How early is too early to arrive at the airport?

I live near Bristol airport and, as a fellow anxious traveller, I'd say go at the time you're thinking.
The roads around here are bloody awful at the moment, which is affecting the motorway - even Northbound.

That is the time my husband would leave too. We went recently and Bristol was busier than I ever saw it. We were much too early, but I would prefer that. I teased him, but it was sensible - we actually used his contingency because of issues on tne M4. Ignore everyone and go with what makes you feel comfy

Has there ever been 'no traffic' on the M5 on a friday afternoon? Apart from during covid times?

I think those who are saying leave later either aren't familiar with the M5 in summer or live near their local airport.

We always have to allow more time to get to an airport because of potential traffic issues, so I get it.

Departure

I know that’s a bank holiday weekend but it would still be worth stress-testing the route on a couple of Fridays between now and then (similar time to your proposed journey) to check how long it takes. That won’t help if they shut the motorway on the day but will nonetheless give you a ball-park figure to work from (and add a contingency half hour/hour). Then, work out a back-up plan on A roads avoiding the M5 altogether.
I stress about getting to airports on time and it’s all made worse by my family who seem to deliberately dawdle. At least you only have to please yourself and there are some good tips on here from others about filling time once safely there.

But you can obviously sit and get a drink /snack etc if you are there earlier

Go early so you can relax. Then sit with a nice drink and read a book or magazine or something. Far nicer start to your holiday

Have you any travelling companions? I would take that into consideration. Stuck with small children waiting for bag drop would be no fun.
Alone with a good book/podcast/ TV downloads. Absolutely fine

@ikeepdancingonmy yes but when you get to the airport you’ll likely be told you can’t check in until two hours - at least that’s how it has been for me the last three times I’ve flown with them! And they’ve been very strict about it.

@ikeepdancingonmy are EasyJet saying you must arrive 3 hours early or is that when bag drop opens?

If you leave at 11:30 you’ll get there at 1:30 and potentially have a 5 hour wait. That seems excessive.

I would aim to be at the airport 2.5-3 hours before a flight usually.
However in this situation where it sounds like the road is likely to be much more of an issue than the airport, I’d just travel there the day before and book an airport hotel. I’ve been stuck on the m5 before and it was awful. I’d just cut out the worry of getting to the airport area itself and then you don’t need to sit at the actual airport for so long.

OP - take note that ALL of the south westers are saying to leave very early!

I'd leave at the time you've suggested. The M5 has been horrendous this summer, it's literally the laughing stock of the South West.

So you can check in at 3.30 but if no traffic you could be there for 1pm if you leave as planned. Is there somewhere nearby you can go for lunch rather than sit in the airport with cases?

I got bumped off a flight because of motorway traffic and getting there 'late' in their eyes to bag drop off. I got a 'free' hotel and left first thing but the hotel I was staying at had given away my room as I didn't show.

By late, I wasn't actually late I just was one of the last ones left after the allocated the seats because they oversell the flights.

I then I had a nightmare trying to get a room sorted for a week for the week.

So I go early now.

Far better to leave early. Get to airport with time and sit and read a book there and not stress

v

Leave a little later. Then stress If traffic /accident /roadworks and possibly miss flight

we fly at 7am Thur. I’m about 30/40m from airport

plan to leave by 3am. Get there by 4am and suitcases in and then chill in lounge /look in shops etc

yes a little early but traffic may be bad. M25 may be an accident etc

friends nearly missed their flight last month due to motorway being shut and rerouted and got to airport with literally 15m spare

she was stressing and crying

leaving extra time will stop that and you sound anxious so why take the risk

of late you miss the flight and holiday ruined /cancelled

I’ll probably get slated for this but I’d leave super early and get near the airport and then hang out in one of the nice pubs / cafes about 15 mins from the airport.

It sounds like you’re coming up from Devon ? I live in Somerset and use Bristol airport a lot. The M5 lately has been an absolute nightmare and Fridays are notoriously bad. Northbound on a Friday can be sticky around Taunton / Bridgwater. All it takes is one closure and you’ll be stuck for hours. The diversion routes then completely clog up. If I need to travel NB on a Friday in the summer I leave by mid morning at the latest. I’d rather be too early for my destination and hang around reading etc than hanging around waiting to travel.

Get off at junction 22 and go up the A38. Be aware there are roadworks around Winscombe though there which can slow you down. Plenty of nice pubs on the A38 though to kill a bit of time before moving on to the airport.

That's too risky. Friday afternoon traffic plus a bank holiday means that there could be significant delays.

As a pp has pointed out, being bored for an hour at the airport is better than missing a flight.

We always have to allow more time than we should for getting across the Pennines to Manchester airport. Trans Pennine Express are too unreliable and there are often accidrnts that close Woodhead Pass and the M62. The wildfires are also a problem just now.

Entirely fair!

Leave when it suits you. Or if you can justify it, head up the night before and stay in a hotel or b&b closer to the airport, if you can afford it.

Bristol easyjet opens bag drop 3 hours before and they have a self service option too

We're leaving early for our flight at the weekend. We'll probably have 4 hours at the airport (although we board 30 minutes before and the gates are a 40 minute walk so that's an hour accounted for anyway!)

I haven't flown for over a decade, I've never travelled with all 3 DC and I'm nervous so DP has agreed we can leave as early as I want. We'll have an early lunch, have a look around the shops, grab sandwiches for the flight, grab some magazines etc.

I'd rather be bored at the airport than stressed about getting there.

The amount of derision I've received (even from family and friends) about this and the fact we're taking quite a few cases, has made me quite sad.

I'm no longer a regular flyer so feeling quite stressed but the "good natured banter" is annoying me now. We are not taking more than our baggage allowance and the only people who will be affected by our early airport arrival are us.

I feel quite judged as we aren't arriving and hour before the flight and travelling with hand luggage only!!

I'm the same but I don't know Bristol. I'd have thought 2 hours would be fine pre flight at Bristol though. So leave home 4 hours before flight allows for a 2 hour drive.