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.
The first time I flew out of Calgary, DH and I arrived at the airport 35 minutes before flight takeoff. Somehow, us being late resulted in getting bumped to first class on the flight. I don't recommend this as a method to try to score free upgrades
Do you guys who get to the airport super early also select longer connections?
One hour to 1.5 hours is my ideal. I hate stressing about potentially missing flights. I also will choose a connection in a city close to home, in the event I can't get out of the airport I can at least rent a car.
Waiting in fogged in SFO and seeing people scoping out strangers to rent a car with for 8 hours will do that to you.
Depends on airport. If I was flying out of Lexington KY, for a 10 am flight I'd be at the airport around 9:20 or so. If I was flying out of Seattle, I'd try to be at the airport around 8 am.
At least 1.5 hours before my flight. Usually 2 hours.
The airport I fly out of is either a nightmare or a breeze. And if it's easy and I'm at my gate crazy early I hit the diner for breakfast.
This. I would aim to be pulling into the parking garage/lot around 8am-8:15 to allow me to get to the airport, check my bag etc. And if it is a Monday morning, definitely by 8am for sure. I tend to travel out of larger airports (PHL or EWR) and they can be fine or a cluster. I don't need the stress if they are a cluster and there is nothing wrong with getting breakfast before getting on the plane!
I'd be there by 8:30 for my airport. That would include dropping of my car, checking my bag, etc. If I was dropped off at the airport or didn't have to check my bag, probably 9. I'm at a very small airport.
Do you guys who get to the airport super early also select longer connections?
Depends on my final destination and the ability to get a flight if I'm delayed. A 4 hour connection is OK if I am flying to Istanbul. I'd try to avoid something like that if I was flying to TX.
I would aim for 9 but only because we are always late...so realistically 9:15. Our airport is small. If we lived near a large airport, I would say 8:45 to get there by 9, we also have pre-check otherwise I'd get there at 8:30.
Post by delawarejen on Aug 19, 2014 14:44:47 GMT -5
I am not comfortable unless I am walking in the door at the 2 hour mark - and that's with not checking a bag. So probably some time between 7:30 and 8:00 for my home airport, given that you mentioned checking a bag.
I've never flown with a connection before, so I couldn't tell you how long I would allow for that.
Post by definitelyO on Aug 19, 2014 14:45:09 GMT -5
at our airport you never know what security will be like - so for a 10am flight I will be at the airport by 8:30 to check bags and make it through security. then it gives me enough time to get a coffee and/or pastry and be relaxed about getting to my gate.
Post by spunkarella on Aug 19, 2014 14:45:30 GMT -5
I aim to get there at least 2 hours early no matter what. If I arrive even earlier, no big deal. I would much rather chill in the airport than leave home later and stress all the way there about missing the flight.
But I fly out of Atlanta and have quite a drive to get to the airport. I am much more worried about running into horrible traffic due to an accident on the interstate than long lines at security.
2 hours. Last time, I insisted that 1.5 hours was enough. We got there the line was insanely long (which I had never seen happen before) and H freaked out. Luckily we got randomly pulled into precheck so we were through security in 10 minutes otherwise it probably would have been an hour at least. H hates cutting it that close.
I'd aim to arrive 2 hours ahead of the flight, and be stressed if I arrive less than 1.5 hours early (which means I'd be aiming to arrive by 8am, but would be OK if something slowed my arrival at the airport until 8:30. That's with being able to check in in the first class line, and at some airports they toss me into the priority security lines (yay, FF status). I haven't checked lately, but I seem to recall my airline of choice recommending a 90-120 minute arrival at airport before flight, even for domestic flights.
It may be worth mentioning that I can't remember the last time I lived within a 1.5 hour trip of the airport I would be flying in/out of. And, often, a single accident on the main road could delay my arrival at the airport by 30-60 minutes, so padding the arrival time is not a bad thing...
And, no, I generally don't pad my connection times (usually there aren't many options). I usually figure if the airline will let me book the flight connection, then I should reasonably be able to make the connection (and I book directly with the airline, so there's no third-party website difficulties if I need customer support with my reservations). The only time I break that rule is when I'm flying home via Heathrow, so a short flight from the continent to Heathrow, and then a slog thru terminal 5 to my connection on a long-haul flight. I can deal with needed to wait for the next flight from Heathrow to, say, Brussels, which happen every couple hours. I do not want to deal with needing to wait for the next flight option from Heathrow to Seoul. Either I'll be waiting a full day, or I'll get some crappy re-routing that will _suck_...
I love airports and I hate being late. I'm always insanely early. For a 10am flight, I'd aim to get there around 8:30 (and knowing how my "aiming" works, it would probably be closer to 8).
This might explain why I usually have a few drinks in me by the time we board …
I'm glad I'm not the only one!
I can't believe there are two of you!
I used to not mind flying, but I've had so many delays and missed connections and abysmal customer service and crappy experiences overall that I really don't like it at all anymore. Unfortunately I do end up flying about once a month for work or personal so I have to go back more often than I'd like.
It doesn't help that my local airport often has very long security waits so I feel like I have to be there 1.5 hours in advance for every domestic flight. What a waste.
The airport closest to me I would get there around 8:45/9.
The airport 2nd closest that we usually fly out of at least 8. Last time we learned our lesson when they only had 1 security line open at 8am and the A group on SW was boarding as we got to the gate.
When I fly out of O'hare, I get there 2 hours early for domestic. I usually end up with extra time, but every once in a while it's really busy and takes a while to get through.
My local tiny airport? I'd say about 1 hour. That gives me time to check in, use the bathroom, etc before boarding. Any later and I'd feel rushed since planes typically board at least 30 minutes before they take off.
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.
"Of course, Mr. Entitled, we held the plane just for you." I would not make it for even a day as an airline gate agent.
Seriously, the Delta Agent was just all "Jesus, take the wheel." The guy was mid-40's. Unless this was his 1st flight, I was a bit "REALLY?!? really." ATL is the busiest airport in the world. C'mon now!
Post by asoctoberfalls on Aug 19, 2014 15:11:14 GMT -5
Some of these timelines would give me a heart attack! I aim to get there 2.5 hours early without checking a bag. I fly out of a small airport, and it's never busy. I'm usually at the gate about 2 hours early, haha.
No later than 8:30. Baggage cut off at the major airports is 40 minutes before the flight.
My husband read that if you aren't missing 1 out of every 10 flights, you're showing up too early and your time is worth more than that. Fuck that advice, I have a kindle for a reason.
I've only missed connections, including one at Dulles where the connection was in another terminal AND the plane left early, even though they knew our plane was going to be late, WTF.
Do you guys who get to the airport super early also select longer connections?
My ideal connection is probably 1-2 hours long. I try not to select one shorter than one hour, but there are times when my only choice is 40 minutes or 4 hours, in which case I would risk 40 minutes, knowing I could get on the later flight if I missed the connection (see my story about Dulles, above).
But when I lived in California, the vast majority of my flights were to see my parents in upstate NY or my in-laws in Boston. Snow in the winter, thunderstorms in the summer (and the addition of fewer flights and a smaller airport in NY).
"Of course, Mr. Entitled, we held the plane just for you." I would not make it for even a day as an airline gate agent.
Seriously, the Delta Agent was just all "Jesus, take the wheel." The guy was mid-40's. Unless this was his 1st flight, I was a bit "REALLY?!? really." ATL is the busiest airport in the world. C'mon now!
I suspect you'd have to be one zen Mofo to put up with crazy-shit passengers every.single.day. Or go to work drunk. Or maybe take doggy downers.
No later than 8:30. Baggage cut off at the major airports is 40 minutes before the flight.
My husband read that if you aren't missing 1 out of every 10 flights, you're showing up too early and your time is worth more than that. Fuck that advice, I have a kindle for a reason.
I've only missed connections, including one at Dulles where the connection was in another terminal AND the plane left early, even though they knew our plane was going to be late, WTF.
So by that logic, how much of a time waster is it to find another flight, wait for that flight or come back again depending on the schedule. That shit is stupid. I am team "sip a cocktail" if I get there too early. That shit is never a waste of time.