Customs LAX to PPT and return

[MrBill923]

Just wondering about this to help arrange flight times. Where is Customs checks going to PPT and returning to LAX?

Just want to make sure we have enough time for connections. 

Thanks. 

[FlightMedic555]

Going, customs and immigration are at the PPT airport. Usually no more than an hour to get through.  On the return you go through immigration in PPT which opens about 3 hours prior to your flight. This has never take us more than 15 minutes. Arriving in LAX you go through immigration which has usually taken us about 30. Inures but it can be much longer. If you have a connecting flight out of LAX I would give at least 3 hours for a layover 

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

Where your sitting on the plane dictates how long it takes to get through immigration/customs at PPT. If your in business class or premium economy it goes quickly, usually out within 30 minutes. If your in the back of the plane it could take an 45 - 60 minutes.

 

On the return if you have Global Entry we get through quickly, usually get to baggage before the our bags do. If you don't have Global figure 30 - 45 minutes before you get your bags. There is a bag drop off after you've cleared customs ... there is now passage through to the other terminals without going through security again. Maybe I should do a video on this  ...

[MrBill923]

Thanks this is good info. On our way back to home, we have a 6 hour wait at LAX to depart to ORD. What are our options for our luggage as we won't be able to check those for several hours. 

Thanks. 

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

29 minutes ago, MrBill923 said:

Thanks this is good info. On our way back to home, we have a 6 hour wait at LAX to depart to ORD. What are our options for our luggage as we won't be able to check those for several hours. 

Thanks. 

 

Watch my video 😉

 

Maneuvering around LAX

[MrBill923]

Thanks. I will look at LAX maps for further info. Glad to know we don't have to haul our bags around for several hours. 

[MrBill923]

I have watched this video a few times, and then searched LAX maps for this baggage drop you talked about. I searched the map down to level #1 and found "Bag Recheck". Is this what you were talking about?

If so, Will they hold the bags, retag them and send on to our departing airlines (United), even if there is a 5 hour layover? 

Thanks.  

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

3 hours ago, MrBill923 said:

I have watched this video a few times, and then searched LAX maps for this baggage drop you talked about. I searched the map down to level #1 and found "Bag Recheck". Is this what you were talking about?

If so, Will they hold the bags, retag them and send on to our departing airlines (United), even if there is a 5 hour layover? 

Thanks.  

 

Re-check is correct

 

Will they hold them?  Have no idea

[MrBill923]

Thanks.

Anyone else have experience with luggage and what you can do with more than a few hours between flights on different airlines? 

[TheDarkestBlue]

Thought this might be helpful? 🙂

 

https://www.wikihow.com/Switch-Flights-in-LAX

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

All this info is available with a bit of searching 😉

 

After customs/entry go to your right (see map)

[MrBill923]

Yes, I have already searched LAX maps. The WIKI info is helpful, but I still do not know if Bag Recheck will retag our bags and send them to the terminal for loading on our domestic flight more than 2 hours before our US flight (we have a 6 hour wait before our flight).  

The way it looks -- once thru customs we will just have to take our bags down to the United desk area and sit and wait for them to open for our flight? 

This is what I am trying to get clarified.

Thanks

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

3 minutes ago, MrBill923 said:

Yes, I have already searched LAX maps. The WIKI info is helpful, but I still do not know if Bag Recheck will retag our bags and send them to the terminal for loading on our domestic flight more than 2 hours before our US flight (we have a 6 hour wait before our flight).  

The way it looks -- once thru customs we will just have to take our bags down to the United desk area and sit and wait for them to open for our flight? 

This is what I am trying to get clarified.

Thanks

 

AHHHH .... isn't that what a phone call to United can do 😁

Edited August 3 by Tahitianbigkahuna

[TheDarkestBlue]

1 hour ago, MrBill923 said:

Yes, I have already searched LAX maps. The WIKI info is helpful, but I still do not know if Bag Recheck will retag our bags and send them to the terminal for loading on our domestic flight more than 2 hours before our US flight (we have a 6 hour wait before our flight).  

The way it looks -- once thru customs we will just have to take our bags down to the United desk area and sit and wait for them to open for our flight? 

This is what I am trying to get clarified.

Thanks

Curious what your flight times are and if both are on United?

[MrBill923]

Inbound international flight arrives about 12 noon. Outbound domestic flight departs about 6pm. Different airlines. Not ticketed together. 

[TheDarkestBlue]

What is the other airline?

 

You may want to search over at flyertalk 

United: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-airlines-mileageplus-681/

 

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/

Edited August 3 by TheDarkestBlue

[MrBill923]

Air Tahiti Nui

[TheDarkestBlue]

Check here 

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

I must ask  .... why didn't you fly via SFO on United? This would of made things easy 😉

[MrBill923]

This was our first trip from West Coast, first to Tahiti and first on Paul Gauguin.

We booked thru TA to help with process. She set us up with everything after my review. Booked Air and before and after stay as well, all thru PG. We wanted smooth transition for our visit.

I booked United flight separately to return to Chicago. 

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

53 minutes ago, MrBill923 said:

This was our first trip from West Coast, first to Tahiti and first on Paul Gauguin.

We booked thru TA to help with process. She set us up with everything after my review. Booked Air and before and after stay as well, all thru PG. We wanted smooth transition for our visit.

I booked United flight separately to return to Chicago. 

 

Ah ....

[Acrusa]

We are staying overnight at the Hyatt next to LAX and flying out the next morning to JFK.We have done this flight over the last 15 years but getting a little older to wait for connecting flights 

[MrBill923]

Our experience last week: Both Customs and Immigration took about 20 mins at both airports. Passports were checked and we only had carryon's, and did not have our luggage going thru customs. Nothing was searched.  

In regards to our luggage at LAX, we had to take them to the United counter (not bag recheck), and they did accept them 4 hours before our flight. 

I will write a full review of our PG experiences in the next few days if anyone is interested.