How early to arrive at airport?

[earlydoors42]

I am flying to America soon. Haven't been abroad for years. The airline says to arrive 3 hours early for an international flight. The first train will get me there for just over 2 hours before. Is that enough time or do I really need 3 hours? It's from Manchester. I will check in online but have a suitcase to check in. Thank you!

Check in online the day before. Bag drop a minimum of 1 1/2 hours before. Walk through security with no liquids. You’ll be fine. Airports are boring.
We leave minimum as much as we can as we run through security quick smart. Even dds know to fling everything at security 😂

Clearing customs in Dublin is great.
Does it not happen at UK airports ?

Whoa. Is that true about Aer Lingus being treated as a domestic flight I’m shocked.

What's shocking about it?

We leave minimum as much as we can as we run through security quick smart. Even dds know to fling everything at security

Last time I flew out of Manchester the queue for security was an hour. I'm not sure how 'flinging everything at security' would speed that up?

Erm.

Ireland wasn’t part of the USA last time I checked.

Do other airlines have this facility?

US Customs and Immigration pre-clearance happens at other airports too.

Calgary International Airport
Edmonton International Airport
Halifax Robert L. Stanfield International Airport
Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport
Ottawa MacDonald-Cartier International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Vancouver International Airport
Winnipeg International Airport
Caribbean
Grand Bahama International Airport (Freeport, Bahamas)
L. F. Wade International Airport (Bermuda)
Lynden Pindling International Airport (Nassau, Bahamas)
Queen Beatrix International Airport (Aruba)
Shannon Airport (Ireland)
Abu Dhabi International Airport (UAE)

Sorry but 2 hours is NOT enough at Manchester Airport. The security process can be chaotic and take an hour to get through. Then you have to zig zag through duty free to get to the gates.

I flew from Manchester in Feb. I was in the express queue as ds has autism. There was one family in front of us. It took over an hour for them to go through security as they discovered toy weapons in their luggage. My leisurely two hours the airline said I needed was nearly not enough and we ended up running for the flights.

I'd look at a taxi or airport hotel. If the train you're on is delayed or cancelled and security queue is big, there's a good chance you'll miss your flight. It's also quite a long walk from the station to the terminal.

I've also spent over an hour in the security queue first thing in the morning at Manchester and I only made my flight because it hadn't boarded when I got to the gate, which was right next to security as it happens, 10 minutes before take off time. But this was a small plane to the Isle of Man.

I've also flown Man to Dublin on Aer Lingus and it was quite a big plane (737 type I think, at least 200 passengers).

DH and I just got back from the states. We arrived at the airport three hours early both ways and we had HOURS sitting around waiting. Even when line to get through security was enormous we still ended up with ample time on our hands. Flying elsewhere on Friday and only giving ourselves two hours.

Not sure why you wouldn't just adhere to the times they have given you. It's not like you are a seasoned traveller and airports try to prevent excessive crowds if they need to so just follow the advice!

The problem is sherbert is that it's unpredictable and the consequence of things going wrong are high - missed flight, ££££s for a new ticket as they're unlikely to help you for free if you didn't turn up when they told you to.

We always allow 2 hours or slightly more for a European flight but you only need a cancelled train, accident, flat tyre, motorway delay, longer than you expected sorting parking, plus a security queue and some or all of your time contingency is gone.

I've heard it said that I'd rather be 3 hours early than 3 minutes late' and with air travel that seems like a good rule to live by to me.

As a PP said, you can clear US customs in many Canadian airports. People who cross the border regularly sign up for NEXUS which makes it even quicker.

Two hours is fine! Especially if you have already checked in online.

Check in / bag drop closes around an hour before departure time (some destinations less). As pps have said, the security queue at Manchester is slow, but well within a two hour time frame.

The two/three hour guidelines are just that - guidelines. People will start to arrive and check in/bag drop from the start of that time frame, right up until check in closes. If everyone arrived at exactly the same time, it would be chaotic.

Have a lovely time!

If you haven't flown for a while, I'd give yourself maximum time. It's more enjoyable when you're not rushing, get to the gate nice and early and read your book. I fly at least four times a year and I still get there as early as possible so that I can relax.

Boarding can open up to 45 minutes before the flight time and the gates close 20 minutes before.

Man to Dublin to USA is treated as international as PPs have said.

We leave 2.5 hours and stay in the airport hotel overnight. Do it twice a year.

I would say 3 hours to check in and get through security
That will leave you plenty of time to get to your departure gate, go to the loo etc
You can pay extra to go through priority security at Manchester

@UrsulaPandress

Do other airlines have this facility?

It's not the airline, it's the airport.

Sometimes (although rarely!) flights leave early,

This doesn't happen.

Regular Manchester flyer via the train here.
I think I've done the dublin/us flight too - which terminal do you fly from?
I'm on a small station en route and get the train before I need to and agree Northern Rail is not reliable.
I plan for a train not stopping at my station and if I need to get a taxi.
There's an app for IOS called "real time trains" RTT which can tell you where your train is so you are not at the mercy of announcements.
I always check in online usually hand luggage only.
I pay for fast track security and ruthlessly check my luggage for any issues- in June I was held up by a battery charger - a first!
I check whether I'm arriving at a busy time too - Google can give you a rough idea.
With two clear hours and clear organisation I'd do it with back up plans but ymmv.

If the advice is to allow 3hrs, that’s what you need to do. Trains are very unreliable, I wouldn’t risk it. But to clear US customs in Ireland is a good idea, I know a few that have done this route, much easier. Good luck.

Just been to the states, I always arrive early, it is just not worth the risk. MIL missed a flight once but she is late for everything.

So many chances of a delay plus your relying on public transport. If I’m on an early flight I always stay in a hotel before the flight by the airport. If it’s a later afternoon so means I can avoid rush hour in the morning I do that. For a 2 hour 15 min journey to Heathrow three weeks ago for a 3pm flight we left at 9.15 am. We stopped for 10 mins at a service station and we had valet parking where they meet you right outside your departure terminal so super quick. We had also checked in online.

I would not normally plan to arrive more than two hours early for transatlantic if I had checked in online BUT I know that this is fine in the specific airports I fly to and from, Edinburgh and Boston. It sounds as if Manchester and it’s trains present a specific challenge so I would err on the side of caution. I know, for example that bag drop for Aer Lingus in both my “home” airports is quick and security at the times the flights go is quiet.

The airport is very relevant, I would not risk 2 hours at Manchester, especially terminal 1 (or 3).
Queues at bag drop as well as security can be lengthy and nearly everyone will have checked in online. Quite a few airlines have automated bag drops which people struggle with and they seem to have no leeway if weight slightly over so people ahead of you are occupying a machine whilst rearranging bags etc.
At the very least if can't arrive earlier book fast track at security.
I think I would look at a hotel the night before rather than risk train or even taxi (motorways near airport being very busy and risk of problems).
At least flying via Dublin you will significantly reduce your time at US airport on arrival.

Checking in online doesn't seem to make the slightest difference now that everyone does it. The queues for bag drop are as long as the ordinary check in lines, and the procedure when you get to the front doesn't seem that much quicker either.