How early do you get to the airport?

[kdonnel]

Coming back from Vegas today we cut it much closer than our usual one and a half to two hours before flight departure.

Seems to only happen when leaving Vegas.

Normally we like to take advantage of the airline lounge before our flight.

However today we walked directly from the skycap to security to the concourse shuttle to boarding the plane. The plane boarded for another 15 minutes and the door was shut.

There was an accident on the way to the rental car return but it only slowed us down one cycle of the traffic light. Anything more severe and we might have missed our flight.

It was a little nerve wracking.

 

[sam_gordon]

Coming back from Vegas today we cut it much closer than our usual one and a half to two hours before flight departure.

Seems to only happen when leaving Vegas.

Normally we like to take advantage of the airline lounge before our flight.

However today we walked directly from the skycap to security to the concourse shuttle to boarding the plane. The plane boarded for another 15 minutes and the door was shut.

There was an accident on the way to the rental car return but it only slowed us down one cycle of the traffic light. Anything more severe and we might have missed our flight.

It was a little nerve wracking.

Depends on the airport. My home airport? I'm walking away from my car ~60-70 minutes from departure time. I'll add 15 minutes if I need to check bags.

A "big city" airport, 90 minutes to 2 hours. A "tourist" airport (Vegas, MCO, Wash DC)? 2 hours.

Of course, I don't mind waiting at the airport.

 

[penn19]

We leave 3 hours before flight. 40-60 minutes to airport depending on traffic, TSA, could go quick could be backed up. Meal. And a few beverages…..it’s relaxing to me.

 

[Meriweather]

2 hours.....going through security can take some time. I don't like cutting it close. I would rather sit there and wait

 

[pens4821]

Most the time we leave around three hours before departure no matter where we are. Usually we are within 30/45 minutes of the airport we are flying from. But dropping off the car (whether ours in park and fly at our home airport or rental elsewhere) may take some time and who knows if you’ll hit traffic. We are usually getting to security the recommended two hours before and it’s usually too much time but we like to play it safe.

Orlando is another story. It just seems like we always have some type of issue there. We’ve been two hours early in security and have had two issues where we made it through and they were starting to board the plane when we got to the gate. Last spring break at 630 am the security line was massive! It went from the entrance to security back past the food court then wrapped back around to the airline checkin counters. Although it only took about a half hour. I had to pick someone up from the airport that trip and the entrance to the airport was backed up crazy at 630pm. Luckily I took an airport shuttle and he kind of knew where he’d be able to work himself in.

I’ve pretty much made up my mind that I’d like to be entering MCO airport grounds 3.5 hours before my flight. It’s such a mess for us every time we are there.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We like to be at the airport two hours before flight.

 

[ronandannette]

Depends if we're flying domestically (90 minutes is plenty) or to the States, in which case we have to clear US customs here on our end and that takes longer. Maybe I've just been lucky but even during the craziest of times I've never had a flight where 2 hours wasn't more than enough time. Now having flights delayed and waiting for hours and hours extra is a whole 'nother thing...

 

[Kitty 34]

Usually two hours or more depending on the airport and time of day.

 

[kyton]

3hrs. I’ve missed 2 flights in the past and vowed never ever to have that happen due to something in my control. That’s what airport lounges are for - sitting and relaxing.

 

[White Cat]

3 hrs.

 

[China Expat]

3 hours out of LAX. It took my husband 35 minutes to go one mile near LAX at10 pm last night.You can;t predict LA.

 

[soccerdad72]

Depends on the airport. My home airport? I'm walking away from my car ~60-70 minutes from departure time. I'll add 15 minutes if I need to check bags.

A "big city" airport, 90 minutes to 2 hours. A "tourist" airport (Vegas, MCO, Wash DC)? 2 hours.

Of course, I don't mind waiting at the airport.

Yeah, this

 

[nene0182]

Usually 2-2.5 hours except our home airport then it’s like 45-60 mins (super small airport where same person that checks you in also scans your ticket when you board)

 

[monsterkitty]

We volunteer at the airport so we get free parking in the employee lots. However, that can add at least 30 minutes for waiting for a bus and getting to the terminal.

Depends on what we are taking for the trip.

If it's a vacation and DH is taking his golf clubs or if it's a race and I'm taking my bike, we get to our airport at 2.5 -3 hours before our flight. DH will drop me off at the airport with the bike or golf clubs and then he goes and parks in the employee parking. This is at least 30 minutes.

Checking a bike or clubs takes a bit more time than just luggage so we'll add 15 -20 minutes.

We have TSA precheck and usually precheck moves quickly.

I have to stop and Dunkin to fill my Hydro Flask with iced tea. Okay, and get a donut or two since I'm in the line already, right?

If we're not taking a bike or golf clubs, 2.5 hours max. Having free parking at the airport is worth having to get there early so we can park and get on the bus.

Return flights is usually the same amount of time because we have to return the rental car.

 

[Disneylover99]

3 to 4 hours.
We don’t fly very often.
We treat the airport as part of our fun vacation time.
We don’t mind waiting.

 

[tvguy]

3 to 4 hours.
We don’t fly very often.
We treat the airport as part of our fun vacation time.
We don’t mind waiting.

At least 3 hours for us. We just budget for a snack after we are checked in at the gate.
In the case of MCO we were at the airport, boarding pass in hand and in the security line 2 hours before our flight, and we literally walked right onto our plane as it was boarding when we got through security.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

At least two hours. DH is a stickler about it.

We’ve only come close to missing a flight twice.

Once it was a connecting flight and we underestimated the size of the airport and how far we had to walk to get to the next flight, but we made it.

Second time was right before an impending hurricane (Frances). We’d forgotten to fill our tank up with gas in the chaos on the way back to MCO so had to go past the airport and find a gas station, then come back. Check-in had massive crowds, and we got pulled out for a full search. Wound up running down to the gate, each of us dragging a kid and all our “stuff” - they were calling our names when we got there. Slightly walking onto the full plane.

 

[figment52]

Coming back from Vegas today we cut it much closer than our usual one and a half to two hours before flight departure.

Seems to only happen when leaving Vegas.

Normally we like to take advantage of the airline lounge before our flight.

However today we walked directly from the skycap to security to the concourse shuttle to boarding the plane. The plane boarded for another 15 minutes and the door was shut.

There was an accident on the way to the rental car return but it only slowed us down one cycle of the traffic light. Anything more severe and we might have missed our flight.

It was a little nerve wracking.

This only needs to happen once and you realize that sitting around the airport an hour or two is better than missing a flight.

 

[bcla]

I like getting there early, but I've dealt with a spouse who is a master procrastinator. We've missed a flight one day, rescheduled for 3 days later, and got really close again. Once my wife and kid missed the flight by about a couple of minutes where the gate was closed but the plane hadn't pushed off yet. But they accommodated them on a later flight that day.

I prefer to get to the airport within 2 hours for domestic flights, but I'll check estimated security line times on the TSA app. Last time I was at the airport (during the Southwest meltdown) the line only took about 5 minutes and the gate was about 150 feet away. If my flight had actually taken off on time, I think I could have been at the front of the terminal 40 minutes before and made it in time for my (B) boarding group.

 

[msjprincess]

My small local airport, 90 minutes. Otherwise 2 hours for domestic.