Quick Summary:
- Allow 60 to 120 minutes from landing to rental desk, depending on queues.
- Domestic arrivals often reach shuttles faster, international arrivals can add 30 minutes.
- Peak periods can add 20 to 45 minutes for shuttles and counter lines.
- If travelling with kids or lots of luggage, budget an extra 30 minutes.
Los Angeles International Airport is busy, spread out and, at times, slow moving, so the best answer to “how long should you allow to reach the rental car centre?” is a realistic range rather than a single number. Your time depends on where you land, whether you check bags, how long immigration takes, how long you wait for the rental shuttle, and the queue at the desk.
For most travellers, a sensible planning figure is 90 minutes from wheels down to standing at the car hire counter. You can do it quicker when you travel light and arrive off-peak. You can also take much longer at popular times, especially after long-haul flights when several wide-body services arrive together.
If you are comparing options ahead of time, these pages are useful for understanding what’s available around LAX: car hire at Los Angeles Airport (LAX) and Los Angeles LAX car rental. The rest of this guide focuses on timing, step by step, so you can set expectations and avoid missing plans on arrival.
Realistic time budget: from touchdown to the rental desk
Think of your arrival in six chunks. Add them up to get your personal estimate.
1) Taxi to gate and getting off the aircraft (10 to 25 minutes)
At LAX, taxi times vary, and arriving aircraft can sometimes wait for a gate. Once the doors open, it can take a while to deplane, particularly if you are seated near the back or travelling as a group.
2) Walking to immigration or exit (5 to 20 minutes)
LAX terminals are large, and the walking time depends on your gate. Moving walkways help in some areas, but congestion can slow you down.
3) Border control and customs for international arrivals (20 to 90 minutes)
If you land internationally, this is often the biggest variable. Processing times depend on staffing and how many long-haul flights have arrived within the same window. Even when the queue moves steadily, the sheer volume can push the time up.
4) Baggage claim (0 to 45 minutes)
If you carry on only, you can skip this entirely. If you check bags, assume 20 to 35 minutes, with occasional longer waits when multiple flights unload at once.
5) Getting to the rental shuttle pickup point (10 to 25 minutes)
This includes finding your way out of the terminal, reaching the correct kerbside area and waiting at the designated stop. LAX has clear signage, but it still takes time when you are tired, unfamiliar with the layout, or juggling luggage.
6) Shuttle wait and transfer to the rental area (20 to 50 minutes)
The shuttle portion is two parts: the wait and the ride. The ride itself is often not very long, but loading, traffic, and multiple stops can extend it. During peak hours, shuttles can be full, meaning you might wait for the next one.
7) At the desk: queue, paperwork, and keys (15 to 45 minutes)
Queue length varies wildly. Early mornings and early evenings can spike. If you need to add a driver, sort documentation, or choose a different vehicle category, it takes longer.
Add those together and you can see why 60 minutes is possible, but 120 minutes is a safer expectation for many travellers. If you are planning a meeting, a hotel check-in window, or a long drive after landing, err towards the upper end.
How terminals affect your timing at LAX
LAX is not a single building. Terminals sit in a loop, and your arrival terminal influences both walking time and how busy kerbside areas feel when you exit. That matters because the shuttle system interacts with the flow of traffic around the terminal loop.
Domestic terminals often feel faster because you skip immigration, and baggage tends to appear sooner on average. A domestic arrival with no checked bags can sometimes reach the rental shuttle pickup point within 25 to 40 minutes of landing.
International arrivals have more moving parts. Even when you are efficient, you can easily spend 45 to 90 minutes before you are landside and ready for the shuttle. If you are landing on a busy afternoon with several international services, plan for that extra time rather than hoping for a best case scenario.
If you already know you will want a larger vehicle after a long flight, it can help to understand what you are choosing in advance, for instance by browsing SUV rental options for California from LAX. Bigger vehicles can be easier for luggage, but you still want enough time to complete the desk process without rushing.
Shuttle waits, traffic, and why peak hours matter
The shuttle is where many time estimates fall apart. People often picture a quick hop, but the lived reality depends on demand and traffic around the terminal loop.
Typical off-peak shuttle experience
When roads are flowing and shuttles are arriving frequently, you might wait 5 to 15 minutes, then ride for another 10 to 20 minutes including stops.
Typical peak shuttle experience
When lots of passengers exit at once, you might wait 15 to 30 minutes. If the first shuttle is full, add another shuttle cycle. Traffic can also slow the ride portion, turning a short transfer into 25 minutes or more.
When are peak times?
Peak conditions often align with clusters of arrivals, weekend leisure travel, school holidays, and early weekday business travel. The pattern changes by season, so it is safer to assume peaks around mid-morning to early afternoon for some international arrivals, and later afternoon into evening for many domestic flows.
If you have any flexibility, the best way to reduce uncertainty is not speed walking. It is arriving at a quieter time of day, and travelling with carry-on luggage where possible.
Sample time plans you can actually use
These are practical planning windows, not best case claims. They assume you are heading from terminal to shuttle, then to the rental desk, and they include a realistic allowance for small delays.
Plan A: Domestic arrival, carry-on only (allow 60 to 80 minutes)
Deplane and walk out in 20 to 35 minutes, shuttle wait and ride 20 to 35 minutes, desk 15 minutes.
Plan B: Domestic arrival, checked bags (allow 80 to 110 minutes)
Add baggage claim time and allow for kerbside congestion at the shuttle stop.
Plan C: International arrival, carry-on only (allow 90 to 140 minutes)
Immigration is the big swing factor. Even with no bags, queues can dominate the timeline.
Plan D: International arrival, checked bags, evening peak (allow 120 to 180 minutes)
This covers a slower immigration hall, baggage delivery, a busy kerbside, and a longer counter queue.
These ranges are especially relevant if you are choosing between different suppliers. If you want to compare brand options, you can check pages like Hertz car rental at LAX and Alamo car rental at LAX. Regardless of provider, the time to reach the centre and get processed is shaped mostly by airport flows and staffing levels.
Extra time you should budget for common situations
Travelling with children
Add 20 to 40 minutes. Nappy changes, snacks, toilet stops, and simply moving more slowly can all add up. Also, families often have more luggage, which slows kerbside movement and shuttle boarding.
Oversize luggage or sports gear
Add 15 to 30 minutes. Waiting for special baggage delivery can be unpredictable, and loading larger items onto a shuttle takes longer.
Multiple drivers
Add 10 to 20 minutes at the desk if you need to register additional drivers, confirm licence details, or review local rules.
Late-night arrivals
Traffic can be lighter, which helps, but staffing can be leaner at some counters. That can either speed things up or slow them down, depending on how many flights arrive close together.
Holiday weekends
Add 20 to 45 minutes. Demand spikes can hit every part of the chain, including shuttle capacity and desk queues.
Practical tips to shorten the time from landing to desk
Keep essentials accessible
Have your driving licence, payment card, and booking confirmation easy to reach. Digging through bags at the counter is a common, avoidable delay.
Use the loos before the shuttle
Once you are waiting kerbside, there is not always an easy break point. A quick stop inside the terminal can prevent a longer interruption later.
Travel light if you can
Skipping checked baggage is one of the biggest time savers at LAX. It reduces both baggage hall time and the stress of moving through crowds.
Assume kerbside is slower than it looks
Even when you see shuttles, boarding can take time because drivers need to load luggage and manage safe pickup. Stand where you can see the stop clearly and be ready to board quickly.
Do not schedule anything non-refundable too tightly
If you have a dinner reservation or event across Los Angeles, treat your landing time as the start of a process, not the moment you are ready to drive.
So, what should you allow in one simple number?
If you want a single planning figure that fits most travellers most of the time, allow 90 minutes from touchdown to reaching the rental desk at LAX. If you are arriving internationally, checking bags, or travelling at a busy time, plan for 120 to 150 minutes.
For travellers who are confident, carry-on only, and arriving off-peak, 60 to 75 minutes can be enough, but it is less forgiving if anything runs late. In Los Angeles, giving yourself a buffer is rarely wasted because the city’s traffic and distances can make downstream plans hard to recover.
FAQ
How long does it take from landing at LAX to the car hire desk?
Most travellers should allow 60 to 120 minutes. A good all-round budget is 90 minutes, with 120 to 150 minutes for international arrivals and peak periods.
Does arriving at a different terminal change the time a lot?
It can. Some terminals have longer walks and busier kerbside areas, and international processing can add significant time before you even reach the shuttle stop.
What time of day is slowest for reaching the rental car centre?
It is slowest when multiple flights arrive close together, often late afternoon and evening for domestic peaks, and mid-day windows for some international arrivals. Holidays can extend waits at every stage.
Is the shuttle or the rental desk usually the biggest delay?
For domestic arrivals, shuttle waits and traffic are often the main variable. For international arrivals, immigration and customs usually dominate, followed by shuttle capacity and counter queues.
What is the safest time budget if I have plans straight after landing?
Allow 120 to 150 minutes to reach the desk, then add time for driving in Los Angeles traffic. This buffer protects you if immigration, baggage, or shuttles run slower than expected.
