Dulles/How many hours before departure for international flight

[Anonymous]

Flight departs at 6 pm tomorrow. How early should I get there for an international flight?

[Anonymous]

3hrs+ and possibly more if you have kids. It can get very bad there. I hate being early to flights but it just isn't worth the stress I've experienced for some of my international flights out of there.

[Anonymous]

At least two hours, more if you can spare the time. That's prime departure time for international flights, Dulles will be a zoo and security lines will be long.

[Anonymous]

Who are you people who get to the airport so early??

We get to the airport 1.5 hours prior. I plan for traffic but would no way get to the airport 3 hrs early. It is bad enough trying to kill 1 hour at an airport. You just need to check in your bags 1+ hr prior.

We just got back from the Caribbean. Did not check in any bags and got to the airport 1 hr prior.

[Anonymous]

I cut it close on domestic flights but always get to Dulles 2+ hours before international flights. Really depends on wether you are checking luggage and if you have precheck though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who are you people who get to the airport so early??

We get to the airport 1.5 hours prior. I plan for traffic but would no way get to the airport 3 hrs early. It is bad enough trying to kill 1 hour at an airport. You just need to check in your bags 1+ hr prior.

We just got back from the Caribbean. Did not check in any bags and got to the airport 1 hr prior.

The Caribbean and no checked bags isn't the same as traveling to India or Dubai with a family, checked luggage, multiple layovers.

[Anonymous]

I also cut it close on domestic but I would do a true two hours for international. Three hours plus is way too much, though.

[Anonymous]

Yep - 2-3 for international flights.

[Anonymous]

3 minimum.

[Anonymous]

3 at least. If things go smoothly, you'll have extra time so bring something to read. Problem is you can't tell in advance when things will go smoothly.

[Anonymous]

3

[Anonymous]

We always do 2 and it is cutting it tight. We have to leave the car at long term parking, check in with kids in tow and then get both kids through security and to the gate. By the time we get to the gate they are ALWAYS just about to start boarding. So you really need the full two hours if traveling with kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who are you people who get to the airport so early??

We get to the airport 1.5 hours prior. I plan for traffic but would no way get to the airport 3 hrs early. It is bad enough trying to kill 1 hour at an airport. You just need to check in your bags 1+ hr prior.

We just got back from the Caribbean. Did not check in any bags and got to the airport 1 hr prior.

The Caribbean and no checked bags isn't the same as traveling to India or Dubai with a family, checked luggage, multiple layovers.

No kidding. This made me laugh. "Just got back from Cancun without luggage. I'm a world traveler."

[Anonymous]

DH and I just took an international flight with a 6 PM Friday departure last month. The lines weren't that bad. Give yourself 2 hours in the terminal (not 2 hours from the parking garage or shuttle lot).

[Anonymous]

3 hours. I once arrived at Dulles 1.5 hours ahead of an international departure and got shut out at the gate even though the plane was still at the jetway. A Dutch woman I was at the gate with was with a tour group and in danger of messing up her whole itinerary, didn't know where to meet her group, she still got the shaft. They gave my seat away.