How early can you go to the airport?

[TheHappyBug]

My DS and his girlfriend are going on their first solo holiday, it’s also his girlfriend’s first time abroad. They had an email this morning saying that the airport is struggling to get people through security and can they please get to the airport At Least three hours before their flight.

They are panicking that they are going to miss the flight and want to get to the airport four hours early because the email said At Least.

I don’t think they need to go this early but if they find it less stressful I am happy to take them, it makes no difference to me after all, it’s them that will need to sit there for hours. However will they be allowed to go through? I have never turned up that early before.

4 hours ahead and paying for fast track security at Liverpool seems the biggest waste of time and money imaginable in airport travel.

The advice to turn up 3 hours early is for people who do have luggage, so if they are without, and with online checkin, then a lower time that is still more than safe.

Honestly, with just hand luggage, their only obstacle is security, so 90 minutes would actually be fine. (I'm not suggesting they aim for that, as GF is clearly nervous, but there is very rarely a problem that stops you getting through security in an hour, and if queues are big, the airlines will prioritise people whose flights are about to go.) If they are still paranoid then buy them priority security for a few quid.

The airlines are perfectly happy to send these mails out because it's zero skin off their nose if people then spend crazy amounts of time waiting (and buying food and drinks at the overpriced airport outlets), and if it saves their customer support staff having to deal with one angry muppet who misread the takeoff time as the be-at-the-gate time then it's a win for them. But if we all took "can't be too careful" to its logical conclusion you would be camping out at the airport 48 hours in advance. (Every flight that DP and I take involves a small battle about how early we leave home. But then DP quite likes being at the airport and I hate it.)

well, I meant the shopping and eating bit
anyways, who cares how early this couple want to get to the airport.
Far too many opinions (including my own) here!

As someone who very nearly missed a flight a few years ago due to being stuck in a standstill on the motorway take them as early as they want. We literally RAN through the airport and were the last people to get on the shuttle .... infact we ran so fast by the time I actually sat on the plane had to have some Inhaler because I couldn't breath! ...when we got to the hotel the woman greeting is even acknowledged we looked rough 😂😂

Now for a early flight I stay at the airport the night before £60 hotel is much cheaper than new flights! And for later flights I always aim for atleast 4 hours it's just not worth the stress 😂

It’s worth noting that airports are generally less busy later on in the day.

Their flight is at 7 - I compromised with dropping them at 4……….

They are through security already 😂 but they are happy and calm not stressed so that’s the main thing.

I was going to say we had this message last year and got there 3 hours before and it was plenty - but I can see you have already dropped them off and they sped through security!

I think this is one of those situations where you have to let them live and learn 😂 there’s only so much duty free you can browse, but if they’re insisting then let them.

I had similar with my mum when we went away a couple of years ago. I agreed to 3.5 hours to keep the peace, we were through security within 5 minutes 😄 we'd booked a lounge but couldn't access it until 3 hours before so had to spend 25 minutes mooching in Smith's and accesorize (small airport). It was worth it though to alleviate her stress :)

Most bag check-ins don’t open till 2/3 hours before so they’ll be stuck the wrong side of security to do anything fun

Not Liverpool, but if you are too early, T5 at Heathrow has cafes in the arrivals area - with seats. Just go up to Departures when they open. Mostly pretty open ended bag drop if needed anyway. Certainly not 2 hours only in advance. We actually allow 3-4 hours in advance, mainly because of possible traffic holdups. Never ever 90 minutes! Dreading Gatwick in 2 weeks though! Although cafes in arrivals if needed!

I have flown out of Liverpool 3 times within the past month, each occasion it took.no more then 20 minutes to clear security.
i had received the same email about getting there early.

With an evening flight if they get there nice and early they can have something to eat/drink in the departures, I am sure it will all feel exciting if it is first time abroad!

I have missed a flight due to queues for bag drop and security (to be met with nothing but a shrug by the Ryanair gate crew when we rushed up moments after they had closed the gate). So I always aim to be early and relaxed if I can.

When DS went on a post A level lads holiday their promised lift let them down and I agreed to step in and take them to the airport which is two hours away. Their flight was at a ridiculous early hour so I said I would take them but the night before as I wasn't going to spend the night driving. They managed ok and checked in at 4am.