How early can you check in at airport?

[cohollywood]

I have a strange question that I've tried to find the answer EVERYWHERE for and have not succeeded. I've even contacted the airport in question with no real success.

 

I know this may change from airport to airport, but, I'm hoping someone will shed some light...

 

If our flight leaves at 5:15PM, how early can we get through security at Denver International Airport? Would I be able to get through security at 8AM?

 

I ask because I have a friend whom I have not seen in many, many years who has a layover at our airport the same day our flight leaves. I would love to see him, but his layover isn't long enough for him to leave the terminal and then get back, so I would need to meet him at the gate.

 

Any chance of this happening?

[DEBnGAB]

I have a strange question that I've tried to find the answer EVERYWHERE for and have not succeeded. I've even contacted the airport in question with no real success.

 

I know this may change from airport to airport, but, I'm hoping someone will shed some light...

 

If our flight leaves at 5:15PM, how early can we get through security at Denver International Airport? Would I be able to get through security at 8AM?

 

I ask because I have a friend whom I have not seen in many, many years who has a layover at our airport the same day our flight leaves. I would love to see him, but his layover isn't long enough for him to leave the terminal and then get back, so I would need to meet him at the gate.

 

Any chance of this happening?

 

You can prob get past security but you wont be able to check any bags that early. Bag checking is usually 3, sometimes 4 hours before a flight time.

[papilliontraveler]

I have a strange question that I've tried to find the answer EVERYWHERE for and have not succeeded. I've even contacted the airport in question with no real success.

 

I know this may change from airport to airport, but, I'm hoping someone will shed some light...

 

If our flight leaves at 5:15PM, how early can we get through security at Denver International Airport? Would I be able to get through security at 8AM?

 

I ask because I have a friend whom I have not seen in many, many years who has a layover at our airport the same day our flight leaves. I would love to see him, but his layover isn't long enough for him to leave the terminal and then get back, so I would need to meet him at the gate.

 

Any chance of this happening?

 

Why don't you call Denver airport and ask?

[Spycee1]

I know when we got back to MIA to check in, we arrived at 9am and our flight was not until 2pm. They wouldn't let us check in more than 4 hours pre-flight. We had to wait around until 10am until we could check in and clear security.

[travelntreats]

Problem checking in is not the issue...that can be done online usually 24 hours before flight and print a boarding pass.... problem lies in that if you have luggage...it cannot be checked before the guidelines of the carrier.

 

OP states they contacted the airport they are inquiring about, but I would contact the airline for clarification of when bags can be checked in.

[cohollywood]

Thanks! I actually finally figured it out. Frontier will let me get my boarding pass 24 hours in advanced and security will let me go through the line if I have a boarding pass.

 

I won't need to check my luggage until later in the day. I'll have to go to the airport, then go back home, and then go back to the airport, but it's worth it to see my friend.

[travelntreats]

glad I could offer suggestions that gave you your answer !

[papilliontraveler]

OP states they contacted the airport quote]

 

You are correct, I apologize.

[travelntreats]

OP states they contacted the airport quote]

 

You are correct, I apologize.

 

No worries.... they got their answer above !

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Always call up to check

[5waldos]

Thanks! I actually finally figured it out. Frontier will let me get my boarding pass 24 hours in advanced and security will let me go through the line if I have a boarding pass.

 

I won't need to check my luggage until later in the day. I'll have to go to the airport, then go back home, and then go back to the airport, but it's worth it to see my friend.

 

So you are going through security twice? I guess that must be ok since people do sometimes come back out. But is it worth driving out there twice? If you are parking your car for your trip- why not just bring your luggage and leave it in the car while you visit, then go out and get it when you can check it? I hate the drive out to DIA. I'd rather sit and read for a couple of hours at the airport. But have fun, however you do it.

[mariemorgan]

I just flew from Seattle and I could not check my bags until 4 hours before my flight takes off.. I was flying southwest and do not know the other airline's rules.

 

I think if I had carryon i would have been fine going through security and such.

[travelntreats]

If you are only working with a carry-on and have your boarding pass, you are free to come and go thru security numerous times. With most airports having no smoking policies, often you will see passengers exiting the secured area and stepping outside to grab that last smoke before flight (I am guilty of this !) and then going thru security again.

[JetWestInc]

I work in the Airline Industry, and I can vouch that 4 hours is pretty much an industry standard for bag check. However, at DEN, one of Frontiers Hubs, they may have a "Futures" center where bags for later in the day go (mostly transfer bags coming in from other cities...) so they MAY allow you to check in early. Tell them your story, they may check them in. If that fails, check in with a Sky Cap on the curb and slip them a nice tip. Chances are they will print your tags and hold your bags until the 4 hour mark then send them down the belt to the bag room :)

 

Don

[travelntreats]

Great Suggestion JetWestInc....so nice when someone comes to the rescue of a member needing valid advice !

[C Cruise Dude]

I have a strange question that I've tried to find the answer EVERYWHERE for and have not succeeded. I've even contacted the airport in question with no real success.

 

I know this may change from airport to airport, but, I'm hoping someone will shed some light...

 

If our flight leaves at 5:15PM, how early can we get through security at Denver International Airport? Would I be able to get through security at 8AM?

 

I ask because I have a friend whom I have not seen in many, many years who has a layover at our airport the same day our flight leaves. I would love to see him, but his layover isn't long enough for him to leave the terminal and then get back, so I would need to meet him at the gate.

 

Any chance of this happening?

 

My recent flight was with Delta and they would not let me check in until 2 hours before my flight. I'm sure that there is a time limit by TSA about checking in to. :)

[urbanhawk]

It appears that different airports/airlines have different rules, from what the other posters experiences. Last Friday, when I got off the Miracle in Fort Lauderdale, I was at the airport by 8:30 a.m. or so. I was flying Continental, and my flight didn't leave till after 2 p.m., and I was allowed to check my luggage in right away......I didn't think I'd be able to, but was told that it wouldn't be a problem.......

[travelntreats]

My recent flight was with Delta and they would not let me check in until 2 hours before my flight. I'm sure that there is a time limit by TSA about checking in to. :)

 

Checking in and getting boarding pass via internet 24 hr. before scheduled flight is pretty much the norm with most legacy carriers.... that has nothing to do with the "checking in luggage" policies of airlines. The OP has confirmed this with their airline already.

[MistyRo76]

I worked for a Delta Airlines regional carrier for 10 years. I will say that while airlines do have check-in guidelines, often it will depend on the local ticket agent on whether or not they will make exceptions on checking bags early. When I worked in a small airport, we had a Job Corps center nearby and often they would bring buses of students going home in a time. These students had flights all throughout the day. They bus would usually show up around noon and many of the students wouldn't be leaving until 7PM. We always went ahead and checked their bags as soon as they arrived. I think 4 hrs is a pretty typical standard right now for checked bags, but often they can be checked in earlier.

 

As far as going through TSA, you can enter and exit the secured area as many times as you want provided you have a valid current day boarding pass and photo ID. I doubt that TSA would regulate how early passengers go through security for their flights as often people have been bumped and moved to later flights or had their flights cancelled. So it would be really hard for TSA to control the flow of passengers in that way.

[soozles]

Don't most airports have lockers that you can leave your bags in for the day? I remember when I was in Berlin, we got into Berlin at about 7 am, our flight home wasn't until about 4 pm (it was the end of our trip around Europe, we took an overnight train from our last city to Berlin) and we weren't able to check in, but they had lockers where we could keep our bags while we went into the city. I would think most airports had this.

[cohollywood]

Thanks everyone.

 

We're not far from the airport and my friend will be here around 9AM and our flight doesn't leave until 5PM. I definitely don't want to hang around the airport all day with my 4 year old, so, I'll just make the drive twice. That's not a big deal.

 

So no checked bags to worry about. Just me and TSA. :p

[Shelbyjane56]

Don't most airports have lockers that you can leave your bags in for the day? I remember when I was in Berlin, we got into Berlin at about 7 am, our flight home wasn't until about 4 pm (it was the end of our trip around Europe, we took an overnight train from our last city to Berlin) and we weren't able to check in, but they had lockers where we could keep our bags while we went into the city. I would think most airports had this.

 

 

I believe that lockers were taken away a long time ago after 9-11 for security. I know our airport has not had any lockers since we moved here some time ago

[sarge98]

We had a bit of that problem at Ft Lauderdale airport. Got there 4 hrs before flight time, The wouldn't let us check the bags untill 2 hrs before the flight time. The airline people said it was to keep from too many bags cloging up the baggage handling area adding to the confusion.That might depend on the number of flight they are handing.

[crzndeb]

I was quite surprised that when I arrived in Tampa about 6-7 hours before my flight, that AA said I could check my bags. I had my Ipad and was prepared to sit before checking my bags.

 

I was so excited that I forgot to take off the locks from the night before, sitting in hallway. LOL!!

 

Ended up not leaving until 7 that night (lots of delays), and bags came the next day...luckily, they delivered and all was good.