Estimated Response Times from LA Times
| Contact Method |
Expected Wait Time |
| Phone |
10–30 minutes on hold during peak hours; under 10 minutes mid-week mornings |
| Email |
3–5 business days; up to 7 during high-volume periods |
| Live Chat |
5–15 minutes to reach a human agent during staffed hours |
| In-App |
Varies; chat within the app follows the same queue as the website chat |
Based on user reports across Trustpilot and Reddit, Monday mornings and the day after a major LA news event are the worst times to call. The phone lines also get backed up around billing cycle dates, typically the first week of the month. Your best window is Tuesday through Thursday between 9 AM and 11 AM PT. Live chat on desktop tends to connect faster than the in-app version, possibly because fewer users know it exists. One recurring complaint on PissedConsumer: the chat bot loops through the same FAQ suggestions without escalating. If that happens, typing the word "agent" directly usually breaks the loop.
Before You Call: What to Have Ready
Do not waste 20 minutes on hold only to get put back in the queue because you are missing basic info. Grab these before you dial.
Your account number. This is the single most important thing. Find it in your welcome email, on your paper bill, or inside the app under Account Settings. Without it, the agent will spend the first five minutes just trying to find you in the system.
The email address on your account. If you have multiple email addresses, think about which one you used when you signed up. Agents verify identity by email, and guessing wrong slows everything down.
Your most recent billing statement or transaction date. If you are calling about a charge, know the exact dollar amount and the date it hit your account. Vague descriptions like "a charge last month" make it harder for agents to pull up the right transaction.
A clear, one-sentence description of your issue. Seriously, write it down. "I was charged $19.99 on March 5th after I cancelled my subscription on February 28th" is infinitely more useful than a five-minute story. Agents respond better to specifics.
Any previous case or ticket numbers. If you have contacted LA Times before about the same issue, having that reference number can skip a lot of re-explaining.
Tips to Reach LA Times Support Faster
These are based on real patterns pulled from Trustpilot reviews, Reddit threads in r/LosAngeles, and PissedConsumer complaint logs.
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Call Tuesday through Thursday, 9–11 AM PT. This window consistently shows shorter hold times based on user reports. Avoid Monday mornings and Friday afternoons entirely.
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Use live chat for digital access issues. If you cannot log in or your subscription is not showing as active, chat resolves this faster than phone. You can paste error messages directly into the window, which speeds up diagnosis.
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Say "billing" or "cancel" early in the phone menu. These keywords route you to agents with more account authority. Staying in the general queue often means a longer wait and a rep with fewer tools.
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Try desktop for live chat, not mobile. Multiple users have noted that the chat widget does not always load correctly on mobile browsers. Open latimes.com/help on a laptop or desktop for the most reliable experience.
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Ask for a supervisor if you are being offered a retention deal instead of a resolution. LA Times agents are trained to offer discounted rates when you try to cancel. If you want a refund or a confirmed cancellation, ask for a supervisor by name and request a confirmation email before you hang up.
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Tweet at @LATimes for visibility. Public posts on X sometimes get a faster response than private support channels, especially for billing complaints that have already gone unresolved through email.
Where to Quickly Solve Common LA Times Problems
| If Your Problem Is... |
The Best Contact Method Is... |
Pro Tip |
| A billing error or unexpected charge |
Phone support |
Have the charge date and exact dollar amount ready. Phone agents have the most authority to issue credits and process refunds. |
| Technical glitch or error message on the site or app |
Live chat |
Faster than phone for digital issues. Copy and paste the error code directly into the chat window to speed up diagnosis. |
| Can't log in or need a password reset |
Help Center (self-service) |
Try latimes.com/help first. The automated reset tool works for most cases. Only call if it fails twice. |
| Filing a formal complaint |
Phone (ask for a supervisor) |
A phone call with a supervisor creates a clearer record and a better shot at escalation than email alone. |
| Subscription cancellation |
Phone or live chat |
Agents will push retention offers. Have your cancellation reason ready and ask for a written confirmation email before ending the call or chat. |
| Missed or undelivered print edition |
Phone or Help Center |
Report missed deliveries through the Help Center first. If it happens more than twice in a week, call and ask for a service credit. |
Additional Helpful Links for LA Times
All links below have been verified as live and accurate as of March 2026.
- Help Center: https://www.latimes.com/help
- Start Live Chat: https://www.latimes.com/help (chat widget loads on this page)
- Billing Portal / Account Management: https://myaccount.latimes.com
- Report Fraud or Phishing: Contact customerservice@latimes.com with the subject line "Phishing Report" or call 1-800-252-9141
- Download the iOS App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/la-times/id436792544
- Download the Android App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.latimes.android
- Cancel Subscription Guide: How to cancel LA Times
