I'm definitely an early bird arriver. Luckily I have a credit card that offers lounge access so I can relax in relative comfort, but lately the lounges are not always available to us 'credit card loungers' since they're full of their own airline passengers. I usually find an empty gate (quiet and spacious) to wait out the time before my departure and I only go to my gate when it's time to board.
I use this same plan for domestic flights, for which I don't have lounge access. Sometimes I end up at the airport earlier than I want to, such as when coming off a cruise early in the morning, at an airport with no lounge, but not having a flight until afternoon. There are usually lots of inactive gates where one can comfortably hang out until close to boarding time. What is even more aggravating is not being able to check in until about 3 hours before a flight, and not being able to get to lounge access until having checked in.
Judy, you are SO RIGHT! I was grabbing a connection at DFW (UGH!) and the gate changed 4 times in an hour and a half. I actually had to rush to another terminal !! to get my flight. Some airports are worth avoiding (like DFW) if possible. Never again!
What I really hate is arriving the suggested three hours before a middle of the night flight only to find the check-in desk isn't open for another hour •••
I'll argue with the "Don’t check luggage" advice. If you're nervous about boarding early and finding overhead space, consider whether the $35 they'll charge you to check your bag is worth it for your peace of mind.
I never fly on holidays. By that I mean a minimum of 1 week before or after any holiday. I fly business or first class and have access to lounges on international flights. Not all lounges are created equal. KLM, Lufthansa, Virgin are the best I've been to for comfort and food. It's worth paying a little more to fly with them. First class doesn't get you access to lounges on American, Delta or United on domestic flights, so if I have to kill 2 hours, I'll find a restaurant and have a nice meal (shout out to Bush International...best dining options I've found).
Well, yes, because international flights require an official 3-hour lead time, I dutifully arrive 3 hours early. SFO is usually very efficient, and I am Pre-check, so once through bag drop and security, I typically still have 2.5 hours to wait! If lucky enough to have lounge access, I am happy to tank up there. But often I am in economy, so I just settle in with my Wordle and wait. Next time I will try cutting it closer!
These days getting to the airport is sometimes more of a chore than getting through security. I always add an extra half hour because of unexpected traffic or car accidents on the road as we have to drive in from Long Island to get to Kennedy. We’ve actually missed a flight in the past due to that. once that happens, you don’t let it happen again. Luckily, we have access to the lounges so it’s never a big problem and your right Singapore. You can get there half day early and enjoy yourself. The days of showing up the last minute are long gone.
We always arrive at the airport 2 hours before our flight (and sometimes the check in counters aren’t open yet) and 4 hours before international flights. I shoot for nothing less than 3 hours between connections when we can’t avoid them.
I always plan to arrive at the gate three hours early, whereupon I just sit there quietly with my tablet full of reading material. I said PLAN TO:, I do it precisely because I never know what might go wrong on the way to that gate.There might be a security delay, or one of those check-in problems the the airlines love to dream up so they can leave you stranded while they can resell your months-ahead reservation to someone who will pay a fat walkup premium.
When I presented for a Phoenix-Budapest flight early in the reopening after Covid, United tried to deny me boarding because Hungary required a Covid test for entry, and the test I had taken the day before flight had a 48-hour turnaround time, meaning that I would have my results via email by the time I arrived in Europe. United made up a rule of its own that claimed I needed my results before flight, rather than on EU entry. I needed every minute of my three hours to locate and take a fast-turnaround test in town, but the look on that checkin dragon's face as I presented my printed test result just in time was well worth the trouble. As it turned out, when I arrived at the Schengen boundary now armed with results from both tests, all they wanted to see was my proof of vaccination.
So I will go on carrying my gate camper flag with pride. I'm not disturbing anyone by just sitting there. If airport protocols got us through faster in a reliable manner, this wouldn't be necessary.
Yep, but without taking over the seats. I gave myself 3 hours once on a flight out of SFO to HI. Accidentally on freeway had me arriving 40 min before the flight. Ticket agent handed me a boarding pass and I ran to the gate, last one to board. On the plane, I glanced down for my seat assignment to discover the pass said someone else’s name and Chicago on it. I asked thee flight attendant who made a quick call: they had given me the WRONG boarding pass. My flight was just closing the door across the gate, they waited and put me in First Class to HI.
It was a long time ago, but I don’t need the stress while traveling. I’d rather sit at the airport and breathe calmly. Traveling is bad enough these days.
My wife and I arrived at Heathrow 3.5 hours before our return to Toronto. (This was 5 years ago).
It was a good thing we did as it took just over 3 hours to get checked in due to computer issues with British Airways. Sometimes you just never know what they'll throw at you.
On a recent trip I planned my usual arrival at the airport 2 hours in advance but I was paranoid about getting stuck in traffic getting to the airport. This time I took the subway to the airport but a subway breakdown a few weeks ago with people stuck on the train for a whole hour got me to plan more time. For this trip I ended up arrivng at the gate 3 hours in advance. Another approach for next trip, plan on getting to the convention hotel or ship dock a whole day in advance (and do some pre-trip sightseeing) so I could cut it closer getting to the airport and/or dealing with a cancelled flight or hunting for parking and have time to do a Plan B and still make the whole business trip or sea cruise. Also for next time, get Precheck.
100% a gate camper here—but without any of the bad habits mentioned in your piece. I love my home airport, YVR (Vancouver, Canada). I have a favourite coffee spot, a go-to cookie place, and I actually find it a pleasant airport to spend time in and get a little work done before a flight.
That said, 3.5 hours before departure is probably the earliest I’ve ever arrived. I think part of the confusion comes down to the wording—“at least 2 hours,” “at least 3 hours.” Maybe it would be clearer to simply say, “Arrive 2 hours before your flight to avoid missing it—and if you don’t, that’s on you.”
I like to arrive in the 2-3 hour timeframe. I may even go earlier if they have a decent lounge in the airport. People at the gate are very inconsiderate with space management! I head over a few minutes before boarding begins.
I am usually the person who arrives two hours early or even cuts things too close at times, because I live more than two hours from both EWR and PHL. It always seems like I’m pushing it by getting stuck in traffic. I became a miserable ‘gate camper’ this summer though when I had the unfortunate experience of flying out of PHL on Frontier airlines. It was for a business trip to Atlanta. I had a very early departure, planning to arrive the same day as my meeting. Newark had been having huge problems this summer and so I had the same idea as everyone else to fly out of Philly. When I got to the counter they had no way to check in unless you stood in a long line, so I proceeded to security where the lines were so long they snaked up and down hallways and the TSA staffing was so inadequate that people were just jumping lines. I checked in on my phone while in the line but by the time I got to the gate it was departing time and they actually shut the door right in my face. Then I had to camp at two different gates as I waited 3 hours for the next flight. I definitely found a quiet corner and napped. Once we began boarding, they made everyone who had early boarding get back off because the plane’s cooling system was broken. We camped another hour at a new gate to switch planes, then waited another half hour to depart after boarding because security needed to escort a drunk passenger off the plane. Frontier was understaffed and everyone working there was extremely rude. I got to Atlanta but missed a full day of my meeting. Anyway, this experience made me pay extra to fly from my local airport the next trip I took, which was actually a bus to PHL. Also that one experience on Frontier was enough to decide never to use that carrier again.
I'm definitely an early bird arriver. Luckily I have a credit card that offers lounge access so I can relax in relative comfort, but lately the lounges are not always available to us 'credit card loungers' since they're full of their own airline passengers. I usually find an empty gate (quiet and spacious) to wait out the time before my departure and I only go to my gate when it's time to board.
Credit card loungers. That's my next story!
I use this same plan for domestic flights, for which I don't have lounge access. Sometimes I end up at the airport earlier than I want to, such as when coming off a cruise early in the morning, at an airport with no lounge, but not having a flight until afternoon. There are usually lots of inactive gates where one can comfortably hang out until close to boarding time. What is even more aggravating is not being able to check in until about 3 hours before a flight, and not being able to get to lounge access until having checked in.
Just keep your eye on the departure boards as gates can change to a distant "run".
Judy, you are SO RIGHT! I was grabbing a connection at DFW (UGH!) and the gate changed 4 times in an hour and a half. I actually had to rush to another terminal !! to get my flight. Some airports are worth avoiding (like DFW) if possible. Never again!
What I really hate is arriving the suggested three hours before a middle of the night flight only to find the check-in desk isn't open for another hour •••
Yep, been there.
That's why you use online checkin if available.
Actually, I always do this when a printed ticket is not required. But, . . .
In both Tirana, Albania (4 am Luftaansa flight) and Brussels (3:30 am Iberia flight), the apps still said to check in three hours before departure.
I'll argue with the "Don’t check luggage" advice. If you're nervous about boarding early and finding overhead space, consider whether the $35 they'll charge you to check your bag is worth it for your peace of mind.
I never fly on holidays. By that I mean a minimum of 1 week before or after any holiday. I fly business or first class and have access to lounges on international flights. Not all lounges are created equal. KLM, Lufthansa, Virgin are the best I've been to for comfort and food. It's worth paying a little more to fly with them. First class doesn't get you access to lounges on American, Delta or United on domestic flights, so if I have to kill 2 hours, I'll find a restaurant and have a nice meal (shout out to Bush International...best dining options I've found).
Good advice.
Well, yes, because international flights require an official 3-hour lead time, I dutifully arrive 3 hours early. SFO is usually very efficient, and I am Pre-check, so once through bag drop and security, I typically still have 2.5 hours to wait! If lucky enough to have lounge access, I am happy to tank up there. But often I am in economy, so I just settle in with my Wordle and wait. Next time I will try cutting it closer!
These days getting to the airport is sometimes more of a chore than getting through security. I always add an extra half hour because of unexpected traffic or car accidents on the road as we have to drive in from Long Island to get to Kennedy. We’ve actually missed a flight in the past due to that. once that happens, you don’t let it happen again. Luckily, we have access to the lounges so it’s never a big problem and your right Singapore. You can get there half day early and enjoy yourself. The days of showing up the last minute are long gone.
I really love that mall in Singapore, the one with the waterfall.
We always arrive at the airport 2 hours before our flight (and sometimes the check in counters aren’t open yet) and 4 hours before international flights. I shoot for nothing less than 3 hours between connections when we can’t avoid them.
Wow, that's a lot of extra time.
My pre 9/11 mantra was "If you aren't running through the airport, you've wasted your time." I miss those days!
Me too.
I always plan to arrive at the gate three hours early, whereupon I just sit there quietly with my tablet full of reading material. I said PLAN TO:, I do it precisely because I never know what might go wrong on the way to that gate.There might be a security delay, or one of those check-in problems the the airlines love to dream up so they can leave you stranded while they can resell your months-ahead reservation to someone who will pay a fat walkup premium.
When I presented for a Phoenix-Budapest flight early in the reopening after Covid, United tried to deny me boarding because Hungary required a Covid test for entry, and the test I had taken the day before flight had a 48-hour turnaround time, meaning that I would have my results via email by the time I arrived in Europe. United made up a rule of its own that claimed I needed my results before flight, rather than on EU entry. I needed every minute of my three hours to locate and take a fast-turnaround test in town, but the look on that checkin dragon's face as I presented my printed test result just in time was well worth the trouble. As it turned out, when I arrived at the Schengen boundary now armed with results from both tests, all they wanted to see was my proof of vaccination.
So I will go on carrying my gate camper flag with pride. I'm not disturbing anyone by just sitting there. If airport protocols got us through faster in a reliable manner, this wouldn't be necessary.
Haha. Bring a tent, like the woman in the illustration. ;-)
Yep, but without taking over the seats. I gave myself 3 hours once on a flight out of SFO to HI. Accidentally on freeway had me arriving 40 min before the flight. Ticket agent handed me a boarding pass and I ran to the gate, last one to board. On the plane, I glanced down for my seat assignment to discover the pass said someone else’s name and Chicago on it. I asked thee flight attendant who made a quick call: they had given me the WRONG boarding pass. My flight was just closing the door across the gate, they waited and put me in First Class to HI.
It was a long time ago, but I don’t need the stress while traveling. I’d rather sit at the airport and breathe calmly. Traveling is bad enough these days.
Don't forget the flat tire rule, that could come in handy if you miss your flight.
My wife and I arrived at Heathrow 3.5 hours before our return to Toronto. (This was 5 years ago).
It was a good thing we did as it took just over 3 hours to get checked in due to computer issues with British Airways. Sometimes you just never know what they'll throw at you.
On a recent trip I planned my usual arrival at the airport 2 hours in advance but I was paranoid about getting stuck in traffic getting to the airport. This time I took the subway to the airport but a subway breakdown a few weeks ago with people stuck on the train for a whole hour got me to plan more time. For this trip I ended up arrivng at the gate 3 hours in advance. Another approach for next trip, plan on getting to the convention hotel or ship dock a whole day in advance (and do some pre-trip sightseeing) so I could cut it closer getting to the airport and/or dealing with a cancelled flight or hunting for parking and have time to do a Plan B and still make the whole business trip or sea cruise. Also for next time, get Precheck.
there is a difference between an early arrival and a long overlay. I have slept on neck pilow and a couple seats during longer overlays.
100% a gate camper here—but without any of the bad habits mentioned in your piece. I love my home airport, YVR (Vancouver, Canada). I have a favourite coffee spot, a go-to cookie place, and I actually find it a pleasant airport to spend time in and get a little work done before a flight.
That said, 3.5 hours before departure is probably the earliest I’ve ever arrived. I think part of the confusion comes down to the wording—“at least 2 hours,” “at least 3 hours.” Maybe it would be clearer to simply say, “Arrive 2 hours before your flight to avoid missing it—and if you don’t, that’s on you.”
I think the airlines are deliberately vague. Maybe they want us there extra early so we'll buy more at the airport mall? Hmmm ....
Oh, probably!!!
I like to arrive in the 2-3 hour timeframe. I may even go earlier if they have a decent lounge in the airport. People at the gate are very inconsiderate with space management! I head over a few minutes before boarding begins.
I am usually the person who arrives two hours early or even cuts things too close at times, because I live more than two hours from both EWR and PHL. It always seems like I’m pushing it by getting stuck in traffic. I became a miserable ‘gate camper’ this summer though when I had the unfortunate experience of flying out of PHL on Frontier airlines. It was for a business trip to Atlanta. I had a very early departure, planning to arrive the same day as my meeting. Newark had been having huge problems this summer and so I had the same idea as everyone else to fly out of Philly. When I got to the counter they had no way to check in unless you stood in a long line, so I proceeded to security where the lines were so long they snaked up and down hallways and the TSA staffing was so inadequate that people were just jumping lines. I checked in on my phone while in the line but by the time I got to the gate it was departing time and they actually shut the door right in my face. Then I had to camp at two different gates as I waited 3 hours for the next flight. I definitely found a quiet corner and napped. Once we began boarding, they made everyone who had early boarding get back off because the plane’s cooling system was broken. We camped another hour at a new gate to switch planes, then waited another half hour to depart after boarding because security needed to escort a drunk passenger off the plane. Frontier was understaffed and everyone working there was extremely rude. I got to Atlanta but missed a full day of my meeting. Anyway, this experience made me pay extra to fly from my local airport the next trip I took, which was actually a bus to PHL. Also that one experience on Frontier was enough to decide never to use that carrier again.
Ah, another Frontier horror story. I have a collection. Maybe that's worth a column.