LAX overnight

Does anyone have any advice about whether to overnight at LAX hotel before flying to Melbourne? We would be arriving from east coast and have night flight out to MEL. Would appreciate hearing other's experiences and suggestions. Thanks.

Comments

  • I stayed with a relative on the way and on the way home. I know for sure on the way home was well worth it. I know of at least one or 2 couples from my group that missed conecting flights. I went to my cousin's and had a bit to eat then took a nap. I got up washed my clothes we had supper then relaxed and watched a movie. I went to bed and slept for at least 9 hours. I had no jet lag on the way home.
  • edited March 2013
    Hi anjoco64,

    For what's it's worth, just to add to the conversation, I always choose to fly through the west coast to and from Melbourne via San Francisco, never, ever, LAX. LAX's reputation for transiting to/from Pacific flights is awesome and not in a good way.

    If you can stop, my suggestion is that you do. You will give yourself a chance to refresh and hopefully avoid at least one extra level of stress ... making your connection. Save your strength for the wonderful experience to come when you visit my country, starting with my home town, Melbourne. Have a wonderful trip.

    Cheers,

    Jan

  • anjoco,

    We live on the east coast also, and because our plane landed in LA late at night, we ended up spending two nights in LA before boarding the plane to Melbourne. We spent one night there on the way home, and we heartily suggest you do so. Since we'd never been to LA, we spent our day and a half there touring the Getty museum and other famous places. As a bonus, I got to meet and have dinner at a nice restaurant with a gal who I met on the Tauck board. We got together again in Charleston a couple of years ago when she and her husband took the tour that includes that wonderful city. Although she no longer participates on the board, we still correspond occasionally.

    When we went to China the following year we did not spend a night either way. When we met my CA sister-in-law at the Tokyo airport who was travelling with us on the trip, she thought I looked like death warmed over! Thankfully, I was revived and ready and raring to go by the next morning!
  • Good advice to spend the night in LAX or SFO. I would second Jan's opinion that SFO is a better choice for departure on any trans-Pacific flight. The LAX terminals are just old. Also, take a look at Global Entry through the US Customs/Border Patrol. Being pre-approved really eliminates at lot of time in Australia by being able to use their Smart Gate access. It also eliminates a great deal of time returning to the US. Just put your passport in the kiosk, do your online declarations and you are out of there, bypassing the usually significant lines.
  • Thank you to all - these are helpful, smart suggestions! I will surely look into Global Entry. Not familiar with that at all -thanks for the info.
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