Airport arrival time before flight?

[Cryfreman]

How early do you guys get to an airport before flight time?? I normally give myself 3 hours but with my latest booking and coach times I have a choice of getting to the airport at 16.50 or 18.50 with a flight time of 21.35... thinking 18.50 should be fine?? This is LHR T3.

[twistedmike]

I usually allow one hour for domestic (regardless of the country I`m currently in) and 1.5-2 hours for international flights, myself.

No issues thus far and many trips to many places.

 

Peace,

TM

[booger]

When traveling to Thailand, I don't want to get shut out by arriving too late. I'll check in 3 hours b/4 departure...and then go have a couple of beers.

[themosch]

last trip flight back home was at 8.35. Took taxi at 5.00 and was at 6.00 in airport. Check in, pasport control passed at 6.35. Did had to wait for 2 long hours . Next time i schedule arrival 1.5 hour before departure, plenty of time. especially this early in the morning!

[occasionalpunter]

If you are talking about getting to London Heathrow Terminal 3 by coach for flying to Thailand, then I would err on the side of caution and pick the 16.50 arrival. Purely because of the unknown of M25 close to peak hour traffic. Getting there early will save the unnecessary worry about slow progress on the motorway. Sure you are a couple of hours early but I'd rather that than miss a flight.

[SRA]

3 hours is appropriate and allows time for a bite & beer before boarding.

[FROST MEDIC999]

I would do the earlier Booking as you just never know.

 

For international Travels passengers are required to check-in 3 hrs before Flights. This is Law , and could if Airline play Hard Ball be a Passengers undoing.

 

Customs at the Minute is undergoing refurb and average clearance Time is 20/30 Mins.

 

Be safe and allow Time

[Cryfreman]

Ok guys thanks, bit of a worrier when it comes to travel beofore a flight so will take the early bus

[THAJEC]

It is better sooner than be late! Three hours can be enough. You never know what way waiting for you. When you meet crash can start problem.

[jojomecanic]

Ok guys thanks, bit of a worrier when it comes to travel beofore a flight so will take the early bus

 

Good decision, mate.

 

Note also that some companies do some over booking (sells 205 seat ticket for 200 seats!) in high season. If you arrive late, you just stay there and wait for the next plane... One time it happened to people just behind me on the queue... If I had arrived 30 seconds later at the airport, I would have been behind them, and I would have been stuck there to wait for the next plane (24h!).

[LRanger]

2-3 hours, it is just not worth the stress to be doing the airport dash, lining up at check-in, lining up at security, lining up at immigration.

 

I did miss my international return flight once, due to late connection by Air Asia from Udon Thani, damn I had to spend the night in Bangkok! tough eh?

[kansuwan]

Bear in mind that security and hand baggage screening is likely to be more intense and time-consuming up to and immediately beyond the tenth anniversary of 9.11, regradless of the port of departure/carrier.