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Original poster

Airport arrival time

78 replies

LG123 · 19/02/2025 11:39

I'm flying a lot this year... I usually get to the aiport 45mins-1hr before if travelling solo 2-3hrs with the kids. I hate sitting around an airport for hours, I use fast track security too.

What time do you all get to the airport for domestic and short haul? My riskiest was 25mins before a flight with BA from London to Glasgow!

OP posts:

mitogoshigg · 19/02/2025 14:48

Dh leaves our house 4 hours before business flights, it stresses me out (why??) because in perfect conditions it's 1 hour 45 mins to Heathrow long stay business parking, then you need to catch a shuttle bus, ok it's hand luggage only but you only need a slight delay on the motorway, I make sure we leave at least 30 extra minutes when going together, though lately I've booked the ibis the night before! Less stress

RandomUsernameHere · 19/02/2025 14:48

I'd allow an hour for Southampton but two for Heathrow and Gatwick.

MotherWol · 19/02/2025 14:59

I try to arrive 2 hours before departure to give me enough time to clear security, get a coffee/something to eat - mostly flying from Heathrow. Flying back to the UK from Geneva last year, the queue for passport control took nearly an hour to clear, and I made it to the gate as they were closing - so stressful!

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LadyGreySpillsTheTea · 19/02/2025 15:00

I can beat your 25-min check-in for an inter-European flight, but the airport has now sadly closed: check-in at Tempelhof in Berlin was 10 minutes in the 1990s with just hand luggage. It was sadly scrapped after 9/11 when it became clear that someone who showed up 10 minutes before departure was probably not going to be subject to the most rigorous of security checks in order to get them on the flight. The 10 minutes was possible because each check-in desk was directly in front of the gate, and the plane was right in front of that so it involved virtually no walking. Them was the days.

Original poster

LG123 · 19/02/2025 15:01

notimagain · 19/02/2025 13:28

My riskiest was 25mins before a flight with BA from London to Glasgow!

That would be a conformance fail at LHR T5, possibly nowadays a fail at the other LHR terminals…”conformance” being the time at the start of security

The T5 requirement AFAIK is no later than 35 min before STD and applies even if you’ve done an on-line check in.

When I was regular passenger through T5 I generally tried to get the terminal no later than STD-60.

The 25 mins was not deliberate and it was long time ago now, around 13 years ago.

OP posts:

peachgreen · 19/02/2025 15:01

I usually fly out of Belfast or Gatwick/London City/Heathrow. Two hours for regional flights, three for international ones. I hate stress at airports, would always rather have time for a coffee (or a pint!) and a crossword. DD (7) is a great traveller and always has been, so she makes it easy for me!

NoseyFarkers · 19/02/2025 15:07

Always aim to get there 3 hours before.

Has always, always proven to be far too much time to spare 😂 But still. I've watched far too many TV shows where people miss flights and I can't think of anything worse, so I'm happy to avoid the stress and be early.

00deed1988 · 19/02/2025 15:18

I used to do 2-2.5 hours. Usually with kids in holidays. Last year we missed a flight as gridlock traffic due to an accident. Last few flights have arrived about 4+ hours before as so scared that will happen again!

InMyMNEra · 19/02/2025 15:23

We got to Palma airport 2 hours before our flight, and only barely made it. It still stresses me out now when I think of us running to our gate

We had a huge queue to bag drop, queues for security, a long walk and then queue for passport check

We’ll be there 2.5 - 3 hours before the flight next time. I’d rather relax with a coffee and wait at the gate

notimagain · 19/02/2025 16:13

LG123 · 19/02/2025 15:01

The 25 mins was not deliberate and it was long time ago now, around 13 years ago.

Show quote history

Oh I’m sure it wasn’t deliberate, I’ve had to run a couple of times to achieve conformance and I know it’s not fun…

Can’t remember for sure but it’s possible the cut may have been 25 min when T5 opened, it’s certainly been 35 min for quite some time now.

LondonPapa · 19/02/2025 16:15

LG123 · 19/02/2025 11:39

I'm flying a lot this year... I usually get to the aiport 45mins-1hr before if travelling solo 2-3hrs with the kids. I hate sitting around an airport for hours, I use fast track security too.

What time do you all get to the airport for domestic and short haul? My riskiest was 25mins before a flight with BA from London to Glasgow!

Domestic - 1 hour. International - 2 hours. I go and use the lounge. Sometimes I go earlier to really enjoy the lounge facilities. Free food, drink and fun.

BIossomtoes · 19/02/2025 16:18

boulevardofbrokendreamss · 19/02/2025 12:53

Bare

You were right first time!

I’d rather sit around for a hour or so than rush to the gate.

HabitHoarder · 19/02/2025 16:21

@LadyGreySpillsTheTea yes! I am so sad that those fast checkins in Berlin are a thing of the past.

BrendaSmall · 19/02/2025 16:23

We always stay near the airport in a hotel or B&B the night before, my husband won’t take a chance what with having to travel 3 hours to the airport and mainly motorway!
We then get to the airport 3 hours before departure if we’ve got hold luggage, we love sitting around and watching people with a coffee and something to eat.
Also some gates are quite a walk away from the terminal

shuffleofftobuffalo · 19/02/2025 16:27

I fly from Gatwick regularly. Depends entirely on what luggage I have and who I'm with and time of day/year.

I flew to Glasgow recently on an evening flight from North terminal when I checked in my bag I wondered if the airport was shut it was so empty! I was there about 1hr before my flight because I knew I'd be through security fast.

Same route in the daytime from south terminal - I leave more time because it's so much busier with all the international/long haul flights full of people who don't seem to know how to use airports 🙃

Flying in the summer with kids - I'm there the day before just in case 😂

mitogoshigg · 19/02/2025 16:35

Apparently Southampton is great for speedy check in if you are flying without luggage, you can walk from long stay parking which helps. Dc cuts it very fine but on military id you get whisked through thankfully

Maxorias · 19/02/2025 16:45

I'm usually 3h before at least for international flights, bit less maybe for national but I don't fly national a lot.

I have three young kids and zero desire to rush to the airport praying for trafic to be manageable. And when you have only minutes to spare that's always when one of the kids will absolutely NEED the bathroom and it'll have a queue long as the terminal.

So usually we have one hour or so to kill in the terminal, which is fine as usually we grab a coffee, there are often play areas for the kids, if not we grab them some toy at the duty free (for a 13h flight that's usually a good idea !) or let them use their tablets (they're only allowed to take them out of the house when flying).

One time we cut it really fine is when I had a battery with me and waited for over an hour to be told whether I could take it with me. Ended up being a no, but by then I had ten minutes to spare to get through security. They waited for us though (as they should, considering they're the ones that got us late in the first place !)

Waiting 1-2h in the terminal is waaay more relaxing than running to make it, especially when the flight tickets cost thousands. But I suppose if I were travelling alone and had bought 15€ tickets on a lowcost company I wouldn't care quite so much.

FrenchandSaunders · 19/02/2025 16:52

I love an airport and like to arrive about 3 hours before ... mooch round duty free and the other shops, bit of lunch, glass or 3 of fizz, nice and chilled.

ToBeOrNotToBee · 19/02/2025 16:55

City Airport is nearest to me and I'm using it fairly frequently at the moment.
My record for leaving my house and getting through security is 25 minutes!
I generally aim for an hour, and as I'm getting ready I'm looking on Google maps to see if the Airport is busier than usual. This usually indicates an issue at security.

Radiatorvalves · 19/02/2025 16:56

I’m usually there an hour and a half to 2 hours before flight. LHR or LGW. Only issue was last month checking in for Qatar. Well I had already checked in in line but had a bag to drop and there was one queue. It took an hour and 40 mins to drop the bloody bag. Straight to security… where Qatar staff were telling people the flight was delayed due to the chaos. Apparently this is not unusual as they have 2 flights leaving at 8 and 8.30…

Original poster

LG123 · 19/02/2025 21:41

Seems I may have to rethink my strategy!

OP posts:

Original poster

LG123 · 19/02/2025 21:46

Bjorkdidit · 19/02/2025 12:37

As well as getting through the airport, it's also worth considering what could go wrong on the way there - I'm in West Yorkshire so use Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool. We allow more time for the latter two because of the risk of hold ups on the M62.

But when there, an hour is more than enough at Liverpool, but I'd allow at least two for Manchester - I've been in the security queue for over an hour and would have missed a flight if hadn't taken off late. Leeds is bizarrely unpredictable. Sometimes you can get through in 5 minutes, others it's nearly an hour and they start pulling people forward flight by flight.

I can beat your riskiest though - I travel to the Isle of Man a lot and 30 mins there is generous, so often arrive 20 mins before take off and it still feels like there's loads of time. If I ever go to Rome again, I'll be a lot more relaxed about leaving from Ciampino which is tiny (and oddly the only time I can think of where Ryanair use an airport that is nearer to the city than it's main airport) I was there 3 hours once due to a delay and I think there were only 2 other flights scheduled during that time.

Think 20 mins at IOM is different to 25 at LHR!

OP posts:

VWT5 · 19/02/2025 21:52

Always 2 hours before flight for me - with little time left to spare other than visit to loo and purchasing the ubiquitous meal-deal and shower gel.
(short haul every month)

Florally · 19/02/2025 21:54

I used to keep it close and hate hanging around in an airport… then in October there was a technical error in terminal 3 and the queue was out the door. I always get there 3 hours ahead now…

NoctuaAthene · 19/02/2025 21:56

I'm another 90 mins (if no checked in luggage) to 2 hours (if with checked in luggage) person. To me that is the right balance between allowing contingency for long queues or issues and not being rushed, and having way too much extra time at the airport. I'm not a particular fan of the airport, I find them stressful and certainly wouldn't be relaxing with a glass of prosecco or enjoying browsing the shops if I was there 3 or 4 hours in advance like many of my colleagues and friends seem to... I also always like to be the last person to board, don't really understand the obsession with standing in the boarding queue an hour before the plane is actually leaving, you see people queuing even when the crew have clearly announced they are boarding by priority code or group, why?

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