1hr40 Layover LAX - any chance of making it?
I booked a flight MEL-YYZ (Toronto) with rewards points via Virgin Australia with United. It was the only seat available for that route and those dates but it has a 1hr40 layover at LAX. As it was a reward ticket, I don't believe I can just switch to a different flight with a longer layover as there aren't any other reward seats available for the day. From all my research it seems this transfer is pretty much impossible to make with a checked bag, and potentially possible with carry on only but still tight. I can pretty comfortably travel with carry on generally and its only a 2 week trip, so I think I could do it with carry on, so I could do that if that would be the difference between making that connection and not. I know since its a single ticket and United sold me this connection it will be there responsibilty to get me on the next flight.
My question is: would 1hr40 still be a gamble even with carry on? Should I even try and make it or should I basically just resign to the idea I won't make the connection and bring a checked bag and hope I get on the next connection later in the day? I have the MPC I plan to use which apparently should help me clear passport control quicker, and also can get the United Premier Access if that will help make it quicker at any other points. I'm not necessarily in a rush to get to my final destination as I'm arriving the day before I need to be anywhere, but I also don't want to end up at waiting at LAX for 8 hours for the next flight they can get me on.
Flight details are:
Flight #1 UA99 MEL-LAX. Landing at Tom Bradley Intl at 6:40am.
Flight #2 UA608 LAX-YYZ. Departing LAX Terminal 7 at 8:20am.