I always plan for two hours. I absolutely hate being late and the thought of missing a flight gives me major anxiety. Airports have the best people watching so I don't mind having time to kill.
With checking luggage, I try to leave a 2 hour window. I like to be one of the first ones on the plane so if I'm not at the gate when they start boarding, I consider myself "late." so in the OP's scenario I'd try to be there at 8. Give myself a half hour to check luggage, a half hour to get through security, a half hour to get to my gate (I like to stop for a bagel and coffee in the AMs), and then I'm at the gate by the time they start boarding.
I also just don't mind waiting and I'd rather be there early than late.
Of course when we went on a family vacation in March we arrived at the airport at 6 am for our 640 flight, and then had to check luggage, get through security with a 2 year old, and race to the gate, LOL. so I like to avoid that.
I think if I flew more frequently or for business I'd probably leave less of a window, but I only fly at max 4 times a year and it's always for vacation.
(Disclaimer: I haven't flown since 2011 and that was with one kid, H, MIL and FIL)
We flew out of Logan (Boston). Pretty sure we got there 2hrs early for a direct flight to Ft Myers. Because; kid and car seat and Boston. And, Logan.
Prior to that, last flight was honeymoon in 08
So, I don't fly often. And I am a nervous flyer. So, checking a bag? Totally early. Kid and Car seat too? Yeah.
But, being where I am in New England, I have done pickups at Logan, TF Green and Bradley. I've never been to Manchester. And I guess Worcester does passenger flights again.
If DH is with me I'd aim for 7, because he'd have 17 things to do at the last minute, make at least one trip back home for something he forgot, and quite possibly lose something in the airport. It's like traveling with a toddler, we'd still end up getting there at 8:30-9. I need at least an hour to deal with his disorganization and inability to hold his bladder.
45 minutes to an hour if not traveling with kids or checking luggage.
I am getting ready to board a flight now. I left my house 70 minutes before my flight, arrived at the airport 50 minutes before my flight, and was sitting at my gate 35 minutes before my flight.
If we are traveling with our three small kids and the slew of checked baggage, car seats, etc. that accompany us on a family vacation, we shoot for 1.5 hours, though I would say it is generally closer to 70 minutes or so.
Post by orangeblossom on Aug 20, 2014 11:04:13 GMT -5
Two hours regardless if I'm checking a bag, unless I'm flying out our regional airport, which I rarely do. In the case, I could get there closer to 9 and still be okay, but I don't like to chance it, and probably wouldn't do it.
Post by perkyderky on Aug 20, 2014 11:14:28 GMT -5
At our local airport for a 10am flight, arriving at the airport by 9am is still plenty of time. You'd still have time to use the rest room, put on make-up, and likely grab something to eat. The only reason I give myself an hour, really, is because you have to be there at least 30 minutes in advance anyway to have your luggage checked. And yes, I'll admit to having missed a flight or two in my years of traveling, but I'm never as indignant to say "They left without me?" The last time this happened to me I was very much "I win your stupid passenger of the day award!"
For travel to any of the bigger airports in my state, I generally try to give myself 2 hours--at the very least 1.5 hours from the time I arrive at the airport until the time of my departure.
I'm a worrier. I would have to be there between 8:30 and 9:00. We live near a small airport and for my last flight I got there an hour early. The flight left at 6:50. I got in line and stressed out...where did all these people come from and why are they flying out of my little airport at 6 in the morning?
I'd leave the house at 8am. We live about 15 minutes from the airport, but SeaTac has a tendency to have insane security lines at times, so we never really know what we're going to get. We just use the extra time to eat breakfast or something like that.
1.5 hours at the latest at EWR because a) United's lines for bag check for regular people are ridiculous sometimes and b) the screeners in Terminal A are either inept or in training and hold us up for an extra half hour because "the baby wipes look like liquid on the screen." So apparently I need to put those with my liquids because sprinting to the gate with two kids on the last call is a little much. (We were also a little later than my usual because DD2 puked all.over.herself in the car and I had to change/wipe her down before we could proceed.
I flew out of EWR on United for the first time last year. I found their bag check "system" so strange. "Give your bag to that random guy standing next to the cart"....
Our bags made it to our destination on time, so I guess their system works, but still.
I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP. He was really like "HOW could the plane leave without ME?!?"
FWIW, DH got there 1.5 early, but he was leaving from the T-gates (closest to check in). And ATL security for a Sun A.M. was LONNNNNNNNG.
I was going to say WTF until I remembered our flight last summer, when we found out when we checked in that we had missed the flight.
In my defense, we were on the fence between 2 flights - one that was a red eye and the other left at 6 am. We decided to take the red eye. Bought the tickets, printed out the itinerary and didn't think anything else of it.
Didn't print out our boarding passes at home, as the printer's been on the fritz so just figured we'd get them at the kiosk. We were at the airport for a 6 am flight and it turned out that we missed our flight by 6 hours. Whoops! I think I jokingly said "how could they leave without us?". I wasn't pissed though....I had screwed up there.
Once I overslept, woke up at 7:10 am and somehow made my 7:55 am flight. I was living in Adams Morgan and flying out of DCA. I also had not packed. I'm still not sure how I managed to pull it off, but this was pre-9/11 so security was a lot easier.
These days, I find traffic and security lines to be ridiculously unpredictable. I tend to aim for an hour early so I've got leeway. More often than not, I'll arrive at airports either with tons of time to spare or cutting it really close.
Absolutely no later than 8:30. Preferably closer to 8.
H almost missed his flight out of Calgary the other day. He got to the airport 1.5 hours ahead of time because he had to check a bag for a change(which SHOULD have been plenty of time) and didn't make it to the gate until only 10 minutes before they closed the doors. He was sweating bullets thinking he wouldn't make it.
Calgary is busy somedays. When I fly out of there I am there 2 hrs early. Some days it takes me 15 mins in security and sometimes an hour. You never know with that place.
To fly out of the airport where I live I am there about 1.5 hrs before the flight. When I used to travel for work I was gone for 2-4 weeks so I always checked a bag.
Post by irishbride2 on Aug 21, 2014 15:42:07 GMT -5
I like to be at the airport 1.5 hours ahead of time. I live 20 minutes away, but I have to cross a bridge that can have traffic. So I leave extra time. The result is, locally, I tend to be closer to 2 hours early.