How early to arrive for domestic flights?

[Anonymous]

We are due to fly to Seattle from Dulles at 8.30am on Wednesday. I have never flown domestically (I am a foreigner). My DH heard reports of long lines to go through security. How early do we need to arrive? Any other tips for a domestic air travel newbie?

[Anonymous]

I would roll in no earlier than 7:30. During Normal Times, I'd arrive at about 8:15. I've never missed a flight. I don't like sitting around airports.

[Anonymous]

I think two hours is good if you have bags. If you don’t have bags, one hour if you get your boarding pass on your phone is sufficient.

I often live on the edge and cut it closer though. This is if you really want ample time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would roll in no earlier than 7:30. During Normal Times, I'd arrive at about 8:15. I've never missed a flight. I don't like sitting around airports.

This will not work if you check bags.

[Anonymous]

1 hour or 1h15m in advance if you want to check a bag and/or are an anxious traveler, 45 minutes if you have PreCheck and carry-on only.

A tip for a newbie would be to familiarize yourself with the rules on the TSA website. Make sure your liquids and gels are under the limit and in a single bag together, have your laptop or tablet easily accessible, etc: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1 hour or 1h15m in advance if you want to check a bag and/or are an anxious traveler, 45 minutes if you have PreCheck and carry-on only.

A tip for a newbie would be to familiarize yourself with the rules on the TSA website. Make sure your liquids and gels are under the limit and in a single bag together, have your laptop or tablet easily accessible, etc: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening

At some airports they stop accepting checked bags 45 minutes before flight, and sometimes the lines to get to the kiosk to check your bag are long. I am a perpetually late person so I have had issues with this and now I never arrive later than an hour and a half before a flight if I’m checking a bag.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for this. We will need to check bags so will plan to arrive at 6.30am (ugh). Strangely enough, as I get older, I get more stressed about traveling by air. Unfortunately, the times that I've had problems have made me jumpy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would roll in no earlier than 7:30. During Normal Times, I'd arrive at about 8:15. I've never missed a flight. I don't like sitting around airports.

This will not work if you check bags.

Arrive at the curb 15 minutes before flight time???

Doesn’t that give like five minutes to get to the gate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would roll in no earlier than 7:30. During Normal Times, I'd arrive at about 8:15. I've never missed a flight. I don't like sitting around airports.

This will not work if you check bags.

Arrive at the curb 15 minutes before flight time???

Doesn’t that give like five minutes to get to the gate?

With Clear it’s doable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would roll in no earlier than 7:30. During Normal Times, I'd arrive at about 8:15. I've never missed a flight. I don't like sitting around airports.

This will not work if you check bags.

Arrive at the curb 15 minutes before flight time???

Doesn’t that give like five minutes to get to the gate?

With Clear it’s doable.

Not at Dulles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would roll in no earlier than 7:30. During Normal Times, I'd arrive at about 8:15. I've never missed a flight. I don't like sitting around airports.

This will not work if you check bags.

I never check bags.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would roll in no earlier than 7:30. During Normal Times, I'd arrive at about 8:15. I've never missed a flight. I don't like sitting around airports.

This will not work if you check bags.

I never check bags.

We get it. You’re the best traveler.

But your responses are not useful to op. So fk off.

[Anonymous]

I traveled last week (although not through Dulles) and there were longish lines in normal security, but no lines at all in precheck. I was through security and at the gate in under 10 minutes. The regular security lines were probably 10-15 minute waits. Not sure how crowded dulles is with fewer international passengers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would roll in no earlier than 7:30. During Normal Times, I'd arrive at about 8:15. I've never missed a flight. I don't like sitting around airports.

8:15 for an 8:30 flight? They cut off new boarding 10 minutes prior to take off and will give away your seat. This is terrible advice. It takes more than 5 minutes to walk from TSA to your gate normally. Especially Dulles with the people movers.

If your flight leaves at 8:30 and you are checking bags, I would arrive at 6:30 AM. If no bags checked, then you could push it to 7AM. If you are with kids, I'd go on the earlier side though.

[Anonymous]

We did this on a W morning last week but from National.

I'd get there 2-3 hours before.

Consider bringing breakfast or arriving more like 3 hours before if you must purchase coffee. If you have pre-check it'll be faster.

Be warned: the Seattle airport rental car lines are INSANE. INSANE. They moved fast for us but we and everyone else were stunned when we walked out of the airport to the rental car shuttle. Food is also really backed up there, so when returning consider that you might have to wait in long lines for food or wait 30+ minutes for cooked food. There are also lounge capacity issues (we faced an undocumented closure and couldn't access one that we were planning to use).