Enough Time Between Flights

Question

We will be landing at LAX on American Airlines at 8:15 AM from El Paso Texas with checked baggage. Our flight to Japan on ZipAir leaves at 10:25 AM. The ZipAir check-in at LAX is in the Tom Bradley international terminal level three. Is this enough time to land from El Paso and get our checked baggage and check in with ZipAir? My concern is we will be on two separate airlines booked separately. How do we get to the Tom Bradley international terminal level three from the baggage claim? Do we have to exit the airport and go back in at a different location or can we get to our check in for our Japan flight from inside the airport. Thank you in advance.

Answer

Given your itinerary, landing at LAX at 8:15 AM on American Airlines with checked baggage and needing to catch a 10:25 AM ZipAir flight to Japan from the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT), the connection is extremely tight and likely unrealistic for several reasons.

First, you will need to:

Deplane and walk to baggage claim.
Retrieve your checked luggage from American Airlines, which can take 20–40 minutes depending on the number of arriving flights and luggage volume.
Travel from your arrival terminal to TBIT. LAX has multiple terminals, and if arriving at a domestic terminal (likely Terminal 4 or 5 for American), you will need to either take the airport shuttle bus or walk through the connector tunnels to reach TBIT. This can take 10–15 minutes minimum.
Check in with ZipAir, drop off your baggage, and go through international security, which can be time-consuming. ZipAir may require you to check in at least 60–90 minutes before departure for international flights.

Some important points:

Since your flights are on separate bookings, there is no through-checking of your luggage, so you must collect and recheck it.
You will likely need to exit the domestic arrivals area to access the TBIT check-in counters for ZipAir; you cannot simply proceed “inside” the airport without passing through the check-in area.
LAX security lines can be unpredictable, especially in the morning. You will need extra time to clear TSA and then proceed to your gate.

In summary, a 2-hour window at LAX with checked baggage and separate airlines is highly risky. Most travelers in your situation would allow at least 3–4 hours for a domestic-to-international connection at LAX, especially with luggage to retrieve and recheck. Without that buffer, there is a significant risk of missing the ZipAir flight.

Recommendations:

Consider booking a later flight on ZipAir if possible, to allow more time for the connection.
If changing your itinerary is not possible, consider shipping checked baggage or traveling with carry-on only to save time.
Familiarize yourself with LAX’s terminal layout in advance and allow extra time for shuttle or walking transfer to TBIT.

Bottom line: With a 2-hour gap, you are cutting it far too close, and missing the international flight is very likely unless everything runs perfectly.

Enough Time Between Flights

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