What time for flight OUT of LAX?

[CheckersMidwest]

I know for the Caribbean cruises that you shouldn't make any flight arrangements until noon or later. What about sailing from Long Beach and flying out of LAX? Is there a general rule for safe booking times? There aren't very many late ones because they land so late back in the midwest.Wondering now if we should wait and fly home the next day instead.

[princeton123211]

16 hours ago, CheckersMidwest said:

What about sailing from Long Beach and flying out of LAX? Is there a general rule for safe booking times?

A few threads have covered but to answer your question there is no hard and fast rule-- LA traffic is notorious and can be brutal without any rhyme or reason. Generally it should take about a half hour from the port to LAX so a noon flight is doable. However, it can take an hour to hour and a half sometimes if traffic is rough. 

 

16 hours ago, CheckersMidwest said:

Wondering now if we should wait and fly home the next day instead.

If you have the time it would make for a less stressful disembarkation day and you could do a little sightseeing. That being said I would personally be comfortable with anything after 1-2pm out of LAX or you could also look to see if there are any flights out of Long Beach Airport which you could then count on a departure even before noon. 

[skrufy]

4 hours ago, princeton123211 said:

A few threads have covered but to answer your question there is no hard and fast rule-- LA traffic is notorious and can be brutal without any rhyme or reason. Generally it should take about a half hour from the port to LAX so a noon flight is doable. However, it can take an hour to hour and a half sometimes if traffic is rough. 

 

If you have the time it would make for a less stressful disembarkation day and you could do a little sightseeing. That being said I would personally be comfortable with anything after 1-2pm out of LAX or you could also look to see if there are any flights out of Long Beach Airport which you could then count on a departure even before noon. 

Our two LAX experiences have told us not to book before 130pm. Flew in and out of Long Beach two weeks ago. Small airport, convenient to the port, and less of a crowd.  

[KeepCalmBearOn]

A lot depends on the day of the week. Sunday morning traffic in LA is very different from weekday traffic.

 

What are your choices for flight times? Which airport are you flying to? Have you checked LGB and SNA?

[AandBmom]

Our ship was slightly late getting in to long beach last weekend and several people missed their flights.  Debarkation was slow and it was tough getting ubers and such.  I wouldn't choose anything before 130pm. 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

15 hours ago, AandBmom said:

Our ship was slightly late getting in to long beach last weekend and several people missed their flights.  Debarkation was slow and it was tough getting ubers and such.  I wouldn't choose anything before 130pm. 

 

I am appalled at how slow Customs and Immigration is in LA (Long Beach, San Pedro & LAX), especially when compared to the ports and airports in FL, where C&I seems to take pride in how fast and efficient they are. Ditto for SFO. I do almost all my international trips out of SFO, despite living in So Cal.