Flight Times out of LAX

[Stephanie]

Forgive me if this has been answered before, but I've done a search of the forums and haven't found it...

We are sailing Navigator Aug 25 - Sept 1.  The only non-stop flight available for our return flight out of LAX on Friday, Sept 1st is at 10:30 am.  I'm curious of opinions for those of you who have sailed Navigator & flown out of LAX ... is this doable or crazy town? We generally carry our own luggage of the ship, so that's not an issue. I believe the ship docks at 7:00 am, so I know disembarkation won't start until at least 8:00 am.

The 2 other factors that have me a little nervous is that it's the beginning of Labor Day weekend, and I have no idea what traffic is like between the cruise terminal and the airport.

 

[Va4fam]

Just sailed Navigator in February and flew in/out of LAX.  

We walked off the ship at 7:45, in parking lot at 8, waited for UBER about 25 minutes, and were at LAX by 9:00 AM. 

No major issues with ship delays or traffic that day.

10:30 AM is doable, but you might be cutting it close.

 

Does your airline have additional flights in case you arrive late that day?

 

 

[Ryan79]

Personally I wouldn’t do it. Yes it is theoretically possible and many have done it, but you are banking on zero delays with the ship docking, zero delays with embarking, zero traffic or construction delays (good luck with that one having lived in LA for over 40 years), and banking on LAX not being a zoo on a holiday weekend (another good luck!) Just one of those goes wrong and you are toast. There was just a cruise within the last week that had embarkation delayed several hours for someone bringing on drugs onto the ship. Yes, that is an isolated incident but highlights that you have zero control over the process 

[steverk]

I wouldn't do the 10:30am flight.  While I've never sailed in to the LA Worldport, I have sailed out of it on a Panama Canal cruise.

While not crazy far, the airport is a good drive from the cruise port.  Since you'll be arriving on a Friday, you'll have rush hour traffic as well.

It may be possible, but not advisable.

[Allen2]

On our Navigator trip, traffic from Port to LAX was gridlocked.  Would not attempt a 10:30 flight!

[instaGator]

I would also not try a 10:30 flight.  We have docked there two times since Covid and one time we could have made it, and one time the traffic was a mess and we could not have made a 12 noon flight.  Don't forget to try Long Beach Airport (LGB).  It may offer a better flight schedule for you.

[Cactus527]

Same as @instaGator - sometimes, I've made it back to LAX by 9am without issue. Sometimes it's been closer to 10:00am. I wouldn't chance a 10:30am flight.

[Ampurp85]

I would say no 10:30 flight. Even if you make it to the airport before 9am be reminded that you have to take a shuttle to your airline.  Then go through TSA but depending on the airline boarding stops 20-30min before. So you actually need to be at your gate before 10am. I did Nav last September, a B2B, and all the disembarkments and embarkations were delayed.

[VicB]

Being from SoCal, and also in the aviation industry. In the summer time LAX could be crazy. Aside from the influx of passengers, LAX is going through some major construction right now, in which it’s not going to be complete until 2030.

Long Beach to LAX with no Traffic is about 30 minutes. But south of LAX on I-405 everyone drives north in the mornings. Depending on what airline you fly. It could sometimes take about an hour to do the loop in terminal drop off at LAX. 
 

If you have other options that leave later, I would recommend doing so.

[Babsy47]

Traffic is too much of a wild card.  I live about 35 minutes from LAX with no traffic.  It can take me 2 hours.  For a 10:00 flight, I would not leave my house later than 7:15 or so.  Sometimes I get there and wait for two hours. Other times I do not have all that much time to spare.  Moreover, I travel for work quite often and am very familiar with LAX.  If you can fly out of LGB, you can cut it closer.