2 hours early

[nutley chick]

Thank You all for the replies.

I will be getting to the airport 2 hours ahead of time. I just called the car service and have them picking me up at 4:30 :eek:. I hope I can sleep a little on the plane. My daughter, for sure, will be sleep walking this whole time. She is not an early riser so this should be interesting.

[lhanson38]

It's a simple question.. how much detail do you want? My flight number? my plans? My home address? My shoe size :confused: I only asked what people have done lately? Thats all. Pretty simple question I would think.

 

 

Hi I fly a lot and have found some of the busiest time are those 7am flights on the weekends. Do give yourself the 2 hours.

Boy do I miss the day of waltzing 1/2 before your flights.

Before 911 I never got to the airport before 45 min or so before flight.

Something that saves a ton of time and is worth the money to me

Is curb side check in. Its great rarely is there a line give them your bag

they give you your tic and away you go.:)

[realtreebar]

I have a 7 am flight this Saturday morning, Do I really have to show up at 5 am? What have you all done lately? Have you all arived 2 hours early.

Keep in mind it's early Saturday. Not a week day where there are a lot more people flying.

 

Naw sleep in you will have plenty of time if you leave for the airport at let say 6:45 am:eek:

[John&John]

It's a simple question.. how much detail do you want? My flight number? my plans? My home address? My shoe size :confused: I only asked what people have done lately? Thats all. Pretty simple question I would think.

 

Nothing is that simple. Although you've already made your decision I will let you know what we do.

 

We don't pack bags and check-in online so the only line we have to wait in is the security line and O'hare seems to do a great job with that, so we try to get there about 90 minutes or so ahead of flight time.

 

Now, if I were flying from Newark I would also base my decision on which airline.

[awhcruiser]

DD and I always fly out of Austin.. We get to the airport at least 1 1/2 hours before the flight leaves as security lines can be long at times as well as the lines to check in bags.

[vacruizer]

Thank You all for the replies.

I will be getting to the airport 2 hours ahead of time. I just called the car service and have them picking me up at 4:30 :eek:. I hope I can sleep a little on the plane. My daughter, for sure, will be sleep walking this whole time. She is not an early riser so this should be interesting.

 

I feel your pain - i have a 5:30am flight out Friday morning to head for Hawaii. :D I am dreading the early morning but the thought of being somewhere warm will get me through it!

[Kali22]

I usually get there an hour early. It seems to work just fine for me.

[dobiemom]

I have a 7 am flight this Saturday morning, Do I really have to show up at 5 am? What have you all done lately? Have you all arived 2 hours early.

Keep in mind it's early Saturday. Not a week day where there are a lot more people flying.

I always check the airline website. It'll tell you the suggested arrival time for the airport. Have a safe flight and Bon Voyage!

[cruiserbryce]

I would still go early...worst case you have have a nice bfast to get your vacation started

[broberts]

Glad to hear you have elected to arrive at the airport 2 hours early. Given the time of year and current security concerns I think it's a good decision.

 

Every once in a while showing up early pays off, especially if the weather is not so good. I recall an instance where I arrived 2 1/2 hours before my flight. When I checked-in the rep offered to book me on an earlier flight at no charge as, in her words, "there is a good chance your flight will be delayed".

[Texas Realtor]

I would definitely get there apprx. 2 hours early. Not sure what airport you are flying out of, but it is better to be safe than sorry. Have a great cruise!

 

Sue

 

I think the earlier you get your bags checked, the higher the likelyhood that they will be on your flight. I could be wrong though.

[TahoeBob]

I have a 7 am flight this Saturday morning, Do I really have to show up at 5 am? What have you all done lately? Have you all arived 2 hours early.

Keep in mind it's early Saturday. Not a week day where there are a lot more people flying.

For me it depends what airport I am using.

I was in NYC about 5 weeks after 9-11 I was told to get there over 2 hours before teh flight. It took me about 45 seconds to get through security. No one was there. On the other hand once it took me over 90 minutes to get through security at LAX

[dkb363]

"Failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine."

 

 

 

OMG - I LOVE This! I would always say "Your crisis is not my crisis". But your saying is priceless!

BTW - We do go 2 hours early - I always worry about the car breaking down, an accident, etc. on the way to the airport - but we're also 1 1/2 hours away.

[zqvol]

For me it depends what airport I am using.

I was in NYC about 5 weeks after 9-11 I was told to get there over 2 hours before teh flight. It took me about 45 seconds to get through security. No one was there. On the other hand once it took me over 90 minutes to get through security at LAX

 

This is the key.

 

You have to know your airport. I find it very funny that people say to get there two hours early and have breakfast, etc. You haven't flown out of our airport where NOTHING opens before 7:00 a.m. No breakfast, no coffee, no soda, no newspaper . . .

 

I find that it takes longer to get through security on Saturday and Sunday than it does during the week because you have leisure travelers, instead of business people who are used to the routine. That is a key fact in how long it takes to clear security. Business people and frequent travelers know the routine. Take the jackets off, take the shoes off, laptops, and electronic games out of the bags, pockets empty, etc.

 

OP, if you are not familiar with your airport and its normal wait times to clear security, go early. If you know how the airport works, then you would not have asked the question to begin with, so you should have your answer.

[ericrz]

This is the key.

 

You have to know your airport. I find it very funny that people say to get there two hours early and have breakfast, etc. You haven't flown out of our airport where NOTHING opens before 7:00 a.m. No breakfast, no coffee, no soda, no newspaper . . .

 

Sounds very much like our airport. At BHM, I never arrive more than an hour ahead of time, as it's just not necessary. But every airport is different, as many posters above have said!!

[twinmommy08]

I'll tell you what happened to us on our last cruise...

 

Our flight was at 6 am on a Sunday morning, for our Monday cruise.

 

We arrived at 5 am and proceeded through security because we already dropped off luggage at sky cap and printed off boarding passes...

 

We left security at 6:45 am. Apparently, someone tried to "sneak" in liquids and it was a big thing and they shut down opperations...

 

Needless to say, we missed our flight. We got put on a 3 pm flight that same night, thank God we flew in a day before or we would have missed our cruise... better yet, if we had shown up at 4 am we may have missed the whole crazyness.

[jamstew]

DD and I always fly out of Austin.. We get to the airport at least 1 1/2 hours before the flight leaves as security lines can be long at times as well as the lines to check in bags.

 

I also fly out of Austin, but I never get there more than an hour before flight time and have never had an issue (knock wood). I most often fly mid-week, late morning, so that may make a difference :confused:

[jamstew]

This is the key.

 

You have to know your airport. I find it very funny that people say to get there two hours early and have breakfast, etc. You haven't flown out of our airport where NOTHING opens before 7:00 a.m. No breakfast, no coffee, no soda, no newspaper . . .

 

Agreed. I flew out of Shreveport, LA, one time, and the airline web site said to be there 1-1/2 hours early. My flight was somewhere around 8AM. I hadn't flown out of that airport in many years, so I didn't know what to expect. Sure enough, when I arrived at 6:30, there was practically no one there. There wasn't even a ticket agent to check me or my luggage in. :mad:

[kcroxyoursox]

It's a simple question.. how much detail do you want? My flight number? my plans? My home address? My shoe size :confused: I only asked what people have done lately? Thats all. Pretty simple question I would think.

 

No need to get offended. Honestly, I thought the same thing.

 

Details that would have been nice to include:

 

What airport are you leaving from

How far you live from the airport

How you are getting to the airport

What region of the country you are in and what weather forecasts are

How many are you traveling with, and their ages

Are you carrying on or checking baggage

 

And those are just off the top of my head.

 

The point is that without those details, others' advice and anecdotes may not be an accurate way to figure out your plan of attack. Traveling solo with one small carry on in summer out of the Lubbock airport is not the same as checking your bags with three small children, relying on your neighbor to be on time to drive you there in the middle of winter in Minnesota.

 

Like someone said above, you don't want to play the woulda, coulda, shoulda game, because that probably means you missed your flight.

[vacruizer]

This is the key.

 

You have to know your airport. I find it very funny that people say to get there two hours early and have breakfast, etc. You haven't flown out of our airport where NOTHING opens before 7:00 a.m. No breakfast, no coffee, no soda, no newspaper . . .

 

 

:D That sounds like our airport. The one little coffee stand doesn't even open until after our flight leaves. Still, I'd rather be there early and waitng by the gate than cut it close and miss the flight.

[MistyRo76]

I can tell you from working in both large and small airports over the last 10 years for a major airline, security lines tend to be worse on weekends as you have many more vacation travelers than you do during the week. During the week, you have a lot of frequent business travelers who know what they can/can't bring thru security, travel with less luggage and are accustomed to the rules and regulations of flying. On the weekends, you'll have more families and people who don't fly regularly. And you have people with more luggage. You would be surprised at how this can affect how long you end up waiting in check-in lines and security lines.

 

To save time, check in on line with your carrier and be aware of what the current TSA rules are for carry on baggage and cleaning thru security.

 

I would recommend getting to the airport a minimum of 90 minutes before your flight (more if you can't check in on line).

 

Misty

[Aoumd]

I think the decision you made, and the 2 hours in advance goal for getting to the airport, is a good one.

 

For my last cruise I had a 7:00 AM flight out of EWR (which I assume would be the airport you are flying out of since you're in Nutley and you said car service was picking you up at 4:30 to get to the airport at 5).

 

I packed and checked-in online the night before. Woke up at 4:30 ready to go. Out the door at 5 AM (from Jersey City Heights). Pulaski Skyway was empty (granted you probably would be using other roads), but the curbfront at Terminal C was crowded with cars (that might be an issue for curbside check in). Arrived at EWR 5:23 AM. Security lines were short. Was at gate by 5:40 (and my gate was quite a walk from the curb).

 

While I got to the gate in plenty of time (they didn't start boarding until after 6 AM), I also didn't have any baggage to check (since it was a 4-day cruise), and I am always glad to get to the airport in plenty of time. With some of the problems EWR has had lately with security issues tying up concourses for an hour or more, I wouldn't want to be cutting it close. ESPECIALLY if traveling with a small child...I was traveling alone (met up with a friend at FLL for the cruise). The instant you enter the issues that may arise traveling with small child into the equation, I couldn't fathom doing anything less than budgeting in plenty of time.

 

Also, FYI, if you are indeed flying out of EWR, only a few stores/shops are open in the airport that early...you may have to look around for a place that's open once you're past security and looking for stuff to drink, etc.

[nutley chick]

Yes I am flying out of EWR and I know that it gets a little crazy at times but I am flying jet blue out of terminal A. That terminal always seems less crowded. I will be there 2 hours early maybe even more.

I'm starting to get a little concearned as I don't like taking off in the wind. They are calling for very windy conditions tomorrow. So I will spend a good part of 2 hours worried. The more I have to sit and waste time the more worried I will become. I guess it's better then snow though.

Thanks again to all for your answers and suggestions. I do appreciate it.

Wish me luck and I'll see you when I get back!

[keishashadow]

Thank You all for the replies.

I will be getting to the airport 2 hours ahead of time. I just called the car service and have them picking me up at 4:30 :eek:. I hope I can sleep a little on the plane. My daughter, for sure, will be sleep walking this whole time. She is not an early riser so this should be interesting.

 

When i've used in other cities, the car service dispatchers typically had a good idea how long it takes for airport run on any given day/time; you should be set.

 

accidents happen (all those late for their flights?:rolleyes:) & u may have to divert to back road to airport, imo planning to arrive 2 hours ahead of time is cheap form of trip insurance imo

 

another consideration i didn't see listed here - if u haven't paid for an assigned seat - the last to check in are the ones that get bumped on an oversold flight (unless somebody volunteers)

 

I've seen more than a few peeps begging to go to front of TSA line because they're running late, wouldn't want to be in that position.

[happy cruzer]

The keys I look at:

 

What time do they start giving seats away if you are not checked in?

 

Then factor your travel time ( to the airport, parking, parking to gate, luggage checking ), time to get checked in (i.e. how long you will be in line at the airport dependent on the airport.

 

That's the key, you can checkin later but if they have overbooked your flight they can bump you if you don't meet the checkin requirement.