I haven’t flown anywhere in almost seven years. I thought airport security and other hassles were getting out of hand at the time, in 2004, so I vowed that I would not fly if I could drive to my destination within a reasonable amount of time. And I consider a two-day driving trip reasonable compared to having an anal probe at the airport. Well, I’m going to Anchorage next month, so I don’t have any choice but to fly.
After 9/11 they started saying we need to arrive at the airport two hours before departure. The few times I flew somewhere between then and '04, my thoughts on that were “Oh, please.” Like I’m gonna show up that early and sit around the airport for an hour and a half until boarding time. I’d arrive 45 minutes to an hour before takeoff, and never had any problems.
What I’m wondering is, will this attitude get me in trouble today, with security being at an all-time high of ridiculousness? Please note that I’m flying out of Portland, and AFAIK the airport here does not have those new x-ray scanner thingies yet (if that even makes a difference).
I suppose it depends on exactly when you’re flying. If it’s during a rush period, then it might take you a while to check in and get through security. But if you only have carry-on luggage and you’re not flying over the holidays, I’d say an hour should be sufficient. But if you are checking bags, give it at least an hour. Any less than that is just one more excuse for the airlines to leave your luggage in Portland.
I wouldn’t do less than an hour if you’re checking luggage. If you print your boarding pass in advance (and don’t get caught in unusually long TSA lines) you’ll be fine an hour before the flight. But, I aim for 90 minutes and hit the airport bar. No stress.
It depends on the airport and conditions but I have come within seconds of missing flights even after being inside the airport terminal over 1 hour before the flight. It is easy to get burned in some places. Long check-in lines combined with very long security lines and much earlier gate closing mean that you run a risk by not being generous with your time. All it takes is being pulled out of line for extra special screening to mean that you aren’t going where you want that day if you don’t allow enough time for unforeseen circumstances.
Is there a general time that’s considered a rush period? My flight leaves at 11:30 AM Friday, and my return flight out of Anchorage is around the same time on Monday.
I don’t plan on checking luggage, but my trip is over the MLK weekend (not by my choice).
Unfortunately there seems to be an inverse relationship between the amount of time you leave yourself, and the ease with which you will check in and pass security.
An hour is generally enough time - tho you might find yourself nervously checking your watch. (My experience is that the security lines generally seem longer than they actually are. It is an EXCEPTIONAL instance when security will take more than 30 minutes - it just seems like longer if you are trying to catch a plane and - if like me - you strongly object to just about every aspect of the process.) I generally fly out of OHare, and plan on hitting the airport door 1.5 hours before departure time. Just make sure to bring reading material and plan on waiting somewher, if not in a line, at the gate.
Just flew into and out of Anchorage in Aug. Pretty small airport - definitely low on the crowd/rush scale. I’d be shocked if an hour weren’t sufficient in mid day.
Seconding this. I don’t fly often (4 times in my life), but I **always **leave myself 2 hours for security post-9/11. And I’ve never checked luggage, I carry on. A potential extra 90 minutes wasted is better than missing your flight. Bring a gameboy or book or smartphone or laptop to play on, it’ll fly right by. Plus you can get a good waiting-around seat if you get there early.
You leave time for worst case conditions. I few out of SFO 11 am the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, and there was no one ahead of me in the security line. I usually until my shoes while waiting - I had to do it after putting my bag on the belt.
On the other hand, when I flew to Austin in early November the United computers were screwed up and checking my luggage took forever, even though I had printed a boarding pass and paid the fee online.
I worry about traffic more than the airport, and I hate to feel rushed, so I leave an hour before boarding time (not flight time) at least. It also gives you time to eat or buy food before you get on the plane. The last time the OP flew the airlines still fed you - no such luck today, mostly, unless you want to pay a lot for a skimpy snack.
Yeah, it’s not like you’re not bringing a book for the flight in the first place. The more time you leave the emptier the place will be, but there’s nothing less fun than running through the airport OJ-style.
ETA - once I arrived at the local airport with my usual comfortable margin of time to find that the Army had arrived. From my perspective, the whole army. Fort Jackson had just had a graduation and they were all scattering to the four winds. I was damned glad I’d left extra time, although it was the politest roadblock I’d ever encountered. I have never been called “Ma’am” so often in my life! If I were one of the people in that thread who are offended by Ma’am my head would have exploded.
I’ve gone through PDX a few times with the most recent trip just two weeks ago. The security lines moved fairly fast the few times I’ve been through them, but I don’t believe that I’ve ever flown over a holiday weekend. On average, it’s taken me about 10-15 minutes to get through security but they were all in the early morning.
Remember that planes often board 15-30 minutes before departure (depending on the size of the flight) and if you’re not there by then, they might give away your seat. So budget 30 minutes before departure for boarding, at least 15 minutes for security lines, another 15 minutes for checking in if you don’t have online check-in and that’s one hour already. If you’re parking your car at the airport or at a shuttle lot, add another 30 minutes just in case one lot is full and you have to find another one and you’ll be up to 90 minutes.
2 hours factors in all the worst possible scenarios (pulled aside, check-in mishap, getting lost, etc), but at most you’ll probably be sitting there for an hour if everything goes right. Bring a magazine.
My experience is different. But there is a reason. I recently flew from Montreal to Seattle, through Minneapolis and left 2 hours and damned near missed the flight. But security was no problem, it was the US customs and immigration pre-clearance. The hall was full, full, full and it took nearly an hour (53 minutes by actual timing) to get through it.
Coming home from Seattle, I left two hours. Not because of customs (that was in Montreal), but because in the past I have experienced long, long lines at security. But usually I am leaving maybe at 8 AM and this was after 11. I guess 8 is the real rush for people heading east with a 3 hour time change. At 9 the security was virtually empty. So my wife and I sat around the airport for an extra hour. Big deal. It was good for our piece of mind.
Next month we are going to NY. By train. Yes, long and painfully slow, but no security hassles.
The nice thing is that even if you are late, these days, chances are your flight will be delayed even later!
I travel fairly frequently. QUite frankly, I’m more concerned about traffic to the airport (unless I’m taking a train) than the security line. I would say a good rule of thumb is to get to the airport about an hour before boarding starts and give yourself about 50% more travel time to the airport. Maybe some extra time if you are unfamiliar with the airport.
International flights, definitely give yourself an extra hour or so.
A couple of tips:
Fly as early in the morning as possible. Delays will tend to progress throughout the day and later flights will soon fill up.
Check in online and print your boarding pass before you leave for the airport.
Bring only carry-on luggage if possible.
Wrap a strip of colored tape around any luggage you plan to check. It makes it easier for me to locate my generic black rollar suitcase and lets other people know that one isn’t theirs.
Put your belt, watch, keys, ipod, cell phone and all other items in your bag before you get to the metal detectors / anal probes.
Wear a pullover sweater instead of a zip-up jacket. They usually don’t make you take them off.
Wear sneakers or other shoes that can slip off and on easily.
In my experience this is irrelevant because the check-in/TSA reduce their staff during non-rush periods. The staffing is, as an economist might say, elastic. Some of the worst lines I’ve experienced were at 4am.
I go as early as possible for several reasons. First, you can choose when the lines are the least crowded. Second, you avoid the possibility (as someone mentions above) of nearly missing flights. Third, if I’m at a strange airport, there are lots of shops and stuff to look at, and I can enjoy reading or being online just as much as being at home (particularly if I know I’m making the trip at least slightly less of a PITA).
I haven’t flown since the whole scanner/anal probe thing went into effect. The last time I flew was out of Anchorage actually, when I moved to the Seattle area. The TSA were much more interested in my pet cockatiel than they were me. But then Anchorage TSA have always been the best of any airport I’ve been in, so…there’s that.
(Per the signs at the Amtrak gates I pass daily, these do exist.)