How Early Should You Get to the Airport, Really?
It’s a polarizing question for both seasoned jetsetters and first-time fliers alike: How early should I get to the airport? There are those travelers who need get to the airport hours before their flight, and those who always cut it as close to takeoff time as possible. But no matter which side of the debate you fall on, nobody likes to waste their time, whether that means sitting around in the terminal or rebooking a missed flight.
With the coronavirus pandemic adding new logistical hurdles to air travel, from COVID-test checks to short-staffed security lines, it’s become even harder to come up with one answer to the age-old question. It’s more likely that the destination and timing of your travel, as well as a few other key questions, can help you find a sweet spot. Are you traveling domestically or internationally? How big or busy is the departure airport, and what are your airline’s check-in requirements? If you’re re-entering the United States, a COVID-test check must occur before you board the plane, which could add time to the journey.
And there may be other obscure delays that depend upon the airport you’re traveling through. For example, Delta states the minimum airport arrival time for its flights out of Dublin is four hours before the flight’s departure, and you must be at the gate 60 minutes prior to departure. This might sound dramatic, even for a habitual early bird, but passengers flying to the U.S. from Dublin might not realize that it is one of the few airports outside North America that has a U.S. Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance facility. This means fliers go through customs and immigration before departing Ireland, instead of in the U.S., so it’s best to take the airline’s advice and arrive early.
You can also base your arrival plan on when you’ve booked your flight. Is it a busy time of year? Is it a busy time of day? Do you have access to faster lines because of mileage status, first-class tickets, or pre-screening? Are you traveling with a family of five? What would it cost if you missed your flight? If you like to play with risk, know how restrictive your ticket and/or airline is. You may need to read the fare rules associated with your ticket to determine this.
Below are some general rules of thumb to ensure you always know how early to arrive at the airport—and that you never need to make a mad dash through the terminal to catch your flight again.
For domestic flights
If you’re flying domestic but through a major airport (think New York’s JFK, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson, and Chicago O’Hare) and you have bags to check, get there two hours early before departure. If you have no bags to check, you’re enrolled in TSA PreCheck, or you’re able to check in online and acquire your boarding pass on your own, however, you can arrive 90 minutes before your flight’s departure time.
