a 34 minute layover (not chancing that one!) to change planes or a 55 minute layover(also changing planes) in Atlanta (huge airport) where there is no chance we could grab food as we will still be on west coast time and hungry for dinner.

 

Any thoughts?

[waltd]

More then enough time. Should take you any where from 45 minutes to an hour to get to LAX from San Pedro. Be the first off the ship and you should be fine.

[Astro Flyer]

Without any traffic delays it takes about 20 minutes from the port to LAX & there is a HOV lane for vehicles with a minimum of 2 passengers to minimize traffic delays.

 

I have arrived late in the port of LA due to weather conditions en route from Hawaii but as you said there's no way to predict it. I'd recommend researching how many ships will be in port because the time we were delayed we were the 3rd ship & got the rarely used "tent" terminal. Also there were insufficient immigration/custom agents to process passengers resulting in delays of over an hour.

 

My recommendation is to walk off or get as early of a departure time as possible & if there are no delays you should have no problems making your flight. :)

[tml1230]

we had a similar situation last year….to ease my mind i made sure we did the early walk off (carried our own luggage but first off the ship)…and we booked the execucar express. they are part of super shuttle. for a little more money you get your own driver and he is waiting for you getting you to LAX with time to spare…good luck.

[KirkNC]

Get off early and you should be fine.

[dickinson]

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll keep my 12:00 pm flight. Who knows in a few months it could be changed to later. If it is changed earlier then we have to do a different flight.

 

Also, I googled and found a site about ships in port. It has a few in January on the week ends but nothing for Feb or March 2015.

Edited June 29, 2014 by dickinson

[Astro Flyer]

Also, I googled and found a site about ships in port. It has a few in January on the week ends but nothing for Feb or March 2015.

I discovered a website that shows that the Grand Princess is currently the only ship scheduled to arrive in LA on 3/4/15. :)

 

http://www.portsamerica.com/cruise/los-angeles-terminal.html

[StLouisCruisers]

We walked off the Golden in late April about 8:30 am, had a reserved shuttle waiting, and were at the airport by 9:15 after all the baggage loading and unloading. Plenty of time and our flight was noon also.

[Pam in CA]

I find it interesting that whenever this question is asked, those who don't live near LA and aren't familiar with the traffic here always say, "No problem. Do it all the time." Yet those who live in or near LA say, "Chancy and if everything goes right."

 

There's a reason why Princess recommends no earlier than 12:30pm. Two words: LA traffic. Everyone thinks their local traffic jams are worse than anyone else's but truly, LA takes the prize. Unlike NY and other major cities, public transportation around LA sucks so everyone drives.

 

Keep in mind that LAX recommends that you check in for your flight two hours before for domestic flights, two hours for international flights. Often, day or night, traffic at LAX can mean a half hour spent just getting from the airport entrance to your terminal. That doesn't include long check-in and Security lines.

 

You should be OK with a Noon flight if you do walk-off and pre-arrange transportation. But be prepared with Plan B in case you wind up stuck in traffic.

[Skai]

A noon flight should be fine.

 

As already stated above(if there are no traffic delays), it takes about 25 minutes from San Pedro to LAX.

 

IIRC, we disembarked later at 9:30a, went through customs/immigration, gathered our bags, went out to the curb to meet our prearranged shuttle and were dropped off curbside at LAX at 10:30a.

 

It's safe to state (barring some unforeseen delay), that a person disembarking <9:30a ought to have zero problems getting to the airport at least 1 1/2 hours prior to a noon departing flight.

[Colo Cruiser]

Yes you will be fine.

[dickinson]

Hmmmmm. How many of you who had no problem were going home on a week day as opposed to the week end?

[Astro Flyer]

Hmmmmm. How many of you who had no problem were going home on a week day as opposed to the week end?

I've driven home on both & even on the weekend Caltrans closures or accidents can cause lengthy delays.

Edited June 30, 2014 by Astro Flyer

[Working 2 Cruise]

I've driven home on both & even on the weekend Caltrans closures or accidents can cause lengthy delays.

 

I agree with that! I'd say you have a 70% chance of making your flight...

[Pam in CA]

I've driven home on both & even on the weekend Caltrans closures or accidents can cause lengthy delays.

Caltrans does what it wants to do when it wants to. Some projects they close highways or lanes on weekends, sometimes during the week; there's no way of predicting. They also close without much advance notice... maybe an hour or so. It could be brush clearing, it could be fixing a pothole, who knows? "Carmageddon" is a term used not necessarily often but often enough. Caltrans is the IRS of CA highways: necessary and evil. And that's not taking into account a possible accident or lanes that go from 5 lanes to 4 to 3 within a couple of miles and all those cars squeezing together.

 

Go to Google Maps and select "Traffic" and then "Typical Traffic" and select Monday 9am. It shows the 405 at a dead stop for miles. Saturday and Sunday are pretty good but it's still a crapshoot. https://www.google.com/maps/@33.8642412,-118.2324022,12z/data=!5m1!1e1

[Skai]

I'd say you have a 70% chance of making your flight...

 

Just curious as to how you came to that particular number? What percent chance would you give someone with a 12:30p flight?

[Pam in CA]

Just curious as to how you came to that particular number? What percent chance would you give someone with a 12:30p flight?

A MUCH better chance... close to 100%. The Princess recommended time is based on a reasonable certainty that you'll make your flight.

[Keith1010]

Try to be in the first group off the ship.

 

Keith

[Working 2 Cruise]

Just curious as to how you came to that particular number? What percent chance would you give someone with a 12:30p flight?

 

The chances of Caltrans work on the way to the airport are fairly high... This is one place the City of Los Angeles wants to keep up. Then add the usual congestion, not to mention anything unusual... such as accidents, etc.

 

If your ship arrives and disembarks on time, it should be ok, but if anything goes wrong, that's where it gets iffy. Coast Guard inspections and immigration and customs inspections come to mind which would really delay disembarkation.

[shredie]

The chances of Caltrans work on the way to the airport are fairly high...

 

I'm convinced someone at Caltrans monitors the traffic, and when he sees everything is "green," hollers "Quick, go close a lane on the 405!" :) I know we aren't being very encouraging to OP, and it is rotten that the airline decided to change the flight time.

[dickinson]

Thanks all. Still debating what to do while I'm packing for a long road trip that starts tomorrow. By the time I get back it will be too late to call the airline to say its not good so I need to make a decision today.

[Pam in CA]

Thanks all. Still debating what to do while I'm packing for a long road trip that starts tomorrow. By the time I get back it will be too late to call the airline to say its not good so I need to make a decision today.

You can probably make it but that's if all goes well.

 

If it were me, I'd chance it and have "Plan B" and know my options. Who knows? It could be the smoothest, fastest disembarkation and you'll have lots of time to kill at LAX.

 

We're just warning you not to assume that you'll make it based on some of the posts that give the impression it's a done deal.

[dickinson]

Thanks Pam. I appreciate it. A lifetime ago I lived in the LA area for 3 years but never had to drive the freeways during rush hour.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks Pam. I appreciate it. A lifetime ago I lived in the LA area for 3 years but never had to drive the freeways during rush hour.

 

 

You will be fine.

[dickinson]

Just to be sure I changed my flight to 1:30 pm. I still get home the same time but only have a 55 min layover in Atlanta instead of 2.5 hours. We'll have to grab dinner to go as we are changing planes.

 

Thanks all!