AA has a Priority Access lane for First Class and frequent fliers with status. I like the 75 minutes suggested above as it allows you to get to your gate with no rush. The bare minimum would be 60 minutes. I wouldn't go less than that.

Thanks for the quick responses! I will call AA to double check but 3:45 it is!

If you feel you will be out at the curb by 2 PM, and want to get out of the airport for an hour, you could have your friend take you around the corner to the north, to get an In-N-Out Burger. I know you don't have those on the east coast.

http://www.in-n-out.com/

We phone our "ride" to come and get us when we land, and they arrive the same time we are standing outside in front of baggage claim. LAX does have a waiting place for vehicles if that is your plan and he lives a distance away.

The restaurant address is :

9149 Sepulveda Blvd.

Westchester (LA)

If your friend lives in CA, he knows about the secret menu. Just order what you want from below, and they will make it up for you:

http://badmouth.net/in-n-outs-secret-menu/

My favorite is the Animal Style Cheeseburger, and Neapolitan Shake.

Hi CAnative-

Unfortunately I am all too familiar with the In-N-Out by the airport (It's usually either the first or last place I go before LAX.) and the "secret" menu. I will definitely try a Neapolitan shake though, the next time I'm in one! I'm hoping lunch will be Mexican though, I'm desperately in need of some good tortillas and margaritas!

Thanks!

Get thee and your friend over to Paco's Taco's for lunch then - its maybe 1/2 mile from the terminals at LAX. The Queso Fundido comes with fresh tortillas made by hand in the restaurant - oh soooooo good. Everything else there is pretty good but my favorite is the Chicken Chimichangas.

Ah, you should have mentioned you wanted Mexican food. I was trying to show you that you had a little time to get outside of LAX. Paco's Taco's is the place for you. Have fun.

Why are you driving anywhere? Banking on your friend being able to wait (possibly risking a ticket) for you so you can drive someplace nearby to eat or something else? I have to admit I'm not an In-N-Out burger (or any other fast food burger) fan, so I don't see the sense in doing that.

I'd probably ask my friend to meet me at the terminal and eat either in the food court at the Tom Bradley Terminal next to the AA terminal (not just fast food) or eat over at the Encounter restaurant in the iconic spider-shaped building in the center of LAX. If service is slow or the meal takes longer than expected for other reasons (maybe even your arriving flight is late and you have less time than anticipated), you can head back to the termnal (after leving him money for the meal, of course, if that's the arrangement). Less worrying about the time you have left. Encounter opens at 11 a.m. Restaurant in the TBIT open at least as long. http://www.encounterlax.com/

p.s. I like good Mexican food, but I wouldn't personally regard it as worth the hassle involve in going someplace outside the airport. Your call, of course!

Have your friend get some good Mexican take out and meet you at the airport. Kill two birds with one stone.