How early should I arrive at the airport? /

A guide to timing your arrival

If there’s one question both frequent and infrequent fliers ask, it’s: How early do you need to be at the airport? No one wants to come there and sit for five hours. But you also don’t want the stress of running through the airport, jumping over luggage and narrowly dodging other passengers to get to your plane. This crazy dash isn’t nearly as fun as it looks on TV.

Knowing how early to be at the airport should be a simple factor. But as we all know, nothing is exactly “easy” when it comes to air travel.

Just trying to fit all those small plastic bottles of liquids in a hand luggage is stressful for some of us. And by “us” I mean me.

Before we dive deeper into how early you should be at the airport to check in for departure, you might want to know where to find the best places to get great deals on flights, rental cars, hotel rooms, and more.

Scott’s Cheap Flights is a great travel resource for finding great deals on flights, with the best prices to the best destinations. Skyscanner is another excellent resource for finding the best rates on flights, hotels and car rentals in a wide variety of domestic and international destinations.

If you’re flexible with your airline’s flight choices and like to compare, check out a site like Momondo to find and compare the cheapest flights available. You can also book hotels, car rentals, trains and buses.

How early do you need to be at the airport?

According to USA Today and Condé Nast Traveler, the answer is two hours before your scheduled departure time for a domestic flight and three hours before the scheduled departure time for an international flight. The TSA and airlines like American Airlines go along with this two- and three-hour advisory.

However, this is the simple answer and a general rule. There is also a complicated answer. You knew that was coming, right?

These time frames give the infrequent traveler time to arrive at the airport and park, check in, check in luggage, and make their way through security checks in a less rushed and stressed state of mind. If you are a frequent traveler, you may not need all the extra hours to arrive at the airport.

Factors that can contribute to your schedule (and things to consider if you’re wondering: How early should I be at the airport?) include things like:

• Parking (how far you may have to walk from the parking deck to the check-in counter)
• Airport size (large international airports will be busier than small regional airports)
• Time of year and day of departure of your flight (summer and holiday travel can be much busier)
• How much luggage to check in
• If anyone in your group has mobility issues
• If you are traveling with children (always arrive early, well before your departure time if you are traveling with children)
• If you are required to show proof of Covid-19 vaccines at check-in (many airports no longer require this)
• Whether domestic or international flight
• Local traffic and how long it takes to get to the airport (but this is probably a given)

Considering all of the above factors can help you determine a good spot when you’re wondering: How early should I be at the airport?

Some airports are infamous (or perhaps notorious) for being laid out like a small city with confusing terminals and all sorts of streetcars, shuttles, and even monorails (hello, Orlando) to get from one section to the next. For example, it is 3.5 kilometers from check-in to the gate at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. That can really put a damper on your flight and airport experience.

Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, and Dubai International Airport are among the top 10 busiest airports in the world. If you’re traveling from one of these airports, you’ll definitely want to add extra hours to the recommended check-in time to make your way around the airport.

Whether you’re flying with American Airlines, JetBlue, Alaska Air, British Airways, or the super colorful Southwest Airlines, do some research ahead of time to find other travelers’ experiences. This can be useful to determine what time you will arrive at the departure airport for your flight.

See Related: Clear vs TSA Precheck: Which is Better?

International flights

When traveling internationally, there are several important documents you will need for check-in, security, and return travel. Having items such as passports, travel visas, paper or digital tickets, and other IDs on hand and ready to show to the airline, TSA, and security officials will greatly speed up your ability to get through all the checkpoints quickly.

In addition to the right time to arrive at the airport, international flights sometimes have the added factors of extra paperwork, forms and document checks. One flight form you may not be familiar with (I wasn’t) is a passenger locator form.

This fairly new form (thanks, Covid) is used by public health officials to receive information about passengers traveling across the border. It is a means of contact tracing when exposed to an infectious disease while traveling.

This form was widely used during the global Covid-19 pandemic, but since then many countries no longer require this information. It is always best to check the airport before your flight to be extra careful. Then make sure you arrive at the airport well in time for any checks.

domestic flights

Flying domestically within the US? The REAL ID deadline has recently been extended (again) to May 27, 2025. This is a driver’s license or national ID card that can also be used as a federally recognized form of air travel ID, as well as access to some federal facilities such as military bases and federal Courts.

In most states, there is a star in the corner of the license to indicate that it is a REAL ID. You can also use a passport to travel domestically if you do not have a REAL ID compliant driver’s license.

However, you cannot use a REAL ID in place of a passport for international travel. For international flights, you must still have a valid passport upon arrival at the airport.

See Related: Ways to get free flights and airline tickets

How to avoid extra time at the airport

• Check in online and use a mobile boarding pass or a boarding pass that can be printed at home.
• Join a trusted traveler program, such as TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, to get through security lines and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. These programs (which require in-person pre-screening with background checks and fingerprints) allow enrolled travelers to go through security without having to remove shoes, laptops, 3-1-1 fluids, belts, and light jackets. There are usually separate lines at security for travelers enrolled in these programs.
• Do not check luggage at the airport baggage check. This saves time at check-in and after leaving the plane. If you have luggage to check in, please use a self-checkout kiosk to check it in. Then all you have to do is hand it in at the counter.
• Check your airport flight status early before you arrive at the airport and periodically en route.
• Use Google Maps to monitor traffic conditions before and on the way to the airport.
• If possible, fly during off-peak hours. There is usually less crowds in the late evening and travel times are heavier in the early morning and mid-morning. This may allow you to shave half an hour before arrival time.

So, let’s say you arrive at the airport the recommended two hours early for domestic flights or three hours for international flights, and you speed through check-in (or online check-in), baggage check-in and the safety line. First, good for you! Nothing is more annoying than a missed flight. Second, what do you do now that you have all that extra time before departure?

Here are a few things to keep you busy before boarding:

• Visit the bar, cafe, restaurant or gift shop at the airport before departure time. However, don’t risk losing track of time by spending too much time in the airport bar.
• Get some extra sleep in the airport boarding area before your flight departs. Some airports also have airport sleep pods or capsules for rent.
• Read a book or magazine before boarding.
• Take advantage of airport lounge services, which can be much more comfortable than the general boarding area. Some credit cards, such as Amex Platinum Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Card, offer benefits such as airport lounge access.
• Prepare for a full flight in a tight space by walking around the terminal and stretching your legs before flight time.

You may be wondering what happens if you miss your flight on the last call. After all, you can’t control whether you arrive at a busy time of day or if there are unexpected circumstances (even if you arrive within the recommended timeframe of two or three hours). Maybe the online check-in didn’t work and now you have to check in at the desk.

You’ll want to check your ticket’s fare rules for restrictions and miss-a-flight regulations. It has to do with the type of reservation under which the rate was made. The lower the ticket price (or fare), the more restrictions there are.

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