iFlyLAX.com & Airport Parking Reservations.com have teamed up to give you the best parking rates at LAX! Make reservations ONLINE and avoid the hassle of looking for a parking spot on your next trip. Compare prices and SAVE! CLICK HERE for Discount Reserved Parking at LAX (and across the U.S.A.!)

LAX's Encounter Restaurant and Bar iFlyLAX.com Feb. 1, 2008 The popular, space-aged themed Encounter Restaurant at the top of Los Angeles Int'l Airport's landmark Theme Building, which has been undergoing renovation of its exterior arches since early 2007, has re-openned. More on this story...

TSA 3-1-1 Tips
Provided by the Transportation Security Administration

We’d like to provide "3-1-1 information" to help you get through the security checkpoints smoothly and quickly.

TSA’s 3-1-1 program means:

Liquids, aerosols and gels must be in containers three ounces or less,
Items must be put in a one quart, clear plastic zip-top bag, and
Only one zip-top bag per passenger.

Additionally:

Do not wrap gifts. If a security officer needs to inspect a package they may have to unwrap your gift. Please wrap gifts after arriving at your destination.

Apply 3-1-1 to gifts. 3-1-1 isn’t just about shampoo and toothpaste. Food items such as jams, salsas, sauces, syrups and dips will not be allowed through the checkpoint unless they are in containers three ounces or less and in the passenger’s one quart zip-top bag. This applies to gift items including lotions, creams, scented oil, liquid soaps, perfumes, and even snow globes, that are in excess of three ounces -- even if they are in sealed gift packs. We suggest you ship these items prior to your trip or put them in your checked baggage.

Any of these items WILL be allowed on the plane IF you purchase them after the security checkpoint. TSA allows liquid items purchased after the checkpoint onto planes because these items have been previously screened.

Know what items are prohibited on planes. A gift you plan to bring in your carry-on bag might be on TSA’s Prohibited Item list. These items delay the screening process for you and other passengers. If you’re not sure which items are allowed, click here to see the list of prohibited items.

Arrive on time. Check with your carrier for suggested arrival times. You must have a boarding pass and valid government photo ID to enter the security checkpoint. Give yourself adequate time to check your baggage and move through security.

Dress the part. Metal in your clothing may set off the walk-through metal detector. Pack coins, keys, jewelry, belt buckles and other metal items in your carry-on bag. Shoes must be removed and screened by TSA, so wear shoes you can easily take on and off to speed the process. Winter coats, blazers, suit jackets and bulky sweaters also must be removed and put in the bin for screening. Learn more about the screening experience, dressing the part, and what to expect.

Be considerate and save jokes for after the checkpoint (or don't make them at all!). Our security officers are working to keep bombs off of airplanes. Please follow their directions. Belligerent behavior, inappropriate jokes and threats will not be tolerated, and will result in delays and possibly missed flights.

iFlyLAX.com



Take Me Out To The Ball Game...
And Bring Lots Of Money

A new article about surviving a trip to Dodgers Stadium

by James Reilly

LAX 101 (or "LAX for Beginners")
by James Reilly

We receive a lot of questions here at iFlyLAX.com relating to air travel and LAX airport in general. Many of those questions are answered within this website, or the answers can be found on LAX's official website. LAWA.org. But for those of you who would ask first and look later, here are a few basics...

For maps and directions using popular online map websites (Yahoo!Maps & MapQuest), use: 1 World Way, Los Angeles, CA 90045

The main telephone number for the Los Angeles International Airport is: 310-646-5252 (Voice) or 310-665-0370 (TDD). Do not call the airport (or iFlyLAX.com) regarding tickets, luggage restrictions, travel visa requirements, flight arrival or departure times, or any other issue which should be taken up with the particular airline with which you intend to travel. In those cases, contact your airline directly. Most airline websites are linked to from the main terminal map page on this website.

For questions regarding airport security, screening, or what you can or can not bring aboard an aircraft visit the U.S. government's Transportation Security Administration website.

Moving from one terminal building to another will require that you pass through security screening again. (They are no longer connected by inter-terminal tunnels.) And you will not be allowed past the screening area unless you are a ticketed passenger. The terminal buildings are layed out in sort of a "U" shape (again, see the map), with each building being about 150 yards apart (about five minutes walk).

There is a free terminal-to-terminal shuttle bus which circles the Central Terminal Area frequently, day and night. (It is rarely more than a five minute wait for the LAX "Airline Connections" shuttle bus.) This bus takes just minutes to get from one terminal to the next (in numerical / counter-clockwise direction).

If you are meeting an arriving passenger, the most common meeting point is at the bottom of the escalators leading to the baggage claim areas on the lower level (or at the Customs and Immigrations exit points for international flights).

LAX is not a "smoker friendly" airport (and we here at iFlyLAX.com highly recommend that you quit smoking -- cold turkey -- immediately!), and there are no designated smoking areas. However, tobacco using airport employees and travelers do manage to get in a few drags outside the terminal buildings in some of the more open areas; and there is a "Smoking Pen" in the United terminal.

Of all the major airports in the U.S., LAX is really one of the most convenient for traveling, meeting and greeting, and short or long term parking. If you are dropping off or picking up a passenger, use one of the many parking structures within the Central Terminal Area which are directly across the sreet from the individual terminal buildings and offer hourly as well as daily rates. (Parking meters are rapidly disappearing at LAX.)

There are many long-term parking lots surrounding the airport, including private companies' lots and LAX's Parking Lot C (close and relatively cheap) and Parking Lot B (farther and cheaper). All offer free and frequent shuttle service to each terminal building. Some of the private parking lot companies offer covered parking and special services. (But, personally, I'd use Parking Lot C.)

LAX can be entered from Sepulveda Blvd. both northbound and southbound, and via the 105 West freeway (exiting onto Sepulveda Blvd.); or driving west on Century Blvd. from the 405 freeway.

Lastly, my favorite rendevous spot at LAX is the Encounter Restaurant, which is located right smack in the center of the Central Terminal Area, has valet parking (if desired), a casual lounge area, a great view, and does not require reservations.

I hope you've studied the above information thoroughly, as there may be a pop quiz later. Have a nice trip!
iFlyLAX.com



Riding the Rails in Los Angeles
by James Reilly (iFlyLAX.com)

Who said L.A. has no public transportation?

Although the Los Angeles area hosts an intricate network of freeway and surface street bus routes, riding buses in any American city seems to rank below hitch-hiking (don't even think about it!) as the preferred way to get around town.

But did you know that you can get from LAX to downtown Los Angeles quietly and comfortably in less than an hour for $1.60 !? Yes, the L.A. Metro rail network is ever-expanding. Take the short shuttle bus ride from the airport's Central Terminal Area to the Green Line Aviation Blvd. station, and board the little light rail cars toward Norwalk. Enroute, at the Imperial-Wilmington Ave. "Rosa Parks" station, you will need to switch trains (easily done) to the Los Angeles (northbound) Blue Line to complete the journey. (Should I mention that you could also go southbound to Long Beach and the Aquarium of the Pacific.) Read more...
iFlyLAX.com

Checked Baggage Inspection

The Transportation Security Administration has instituted the inspection of all checked baggage at all airports in the U.S. as of January 1, 2003, and told travelers that they should not lock their checked luggage. Here are some additional tips that will help you to speed your trip through the screening process:

Don't put film in your checked baggage, as the screening equipment will damage it.

Consider putting personal belongings in clear plastic bags to reduce the chance that a TSA screener will have to handle them.

Pack shoes, boots, sneakers, and other footwear on top of other contents in your luggage.

Avoid over-packing your bag so that the screener will be able to easily reseal your bag if it is opened for inspection. If possible, spread your contents over several bags. Check with your airline or travel agent for maximum weight limitations.

Avoid packing food and drink items in checked baggage.

Don't stack piles of books or documents on top of each other; spread them out within your baggage.

The agency also advised travelers not to put wrapped presents in their bags--even in their checked bags--since they would have to be opened if the bag is searched.

Additionally, air travelers are advised to use cable or zip ties as an alternative to baggage locks. If a checked bag is searched, a statement to that effect will be inserted in the bag to notify the owner.

The Transportation Security Administration also is asking passengers to remove all their electronics from their pockets or bags and put them through the X-ray machine at the security checkpoint, and air travelers will still be required to remove laptop computers from their cases before they're screened.

For more information on new baggage security procedures and TSA security FAQs, visit the Transportation Security Administration website.
Source: TSA

Airline Tickets
Hotel Rooms
Rental Cars

More stories:

TSA Security Screeners at LAX
Los AngelesTriathlon Prep
John Travolta's 707 Jetliner
Hollywood's Renaissnce
Kyoto - Japan's Cultural Treasure

More stories...

Name Your Own Price for Airline Tickets, Hotel Rooms and Car Rentals!

National & Int'l Industry News
(Story links will open new browser window)

Lonely Planet Los Angeles (Los Angeles...
by Andrea Schulte-Peevers, David Peevers, John Gottberg
List Price: $17.06 Amazon.com Price: $14.36
"insider" guide that's packed with advice on getting around, shopping, dining, and more...
Order it now and read it on your flight!

Amazon.com 100 Hot Books
Amazon.com 100 Hot CDs