Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have flown internationally a few times already. I have arrived 3 hours before an international flight and whenever i did, it always felt like it was way too early when i had to wait a while. To those of you that fly internationally, how many hours before the flight is it still fine? I know you have to check in yourself and luggage at least 1 hour before your flight leaves. But do people have issues arriving say 2 hours before departure without any issue?
The thing is it all depends on the carrier that you are flying with and their lines right? Like if very few people are on line, well even 1.5 hours is good but of course that is not good idea. Because for those of you who travel internationally and fly with luggage, do most of you check in online or do you check in at the airport? Or do you check in with the kiosk at the airport? I only used the kiosk once i believe but that was because someone was there to help me etc. But the thing is if you have a checked bag, is it the same as if you are waiting in line or not? Because i recalled once when i checked in online at a kiosk at the airport, i might have had a checked bag and there was no line for me to wait at all. However, that was at a different airport though so it might been less busy.
But in general if you are flying internationally and with a checked bag, does it take same time waiting in line like most people as oppose to checking online with a kiosk? Because if you do it at a kiosk, do you still have to be on the same line or there is a different line? Because i think when i did this a while back at kiosk, i went into shorter line. So if thats the case, wouldn't that mean arriving even 2 hours before flight departure is good enough? But if you have no luggage and check in online, then that mean you don't even need to wait in line at all since you just have to go through TSA? Im flying internationally and have a checked bag and i want to know are there issues if you arrive there say 2 hours before the flight. Or say 2.5 hours. I ask this because my flight would be very early.
I have flown internationally a few times already. I have arrived 3 hours before an international flight and whenever i did, it always felt like it was way too early when i had to wait a while. To those of you that fly internationally, how many hours before the flight is it still fine? I know you have to check in yourself and luggage at least 1 hour before your flight leaves. But do people have issues arriving say 2 hours before departure without any issue?
The thing is it all depends on the carrier that you are flying with and their lines right? Like if very few people are on line, well even 1.5 hours is good but of course that is not good idea. Because for those of you who travel internationally and fly with luggage, do most of you check in online or do you check in at the airport? Or do you check in with the kiosk at the airport? I only used the kiosk once i believe but that was because someone was there to help me etc. But the thing is if you have a checked bag, is it the same as if you are waiting in line or not? Because i recalled once when i checked in online at a kiosk at the airport, i might have had a checked bag and there was no line for me to wait at all. However, that was at a different airport though so it might been less busy.
But in general if you are flying internationally and with a checked bag, does it take same time waiting in line like most people as oppose to checking online with a kiosk? Because if you do it at a kiosk, do you still have to be on the same line or there is a different line? Because i think when i did this a while back at kiosk, i went into shorter line. So if thats the case, wouldn't that mean arriving even 2 hours before flight departure is good enough? But if you have no luggage and check in online, then that mean you don't even need to wait in line at all since you just have to go through TSA? Im flying internationally and have a checked bag and i want to know are there issues if you arrive there say 2 hours before the flight. Or say 2.5 hours. I ask this because my flight would be very early.
It helps to be part of the TSA program "Global Entry". DW and I belong to that and it seems to speed things up. It costs a $100 to join. However, its a free benefit of owning a credit card that I possess. It will get you through the lines faster. I have included a link that explains how to join global entry in case you haven't already done so.
The thing is that I do not wish to miss any international flight. The consequences of doing so might be overwhelming in terms of lost time and money. So, even with membership in Global Entry, the point is, we still arrive at the airport about 3 hours before the flight is supposed to leave to avoid any last minute snafu. When we get through security lines in about thirty minutes instead of three hours, we usually go to the nearest Priority Pass lounge and wait. The lounges are another free benefit of having a particular credit card. A few airports (particularly in the USA) do not have a priority pass lounge and that is not an option. Most of the ones we use seem to have it though. I don't think anyone really likes to wait in airports. All I can say is the lounges allow us to have a drink, generally a snack, and read a book we have brought along in comparative peace and quiet.
I realize from your question you like to budget your time. I do too. However, you better make sure you factor everything into it. For example, there can be significant traffic jams on freeways driving to the airport. You can lose a substantial amount of time there.
Ultimately, you balance the value of an hour or two's worth of time against missing a flight completely. The balance clearly weighs in favor of getting to the airport early and having to sit around.
Last edited by markg91359; 03-29-2018 at 11:14 AM..
Ultimately, you balance the value of an hour or two's worth of time against missing a flight completely. The balance clearly weighs in favor of getting to the airport early and having to sit around.
This is exactly how I figure it.. I'd much rather have to kill 2 hours at the airport bar than to be sweating out the possibility of missing my flight.
3 hours. Especially if you have to park. International terminals tend to be at the far reaches. Security is going to be tight and a higher percentage of the passengers are going to have language issues that slow down security. Lines at security tend to be long and slow. Passengers tend to be carrying more packages, which slows down security.
On international flights, every time I turned around someone else was checking my passport. That slows things down, because they are doing it to all passengers.
Take a good book and a snack. It's better to wait a little extra than to stress about missing the flight.
Incidentily, twice I've arrived at the airport to discover my flight was changed and leaving earlier.
I think it depends on the time of year for all flights. I flew domestic for Spring Break a couple of weeks ago, made it there 2 hours early and it took me 1 hour just to get through the security line. I barely got on the plane on time to make my flight. On the other hand I flew off peak times internationally and have had plenty of time for a drink or two. Just use common sense and realize that peak travel times you will need more time.
Actually, I take that back--I aim for two hours when I am leaving from an airport I am familiar with and more to the point, familiar with getting too--BOS, JFK, EWR, DUB, CDG, BCN--old hat at these. I was recently in Istanbul and the traffic there was such that I left for the airport VERY early and wound up with almost 4 hours to kill in the airport, even after going through the airport's multiple security checks. That translated to a lot of airport bar drinks.
Depends on your airport & how busy it can be, I never arrive less than 2 hours before the flight & 3 hours if it is a busy time say a Friday evening here in NYC. The security lines can be glacial sometimes & traffic en route is always an unknown due to roadwork or an accident.
1.5 hours when starting from my wee home airport. That gets me no worries about bag check in time, security is never more than five minutes, and I'll have plenty of time to make sure my phone is charged up for the first hop to Atlanta/Charlotte/Texas before heading onward to the bigger world.
A couple of years ago, I flew first class on AA to Cozumel from Las Vegas (where I live). I have global entry and the pre-chek line was actually shorter than the first class line through TSA. And check-in was relatively short. I had plenty of time to get to the gate.
Last year, I flew economy to Fiji from LAX. The line for check-in and baggage check was quite long--as I recall, we were at least 30 minutes in line. And Fiji Airlines does not participate in pre-chek so I had to wade through the regular line at TSA, again at least 30 minutes. While two hours would have made it, I would have been running to my gate.
I think it really depends on the airport, airline and the volume of traffic at the time of day you are leaving.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
