Rechecking bags for passport control going to Tahiti

Question

We are a week from flying from JFK to Tahiti through LAX. Delta to LAX and Air France from LAX to Tahiti. I just found out with less than a week to go that we are going to have to get our bags and check them through passport control going out and coming back. I am concerned about how long that’s going to take because we have Only one hour and 50 minutes between flights. Does anybody have experience with this. Currently we are scheduled to come in to terminal three in LAX and leave from terminal B.

Answer

Connecting through LAX on a tight schedule, especially with an international connection to Tahiti, requires careful planning. Since your connection involves collecting checked bags and clearing passport control, one hour and 50 minutes is possible but tight, and it will depend on several factors.

Steps You Will Need to Take:

Deplane at Terminal 3 from Delta and proceed to baggage claim to retrieve your checked luggage.
Go through U.S. Customs and Border Protection if applicable (for international departures, some connections require exiting and re-entering secure areas).
Transfer to Terminal B (Tom Bradley International Terminal) for Air France. You can use the terminal connector shuttle or walking paths; allow 20–30 minutes depending on walking speed and shuttle wait times.
Check in your luggage with Air France and drop it at their counter for your flight to Tahiti.
Proceed through security and passport control to reach your departure gate.

Timing Considerations:

LAX is large and busy. Even with an efficient transfer, the process of bag retrieval, customs, terminal transfer, check-in, and security can easily take 1.5–2 hours.
If your Delta flight is on time, and lines are moderate, you could make it, but there is very little margin for delay.
During peak travel periods or if your arriving flight is slightly delayed, the connection may become stressful or risky.

Recommendations:

Contact Delta and Air France as soon as possible. Ask if they can interline your luggage so that it is transferred directly to Air France, which would allow you to avoid bag pickup and recheck. Some carriers offer this if flights are on a single itinerary or code-share agreement.
Consider requesting early boarding for your Delta flight to give extra margin for baggage retrieval and terminal transfer.
Use TSA PreCheck or Global Entry if you have it to expedite security and passport control.
Be prepared for a quick transfer; travel light through the airport with only essential carry-on items in case of time pressure.

In summary, one hour and 50 minutes is technically possible but very tight for a connection that requires picking up and rechecking bags and going through passport control. Contacting both airlines for luggage handling options and allowing extra buffer time is strongly advised.