airport 1hr prior to flight? does anyone do this?

[maldini]

having my first flight post 9/11 w/o a female telling me when to leave. they always want to be there an hr (or more) early. i used to fly alot pre terrorism and would skate in like 10-15 min before flight. never had any problems then.

does anyone know if this is still doable? i figure that as long as i alow enough time to go through the bataan metal detector march i should be ok. do they really deny anyone just cause you got there too late?

also, i would like to check a bag but can take it on the plane if it'd allow me to show up later.

[Edge34]

You will need every minute of that time, and then some, especially if you're flying during a busy time of day. The security checks are really amped up, and as quickly as they try to work it can still back up the lines. If you're checking a bag, you'll have to account for the time to get through that line...its better to be way too early than a little too late.

[jakethebake]

Please read THIS. (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Number=1861331&page=&view=&s b=5&o=&vc=1)

[Laomedon]

If it's a major airport or if it's a typically busy travel day, I would recommend a little extra time. An hour is definitely a little conservative, but it would suck to miss your flight, right?

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

There's no problem, but you're flirting with danger if you're trying to get there right at the last minute and you get caught up in a long security line or they decide they want to search your bag. Or if there's an accident on the way and traffic's bad... or if the shuttle from the parking lot is particularly slow...

They'll give your seat to a standby passenger if you're not there something like 5-10 minutes before the flight takes off.

[maldini]

i dont get it. are you saying there are too many factors to weight them all accurately?

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
i dont get it. are you saying there are too many factors to weight them all accurately?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm saying you haven't provided anough information about the hand. What airport? What time of day? What airline? Where are you parking?

[maldini]

austin, so small airport no traffic, at noon central.

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
austin, so small airport no traffic, at noon central.

[/ QUOTE ]

I haven't had any trouble at the Austin airport itself. They get you through pretty smoothly, and noon shouldn't be too bad. A lot depends on which airline too. If you're checking bags some get your through quicker than others. Some have curbside checking. I usually use the online check-in before leaving for the airport. It lets you print your boarding pass from home.

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
i used to fly alot pre terrorism and would skate in like 10-15 min before flight. does anyone know if this is still doable?

[/ QUOTE ]

No, it's not.

[ QUOTE ]
i figure that as long as i alow enough time to go through the bataan metal detector march i should be ok.

[/ QUOTE ]

You also need to account for an extra 15 minutes or so for getting selected for a random search.

[ QUOTE ]
do they really deny anyone just cause you got there too late?

[/ QUOTE ]

All the time.

[ QUOTE ]
also, i would like to check a bag but can take it on the plane if it'd allow me to show up later.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you are checking a bag, 1 hr is the bare minimum. Without a bag, 45 minutes is the bare minimum. If you are an elite-level frequent flyer or in business/first and the airport has a priority security line, that makes it a little safer to cut it close.

[ThisHo]

bring a book. Get there EARLY. It sucks having to rush through an airport and then find a line for check-in, and a line for security, and then you become "that guy" who thinks he's more important than everyone else and is bitching about the line and trying to push his way to the front with the "hey, if I don't get up there I'm gonna miss my flight" crap.

Just get there at least an hour early, bring a good book or your laptop and hang out with a cup of coffee/tea/soda.

~ThisHo

[kenberman]

the inconvenience of being a tad too early for your flight is much better than the disaster than can occur if you miss your flight.

unless you're doing something critically important in the hours before your flight leaves, why would you risk missing your flight?

[pokerdirty]

[ QUOTE ]
the inconvenience of being a tad too early for your flight is much better than the disaster than can occur if you miss your flight.

unless you're doing something critically important in the hours before your flight leaves, why would you risk missing your flight?

[/ QUOTE ]

he's obviously multitabling. time=money.

[BruinEric]

The first problem is that if you haven't checked in and received a boarding pass 15 min before the scheduled flight departure, then your seat is up for grabs to standbys at the airline's discretion.

The second problem is the risk/reward ratio. If you save a half hour by arriving 30 min later, and still make your flight, all you have gained is 30 minutes of personal time. However, if you don't make your flight -- you don't make your flight. Then you are theoretically at the mercy of the airline's policies. At best, you'll have a much LONGER wait for the next flight. At worst, you will have to pay a fee AND wait LONGER for the next, or even next, next, next flight.

You are risking money and hours upon hours to win 30 min. Bad odds.

[Vince Young]

You definitely need at least an hour and a half at Bergstrom. 2 hours is better.

[Wyrm2]

1 hour is an absolute minimum. I primarily fly out of Dulles and 1.5/2 is better (i don't know how Austin is, some small airports are fine, some (like Providence) are pretty bad).

Bring a fine 2+2 product to read after getting through security, it will be relaxing AND educational /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[kerssens]

I think it something that is unpredictable. I get to Seatac at least an hour before when I leave for somewhere but usually only takes 20 minutes to get to the gate. I've gotten through O'Hare in 15 mintues and Lambert in under a half hour, but its also taken me an hour to get through Lambert. So to sum up....it depends on factors that are unpredictable.

[Porcupine]

[ QUOTE ]
some small airports are fine, some (like Providence) are pretty bad).

[/ QUOTE ]

Flying from Providence Sunday night. You recommend getting there more than an hour in advance?

[Wyrm2]

Sunday night isn't too bad USUALLY. However, they make you sit around and watch your bags go through the explosive sniffer. That's 10-15 if it's not busy, 20-30 if it is. Add 20-30 minutes in the security line if it is busy and you get pretty antsy. I fly through there when I visit my parents and I've had wait times of about 20,20,50,80 minutes for either Sunday or Monday nights. (20, 20 and 80 on Sunday)

[midas]

Dulles Airport is the worst airport in the U.S. You need 2 hrs minimum, especially if you're flying United at a peak time. They should abandon those terminals and rebuild like they did in Pittsburgh.

[Analyst]

[ QUOTE ]
If you are an elite-level frequent flyer or in business/first and the airport has a priority security line, that makes it a little safer to cut it close.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've recently made it from my driveway to the gate at San Jose in as little as 45 minutes even parking in the long term lot, but that's with all of the stars aligning: 5AM traffic, elite security line, parking shuttle pulling up just as I got out of the car. I don't count on this, though, and neither should the OP.

[RacersEdge]

My goal is to set foot in the terminal 1 hour before the flight leaves. It seems to work pretty well.

[beta1607]

[ QUOTE ]
Dulles Airport is the worst airport in the U.S. You need 2 hrs minimum,

[/ QUOTE ]

Dulles is terrible. Although Reagan national is generally a little more expensive it is definatly +EV to fly out of there, especially if you live in the DC metro area. Most people I know actually prefer taking the train out to BWI instead of flying into Dulles.

[djoyce003]

they can give away your seat if you aren't checked in like 30 minutes or an hour before the flight and if the flight is full you are 8==============D boned.

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
My goal is to set foot in the terminal 1 hour before the flight leaves. It seems to work pretty well.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's my goal as well, add 30 minutes if I'm checking a bag.

[razor]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
My goal is to set foot in the terminal 1 hour before the flight leaves. It seems to work pretty well.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's my goal as well, add 30 minutes if I'm checking a bag.

[/ QUOTE ]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/razor27/ElDiablo.jpg

[siccjay]

awesome

[youtalkfunny]

Nice pic--but it would be better if the masked man was striding onto the plane, while in the background an old lady was surrounded by security staff, and taking off her shoes for a shakedown .

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
austin, so small airport no traffic, at noon central.

[/ QUOTE ]
my experience at this airport 4 months ago: had 40 minutes till takeoff. after all the bag checking and lines and what-have-you its getting down to the wire and i put all my stuff through the little security thing for my carry-on which is just my laptop backpack and misc stuff. the lady then proceeded to completely take apart the backpack, every zipper, pouch, velcro, snaps, and straps were accounted for and laptop backpacks have a ton. after reconstructing the bag itself and then putting all my [censored] back into it i ran to my gate (not very far, small airport) to find out the airplane was just backing out. i wanted to go back to the lady and break her hands /images/graemlins/mad.gif.

[NutzyClutz]

Get there early. (Especially if airport has wifi)
1) Check your flight status when leaving
2) Check your bags in at the skycap outside.
3) Volunteer to be bumped, when you check-in.

[OtisTheMarsupial]

Yes, you will need the time. Get there early. Security can take forever.

I've flown all over the country (and to the UK) in the last 2 years and I always try to get there an hour early. Twice I almost missed my flight (last person on the plane) and once I actually did miss it.

[Ed Miller]

Oof.