Checking In Before Your Flight: 1 Hour Or 2 Hours?

[ShotgunSteven]

I heard some time ago that they had reduced the time you needed to be there ahead of your flight to only one hour, but a family member said they thought it had been raised to two hours again. Anyone flown recently that knows?

 

[Crusty]

I just flew several times and was 1.5 hours before checkin and nobody made a fuss to me.

 

[Ness]

Well, I'd say show up 2 hours early, because you never know when there will be a problem. I mean, you'll probably already have a book or something to do on the plane, so what would be the hassle with doing it while waiting for the plane and knowing you won't have to worry about being on time?

 

[Yossarian]

one hour is fine unless it's an international flight. at Christmas it only took me 20 minutes at LAX to print my boarding pass, go thru security, and get to my gate.

 

[Supermercado]

I'm flying next Thursday morning and 1.5 hours was recommended to me. Unfortunately, I'm taking a 6:30am flight so that means 5am. Yikes.

 

[phatcow]

you should check in a day in advance.

that way you dont get bumped.
















jk

1 hour should be enough

 

[bigalt]

you probably should have left at least a few hours ago.

 

[db]

No week is typical. You should be there 90 minutes early to be on the safe side.
Aside from heavy travel days, TSA sometimes is short-handed, or a scanner machine is down, and the security line is very slow. They will NOT let you go ahead of the line just b/c your flight is about to leave. Stress out all you want, you're not getting thru that line any faster!
Bring a book, eat lunch, whatever--just be prepared.

 

[MrScott81]

I think it depends on the airport....in chicago i would say closer to 2 hours, but here in SD ive never had a problem arriving an hour before my flight. most of the time it takes about 20-25 minutes (40 at most) to get to the gate (including checking in and going through security)

 

[brtspears2]

2 hours domestic, 3 hours international, (Though Canada is sometimes considered domestic)

But if your airport is one of those busy kinds, always good to go early than late.

 

[Savij]

I just call the airline 24 hours before the flight and ask them what the recommended check in time for that airport is. It's usually 1 hour in advance for domestic in Nashville, but it has been 2 and 3 hours during raised alert periods.

 

[db]

Most airlines' web sites will give you info re checkin times, ie.

 

[Goosemaster]

heh...I must be the only one that arrives 5min before boarding,

 

[SilentZero]

1 hour domestic, 2 hours international. Thats what I follow anyways.

 

[Siddhartha]

The last couple of times I flew, it took less than a hour to get through security. The trick is to put everything, including your shoes, that you think can even remotely activate the metal detector in your carryon bag.

After the metal detector buzzed on my belt buckle and shoes, security put my computer and carryon bags through their xray machine three or four times. I think they kept seeing my deordorant showing up as a shadow

 

[ShotgunSteven]

Originally posted by: db
Most airlines' web sites will give you info re checkin times, ie.

I tried the site for my airline before I posted, couldn't find the information.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

It all depends on the day and the airport. I needed the better part of 2 hours in Boston this last Friday, but 15 minutes in Little Rock.

 

[gsellis]

For Delta Air Lines, it is here:

DL Airport Wait Time applet

Your local airport may also list the wait times. The TSA has a list of airports by state and you can then get to your airport's webpage.

TSA Airport Weblinks

 

[Jfrag Teh Foul]

2

 

[Ketteringo]

Should have been a poll

I vote 1.5-2 hours, depending on the day and size of the airport.

 

[vi edit]

Last 4 times I've flown I've shown up 30 minutes before the flight and had 20 minutes to sit around before boarding.

Obviously the exception and not the rule though.

 

[Amused]

My rule based on experience:

*A bare minimum of 1.5 hours in a large or major city airport (LAX, ORD etc...) for domestic flights. Two Hours for international.

*One hour in smaller, secondary cities.

Sure, you can usually get by with only 1 hour or 45 minutes in major airports, but every once in a while, you hit a security line that is just ridiculously long, filled with the most idiotic passengers and anal personnel.

 

[royaldank]

Took me 15 minutes to get bags checked and to the gate in Nashville early morning.

Took me 45 minutes to get the bags checked in Vegas and to the gate.

It really depends on the airport and time of day. I'd say 1.5 hours to be safe, unless you know it's a po-dunk airport with few people traveling.

If you're not checking your bags, it much easier. Enter the airport and go through security. Get your boarding pass at the gate instead of the front desk which is usually much more crowded. Some have quick check-in computers now as well (if not checking bags). Save lots of time b/c no waiting in lines at the front desks.

 

[DurocShark]

I'm so glad I quit smoking. I used to get to the airport 15min before flight because I wanted a last cig as late as possible. But since 9/11 that doesn't work.

I generally get there about 1hr early now.

 

[kranky]

It really depends on the airport and how busy they are at the time. In Pittsburgh, I go 2 hours early. In Columbia, SC, I can show up 20 minutes before boarding and have plenty of time. That's because the plane I get in Columbia is small (30 passengers) and there aren't any other flights leaving around that time, so there aren't very many people going through security then.

The wild card is how many people in front of you at the Xray machines are clueless and slow things down. You can get 4-5 of those and your 10 minute wait turns into 20 or 30.