Greetings Community Southwest:
Last month, SoCalFlyer97 traveled and served on a mission trip in Austin TX from Cali which a Southwest Airlines flight and two Southwest Hotels bookings played roles in. In addition, our nation's massive rail network Amtrak got me from a local train station into the Lone Star State for the journey in.
Both Southwest and Amtrak have officially marketed each other's services; SW's destination page for SAN gives a blurb to hop aboard the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner route at San Diego:
https://www.southwest.com/destinations/west/san-diego
Likewise, Amtrak gives a plug for airport connections along its SoCal route with a nice picture of a Southwest 737-700 parked at BUR.
https://www.pacificsurfliner.com/plan-your-trip/connections/airport-connections/
So I thought it would make sense to share my journey from SoCal to AUS via Amtrak's Texas Eagle train, share my two Southwest Hotel stays, followed by my return trip to SoCal aboard a Southwest flight. This post will be the first of a series of multiple posts. This first post covers the prelude feeder trip aboard the Pacific Surfliner into LA to connect with my 36 hour train ride into the Lone Star State.
SoCalFlyer97's journey across the western United States begins aboard the Pacific Surfliner in San Diego County to LA Union Station so I can connect with the Texas Eagle route. The Surfliner has multiple trains daily linking SAN to LA with select trains going north toward SBA and even one daily roundtrip all the way to San Luis Obispo.
My long-haul ride aboard the connecting Texas Eagle didn't depart 'til later that night but since this train only offered 3 departures each week, I felt it was best to be in the LA area very well ahead of time just in case I ran into any travel problems for this first leg aboard the Surfliner; thus I planned for a midday arrival in LA.
Train arrived at the local station about 10 minutes behind schedule but nothing to complain about. The Surfliner offers two fare classes: Reserved Business Class and Unreserved Coach. Both fares offered great flexibility; they can be cancelled with a full refund to the original form of payment with no fees (for Business Class, the refund is granted if the reservation is canceled/changed anytime before actual departure). No change fees. Both also granted access to a café car which offered light meals, snacks and beverages for sale with a dining area and reasonable prices. Passengers can also bring and consume their own food aboard the train at their seats but just like the airlines, if one brought their own alcohol aboard, it cannot be consumed on the train.
Seating for both classes offered reclining seats, power outlets, foot rests, and large tray tables.
Business Class perks also include seating in two cars reserved for Business Class passengers, additional legroom, less foot traffic, complimentary snacks and drinks, a dedicated attendant, and guaranteed unassigned seating. Just like SW, once aboard the train, passengers may take any open seat on the upper deck as the lower deck is reserved for passengers with disabilities.
Unreserved Coach fares basically gets you on board the train; however this class has the maximum ticket flexibility where one can use the ticket in between the two station pairs aboard any Amtrak Surfliner train up to one year of booking without having to rebook. Thus, if one misses their train, they can simply hop aboard the next one without having to make any adjustments to the booking. The drawback is Unreserved Coach can "oversell", leading to standing room-only conditions at times.
The fare difference in between Coach and Business Class ranges from $10 to $35, depending on travel distance...a great value in my opinion; thus, I elected to ride Business Class.
On the train set, the Business Class section consists of two cars located on one end of the train. On most of my train trips, the second car would consist of a Superliner coach car--the one used along Amtrak's long distance routes with dimmed lighting and even more legroom; whenever I see this car on the train set and have a Business Class fare, I prefer to ride in this coach.
As you can see, not a full train in Business Class; so feel free to spread out. Unreserved Coach looked a bit more crowded but everybody had seats. I got into LA around 1pm. Texas Eagle wasn't due to depart 'til 10pm.
One travel tip: If you're connecting onto the Surfliner from your Southwest flight and travelling anywhere south of Orange County or north of Ventura, grab a window seat on the side of the train next to the ocean!
Next up on this Vacation Series...What did SoCalFlyer97 do when he got to LA with a 7-hour layover? Take more trains? Stay tuned!
SoCalFlyer97's Train-to-Planes series continues...
Our next phase takes us through a long layover experience at Los Angeles Union Station...about 7 hours worth of time I needed to plan and figure out. My ride aboard the Pacific Surfliner route was scheduled to arrive shortly before 1pm; check-in for my long-haul ride in a Sleeper Roomette aboard the Texas Eagle was not due to commence 'til about 8pm that night with the train not departing LA 'til 10pm. That meant I needed to fill in about seven hours' worth of time.
I purposefully planned for this long stopover in between trains at LA as a proactive measure to buffer plenty of time just in case I ran into any serious travel disruptions from the Surfliner leg. My connection was to the Texas Eagle route which only offered 3 departures each week with sleeping rooms that can often sell out well in advance. That basically meant that if missed my train from a possible Surfliner-leg travel disruption, I'm likely not getting a sleeper and I wasn't prepared to ride coach for a 36-hour train ride halfway across the country.
Fortunately, my first train along the Pacific Surfliner route pulled up and arrived as promised, just a few minutes behind scheduled arrival. That meant I had nearly the full 420 minutes to spare. It is also another version of "traveler's insurance" that I "buy".
This a vital Travel Tip: If you have a long-distance train, cruise or international flight, and using a commuter-oriented rail system like the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner to connect, one of the best ways to avert trouble is to be at the connection point or port several hours before departure; if it involves an incoming connecting flight or inter-city transportation service with very few departures daily, I would schedule the arrival at the connection point one day prior and book a hotel/stopover. Yes, that's added travel cost but it's "insurance" well spent; plus you'll have an opportunity to explore the city.
Since my vacation time spanned several days, I of course needed to carry luggage. Amtrak offered baggage storage service for $10/item per 24 hour period at Union Station. Fair enough. My luggage consisted of a Carofield 50L Travel Backpack. However, I opted to carry the bag on my back as I explored as I had some valuables in there which I felt shouldn't be left at the train station.
So what exactly did SoCalFlyer97 do during that 7-hour period in LA? I left LA Union Station with my baggage and hopped aboard the Metro Rail system and rode it to Santa Monica. Since this destination is the western terminus of the I-10 trans-continental freeway and Amtrak's Texas Eagle follows this highway into San Antonio TX, why not head to the spot where the I-10 Freeway begins and enjoy the cool 75-degree beach weather before I headed into the heat and humidity that awaited me in AUS?
Spent a few hours there. Shortly around 3:30pm, I took the E-Line (formerly Expo Line) back to Downtown to go visit family and have dinner with them; they live in one of the condo skyscrapers. Shortly before 8pm, I hop aboard the B-Line (Red Line) back to LA Union Station to check-in.
In my perspective, LA Union Station can be described as a mini-airport concourse placed inside a historic train depot except in place of airline gates, there's platforms all over the place to board all kinds of trains, buses and even rideshare.
More details of this historic depot, its private check-in and lounge area for Amtrak Sleeping Car Passengers, and how it mimics an airport concourse will be in my next post in this Train-to-Planes series followed by my journey to AUS aboard the Texas Eagle.
Stay Tuned.
Hola Everybody!
SoCalFlyer97's Train-to-Planes post series hit a weeklong delay on the tarmac (ok, not really) due to the breaking news from last week regarding the SW assigned seating policy and the resulting public reactions that flooded this forum with all kinds of questions and comments thanks to the widespread national media coverage. I felt it was best to hold off on continuing this series until the reactions from the news slowed down. I've posted my initial response on the updated seating policy last week:
Responses continue to flow in to this date, but have slowed down. Thus, let us continue the Trains-to-Planes series of how one can integrate a combination of both long-distance rail and air travel into trips...
Our next leg of this journey takes us into LA Union Station where I departed to AUS via the Texas Eagle. LAUS is a historic landmark and the busiest passenger train hub in the Western USA. I can describe the rail depot this way: Imagine walking through a busy Southwest Airlines airport concourse but instead of passing through a contemporary airport terminal interior surrounded by airline gates, modern way-finder signs and scores of flat-screen status monitors, one is greeted with everyday travelers inside a ground transit hub with 85 years of history.
This Spanish Mission ground transportation terminal offers a grand supply of transportation options, Art Deco, staffed check-in counters,...and yes, concessions too.
From my last post, I spent the afternoon in Santa Monica followed by visiting family in Downtown before taking the Metro Rail system into LAUS. I arrived at about 8pm, two hours prior to my scheduled departure aboard the Texas Eagle. Yes, train stations have suggested arrival times too. Amtrak recommends an absolute minimum of 30-minutes prior but for a long-haul trip such as this one, I figured I better show up at the two-hour mark.
And I was glad I did because, there was no "hurried" feeling during check-in. Plus, Amtrak had the train ready to go on the platform and opened the doors for boarding at about 8:45pm, 75 minutes prior to the 10pm departure. That meant my time spent waiting in the station was less than an hour even though I showed up 2 hours prior.
So anyway, I arrived at LAUS shortly after 8pm via the Metro Red B-Line subway from Downtown. As I mentioned, LAUS is LA's version of the Grand Central Terminal, with numerous ground transport connections, filled with all kinds of amenities.
Let's start with the dining options: LAUS has a nice share of both popular chain and independent outlets. It has a Subway (excuse the pun), a Starbucks Coffee, and a Wetzel's Pretzels. It also features the local Trimana Fresh Food Market which looks like a convenience store at first but it also offers freshly cooked hot food on the go. LAUS' feature dining spot is the TRAXX Bar & Restaurant; those looking to add some "class" to their train journey should check this place out.
LAUS is also home to the historic Harvey House restaurant building located south of the main station concourse; this original 1939 Southwestern Art Deco designed dining spot was in operations 'til 1967. It wasn't until 2018 when Imperial Western Beer Co. and The Streamliner came in to resume dining and hangouts in this historic spot. But the brewry shut down after 5 years of operations at the end of 2023, and the restaurant site sits empty once again.
As mentioned, numerous ground transportation providers serve LAUS: Amtrak, SoCal's regional rail provider Metrolink, LA County's public bus and rail system which includes the Red and Purple Line subways, Greyhound, and the nonstop FlyAway bus into all LAX terminals. The station also features Uber/Lyft rideshare, a taxi area, a ZipCar area, and some limited car rental services. It really does resemble a small airport terminal but for ground public transit with no TSA checkpoints.
Despite the fact that no uniformed TSA agent is to found, local law enforcement is robust which makes LAUS a safe place. The depot has three main waiting areas. Within its main concourse lies its famous high-celling wait lobby with its large and comfortable leather chairs and LED train status monitors. But don't even think about loitering in this area. Station security has the seats fenced off and will let you in to sit down only if you hold a valid train ticket due to depart within the next two hours--a small miniature "airside"-like area reserved only for ticketed passengers.
The second waiting area located on the east side of the station near the bus plaza has benched seating open to anyone either in the terminal or at the bus platforms outside. Those waiting for the Greyhound or FlyAway bus into LAX will typically wait there. Guards do enforce the no-loitering rules but one can sit down to wait for their bus without having to flash a ticket. Consider this area public "landside"-like seating.
The last waiting area is a little-known lounge in the station which I utilized while waiting for my Texas Eagle train. The LAUS Metropolitan Lounge is reserved exclusively for Amtrak passengers holding a Sleeping Car ticket, any Amtrak ticketed passenger who has Select Plus or Select Executive status with the railroad, or an Amtrak passenger holding a Station Lounge Pass. Amtrak Pacific Surfliner Business Class passengers with a valid ticket can also access the lounge for the day for a $25 fee.
The lounge features free non-alcoholic beverages, snacks, comfortable private seating and restrooms, a display case documenting Amtrak's history, and free WiFi. This is also the location where Sleeping Car Passengers can check-in for their trains. Amtrak staff attendants are also available to assist with reservations or other needs.
LAUS' Metropolitan Lounge in no way compares to the high standard of airport lounges in terms of food, amenities and ambience but it kind of mimics a typical continental breakfast room found in most suburban hotels and provided an overall positive environment. One thing is for sure: The clientele waiting at this lounge is much different and more relaxed than what one sees at a typical airport gate. It's a great place to meet your fellow passengers.
Up next, we'll ride aboard the Texas Eagle into AUS that has a little bit of both assigned and open seating, followed by a couple of Southwest Hotel stays; then later, my Southwest flight experience from AUS back into SoCal via LAX.
Stay tuned!
All Aboard!
SoCalFlyer97's Train-to-Planes series continues with the long-haul journey from Los Angeles Union Station (LAUS) to Austin TX (AUS) aboard the Texas Eagle Amtrak route, the longest passenger train route in the USA. From the west, the Eagle begins in LA, passes through the heart of the Lone Star State and terminates in Chicago.
The portion in between LAUS and San Antonio Texas runs three days per week each way and is part of the same train set of Amtrak's Sunset Limited before it splits off at San Antonio TX (SAT/Amtrak station code SAS); trains north of SAT into Chicago run once daily each way. As I was headed into AUS, I had chance to experience both portions. My accommodations for the 34 hour trip included the Roomette sleeper.
Unlike booking my flights for Southwest, it was imperative for me to book my summer's long-distance train trip well ahead of time. In fact, when I booked this trip back in February, one of the sleeper class options called the "Family Room" was already sold out for this June trip. Yes, Amtrak sleepers do sell out months in advance; that means if you're planning on traveling in a sleeper during the summer aboard the rails, I would book by the winter prior to ensure you're getting one. Yes, people do cancel out which results in late openings but always best to book ahead of time.
To put a long story short, the Texas Eagle arrived on the LAUS platform and opened its doors about 70 minutes prior to departure. We left on time and the train stayed on schedule for my full 34-hour journey, even arriving several minutes early at the major stations to allow for extended fresh air break stops. Since my ride was 34-hours long, I felt it was best to pay the five hundred extra dollars for the roomette in lieu of the much cheaper coach fare.
A Tale of Both Worlds: Assigned and Open Seating
Since Southwest Airlines' Assigned Seating Policy remains a hot topic of discussion, why not mention how Amtrak handles theirs...
For Amtrak's long-distance routes, coach seats and sleeper rooms are assigned and are provided on the ticket at the time of booking (Amtrak train boarding passes are issued upon purchase). Conductors and attendants need to know where ticketed passengers are seated, especially for those overnight red-eye stops...During the night after 10pm 'til 7am the next morning, no onboard announcements via the loudspeaker; that means staff needs to know who is sitting exactly where to ensure they are properly awakened and given plenty of time to get up, grab their belongings and be ready to de-train at their stop.
Depending on the loads, coach passengers may have the flexibility to request staff to be seated elsewhere other than their assigned seat. Last-minute room switching for sleeping car passengers may be difficult but not impossible; as mentioned, the sleepers do tend to fill to capacity which means the room assigned is the room to be slept in.
Each seat/room has a regular power outlet. The Texas Eagle/Sunset Limited route had no Wi-Fi service at the time of this writing.
The train's restrooms are located on the lower level of each car and function much like an airplane lavatory. The Sleeper car also has a private shower room. Sleeper Passengers who bought the Bedroom Class ticket also have a private in-room restroom. As mentioned, I had the roomette.
The roomette appears pretty tiny at first, especially when it is in its nighttime "bed" position. Amtrak markets that up to two people can sleep in this class; I recommend one person for a roomette; it can get very tight to sleep two in a 3.5' X 6.5' space. To be fair, the small space isn't that bad for two when it is set up in the "day" seating position but when it's time to go to sleep, it gets pretty tight.
For the LAUS-SAT segment, both coach and sleeper passengers have open access to Amtrak's famous Observation Lounge & Café Car as well as access to traditional meals served in the Dining Car.
I spent most of the daytime hours in the Lounge car. Anytime after a coach or sleeper passenger is checked in with their tickets scanned or confirmed by the room attendant, they are free to go the Lounge car, the community-oriented portion of the train. The Observation Lounge consists of two main sections with open seating: Communal Observation seats that face the windows...
...and a set of café-style communal tables/booths, all of which are un-assigned. Open seating still lives on the rails! And yes, all seats have power outlets.
The window-facing seats tend to be the first to fill up, followed by the booth seating although for my trip, there was always a place to sit down. On the lower level of this car is the train's café counter, where passengers can order ready-made snacks, meals and drinks (separate from the Dining Car amenities).
The Dining Car offered Traditional Dining with food freshly cooked to order. For coach passengers, breakfast was $20 per person, lunch $25, dinner $45. For sleeper passengers, all dining car meals were all-included with the option to have the meals delivered to one's room. I elected to eat in the Dining Car with my fellow passengers. Seating was communal in booths that sat a total of four people and seats were assigned upon arrival, meaning SoCalFlyer97 never ate alone.
I was able to meet and have conversations with my fellow passengers and the food was fantastic. Breakfast was first-come/first-served; lunch and dinner were by reservation--the wait staff would go through the train a few hours before each meal to arrange these.
But when mealtime came around, I felt like a VIP.
Could you imagine enjoying something like this aboard a morning long-haul SW flight one day?
Or a juicy burger for lunch with beverage and dessert?
Or a steak dinner with a glass of wine...and another dessert...with no drink coupon required?
Now that was First Class dining!
As mentioned, the train ran on time for the whole journey and pulled into ELP for a fresh air break almost a whole hour prior to the scheduled departure which gave everybody a generous amount of time to explore the station area...
...home to the locally famous Juanita, the Burrito Lady. Once we detrained for the break, about a couple dozen passengers lined up for street Mexican Food. She even has her own Yelp page!
https://www.yelp.com/biz/juanita-the-burrito-lady-el-paso
My only problem was my sleeper fare included lunch which I was still full from...I bought a burrito anyway and somehow "made" room for it.
During my travels, I got some spectacular views of the desert from the Observation Car. Here's a few:
Even got to do some brief sightseeing of parts of Mexico with no passport required!
When the train got into SAT, I was sound asleep and woke up just a few minutes prior to the train's scheduled 5am departure. I got dressed and noticed the train set was changed slightly. Some of the sleepers, coaches, the Lounge Car, and the Dining Car were split off via the Sunset Limited corridor. The food car was replaced with a Café/Flex Dining Car. Coach Passengers pay the full menu price where main course meals are included for sleeper passengers. Plus sleeper passengers have exclusive access to the front dining section of the car with communal open booth seating and complimentary drinks and snacks.
The train pulled into AUS about 15 minutes prior to scheduled departure shortly after 9am local time. I said goodbye to my fellow passengers who were continuing on and walked into town which ended my 34 hour journey from LA.
Up next...My two hotel stays in TX booked through Southwest Hotels plus some of the restaurants that SoCalFlyer97 visited.
Stay tuned!
Greetings Southwest Community:
With Labor Day not too far away, I felt I should really be wrapping up this Summer 2024 Trains-to-Plane series. With that, this final post of my June Mission Trip experience to AUS will cover my two Southwest Hotels stays in Austin, some of the food I enjoyed while abroad, a few words on the mission trip itself, and my return flight back home via LAX.
We pick the story up from the AUS Amtrak station where I take care of a few things and explore a few places in town which included a visit to the historic cathedral and a meet-up with a longtime friend.
From there I check into the first of my two hotels both of which I booked through Southwest Hotels with no trouble. Here's how the pricing lined up (Free Cancelation benefit and all taxes and fees included in the price totals):
Hotel #1 La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Austin (2 nights)
SW Hotels: $337 / +2,000 CP-Eligible Points
Direct: $322 w/ Loyalty
Trivago Lowest Price: $361
The $15 mark-up for the 2,000 points from direct was good trade-off in my opinion; thus, went with the SW Hotels option. Regarding the fairly new Redeeming-Points-for-Hotel options, unfortunately, I can't recommend although the hybrid one involving paying the least amount of points and most cash wasn't terrible:
Redeem Points Options / SW Redeemrapidrewards.com:
All Points: -49,300 ($740 point-value Cost - Poor trade-off, not advised)
Hybrid: -12,300 + $229 ($389 point-value Cost - A so-so trade-off)
The local La Quinta had what one could expect at a typical business-oriented hotel which I'm thankful for: A modern contemporary interior, comfortable bed, commons space in the lobby, and free hot breakfast in the morning.
It also had an indoor pool with a non-functioning water heater which didn't really matter. That's because it was hot during my time at AUS. The cool waters were quite refreshing.
After the 2-night stay, I went to a local church in the Austin area that provided the shelter and worship space for the whole duration of my mission trip. I spent the next six days and five nights there "camping" as part of the community service trip as an adult volunteer.
Youth from all over the country came together for the whole week to live, eat, play, serve and volunteer with ministries and nonprofits in the Austin area. Sleeping accommodations were dorm-style separated by gender in the church's meeting rooms with shared bathrooms. The church also had showers. The trip included spending quality time in service during the daytime hours at a few of the local organizations which included nursing homes, a veteran's community center, and assisting in the background such as doing a few grocery runs at the local Wal-Mart for the campers and the team. Unforgettable experience!
Following the mission trip, I spent one more night near the AUS airport prior to departure back to Cali. I've shared beforehand that I've managed to find and lock in great deals at some luxury hotels on SW Hotels. Well, SoCalFlyer97 found another one! This time, it was the Cambria, a top-tier Choice Brand Hotel. Here was the offer:
Hotel #2 Cambria Hotel Austin Airport
SW Hotels: $148.18 / +2,000 CP-Eligible Points
Trivago Lowest Price/ Agoda: $177.00
Book Direct: $156.90 (Non Refundable)
SW Hotels clearly wins it!
Redeem Points Options / SW Redeemrapidrewards.com:
All Points: -19,200 ($288 Cost - Poor trade-off, not advised)
Hybrid: -4,800 + $89 ($161 Cost - That was not bad in my opinion)
Believe it or not, I actually found a fair cash+points redemption offer for this hotel via SW Redeem-Rapid-Rewards which was only $5 more than booking direct. Notice that when the trade-off is fair, SoCalFlyer97 considers buying. Paying with cash and receiving points via SW Hotels had the better deal though.
Hotel Cambria appeared to be a boutique, luxury business inn with a music themed interior, lots of common space for casual gatherings, its own bar and grill, and a spotless classy contemporary room. It had a "no worries" type vibe.
Cambria's in-hotel restaurant dubbed Backstage Bar & Grill offered a variety of contemporary classic Texas dishes. The food certainly looked great but the "class" of the food was a little too high for my liking. They certainly put a bunch of focus on presentation with a bit of a price tag. I opted not to dine there as it was just me and needed something more simple for dinner, but for that special meal with that special someone, I would give it a try.
I found that across the Ben White Highway from the Cambria is a good old Denny's with it's own version of Texas Country Fried Steak, right there on the Diner Deals menu! Thus got the grub from the home of the Grand Slam breakfast.
Here are a few other eateries that I enjoyed throughout the trip:
Jack Allen's Kitchen - Fresh & Delicious Spirited Texan Cuisine
Salvation Pizza Kitcen & Bar - New Haven style pies
Tacos Mana's Food Truck - Yes, Texas had good Mexican food!
La Quinta's Free Hotel Breakfast - SoCalFlyer97 never says no to Free Food!
Also had one of my dinners at a local Chili's and enjoyed many homecooked meals during the Mission Trip from the church's kitchen! Let's not forget the all the Amtrak food and Juanita's burritos for the journey in!
And to wrap it up (excuse the pun), a pair of breakfast burritos from Jo's at AUS Airport which was located directly across the gate for my return flight home...and here's how that went:
Return Home Flight: AUS to LAX
Plane: 737-8H4, N8612K
Full Flight, On Tme
Preboards: 11
I'm not going to be able to share the point redemption rates for this trip because I repriced it twice during two separate sales following the original reservation. Here's a rundown of the re-pricing experience. All fares WGA:
$189 ('Spring Break $49 Sale' 2.2024 - Original Booking)
$160 ('Spring is in the Air $49 Sale' Repriced 3.2024)
$120 ('Our $39 Sale is Taking Off' Repriced 4.2024)
After April, the price pattern began to shift upwards. $120 was as low as it was going to get. Gotta LUV No Change Fees! Here were some of my favorite shots from the window:
Being a slightly longer haul, got a variety of snacks and a full-portion OJ.
The plane arrived at the LAX gate 22 minutes early...no delays whatsoever. Missouri One even greeted us!
I utilized the LAX Flyaway to get into town. Fare was $9.75 paid for electronically when boarding (or prepaid with a scannable ticket). It's aboard a comfortable coach bus that nearly filled up by the time we left the airport. All bags including carry-ons go into the bus' cargo hold. I opted to pay the fare with Google Pay but encountered a little glitch as I boarded.
I also have a local LA Metro transit fare card loaded on my phone which Flyaway also took. That created a situation where I paid the fare with Google Pay but as I pulled the phone away from the fare reader, it immediately tried to run the fare card and returned an error; the driver didn't see my Google Pay transaction but saw the error and had me tap my phone again. The following Monday, I noticed I was double billed but a phone call to Flyaway fixed that. Will likely pay with a regular contactless credit card until they get this fixed.
Before I close this series, I wanted to share a nice LAX feature that was brought to this airport not too long ago: Direct Airside connectors to/from the SW Terminal 1 into the Tom Bradley International Terminal B.
If one has a long layover or long wait at LAX, this grand international Terminal is certainly worth a visit. It looks like you've stepped foot into a upscale mall with lots of places to eat and sit down.
Next up, SoCalFlyer97 took a day tripper to SAN-SMF.
Stay tuned!
