How Early Should I Get to the Airport? (10 Things to Know)

Ever wondered how early you should arrive at the airport before your flight? Here are 10 things to consider so you can show up with plenty of time and eliminate stress when traveling. Click “Show More” to see Ad Disclosure.

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Traveling is fun. Traveling the world for free (or close to it) with credit cards is also fun. And traveling as STRESS FREE as possible makes both situations THE MOST FUN.

There are a lot of things that can get in the way of having a smooth airport experience. So to help you have smooth sailing, here are my general guidelines along with 10 factors to consider before your next trip.

HOW EARLY SHOULD I GET TO THE AIRPORT?

Generally, I’d suggest getting to the airport about 1.5 hours prior to boarding for DOMESTIC FLIGHTS. Then for INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS, I’d bump that up to 2.5 hours prior to boarding.

10 THINGS TO CONSIDER

1. Which time of the year is your trip? Seasonality can make a big difference, so keep things like summer vacation, spring break, etc. in mind. If you’re traveling during a time when many others are too, then allow extra time.

2. Which day and time are you leaving? If you’re traveling during peak business travel hours, add extra time.

3. Out of which airport will you be departing? Usually the larger international airports will take longer to navigate from one terminal or gate to another. There will very likely be a lot more people passing through, too.

4. Are you flying domestically or internationally? For those international flights, give yourself more time.

5. Do you have carry-on luggage, or will you be checking bags? Carrying on makes things really easy. If you need to check bags, there’s a change you’ll have to wait in a line to complete the process. Add additional time if you need to check your bags.

6. Do you have any priority benefits? Here I’m referring to things like priority check-in, priority security, etc. (that is, the things that can get you through the airport queues faster). These benefits are usually obtained from an airline credit card, attaining elite status, or purchasing the benefits a la carte (if available).

7. Do you plan to enroll in an expedited ID / security / clearance program? If you plan to have your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry interview prior to your flight, be sure to factor that in.

8. Are you already enrolled in an expedited ID / security / clearance program? If yes, then you’ve got a good shot at predictably getting through security checkpoints, customs, etc. a lot faster.

9. Are you traveling with other people, and are they already enrolled in an expedited ID / security / clearance program? If they don’t have the priority benefits that you do, then you’ll need to wait for them anyway. So, be sure to arrive early enough to accommodate everyone traveling with you.

10. Do you want to eat or shop at the airport? Do you want to visit an airport lounge? Again, this will add time, too. If I plan to visit an airport lounge, I usually like to stay anywhere from 45 - 90 minutes. There are many travel credit cards that provide lounge access, and they can really enhance your airport experience. Some of these credit cards include the Amex Platinum Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve card, Capital One Venture card, and others. If you're interested in accessing airline lounges (i.e. the ones that are operated by the airlines, like the American Airlines Admirals Club, United Club, and Delta SkyClub), then usually the top-tier airline credit cards will provide you with the access you're looking for.

Disclosure: This site is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. The content in this video is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available. Mark Reese is not a financial advisor.

#travel #traveling #howtotravel