Most airlines allow check in to start at 24 hours prior to the flight.

The latest check in time varies by airline, but usually they don’t want you to check in closer than roughly one to three hours prior to departure.

If you have a reserved seat, and do not intend to upgrade, it does not matter when you check in.

If you do not have a reserved seat, or want to upgrade, you should aim to check in as early as possible.

Flying Southwest? YOU SHOULD CHECK IN AT EXACTLY, PRECISELY 24 HOURS BEFORE DEPARTURE. Failure to do so will likely land you in the “C” group, resulting in an undesirable centre seat near the rear of the aircraft. That’s not fun. Set an alarm, tell your family, tell your friends, whatever. For Southwest, this is CRITICAL.

There is no fixed or specific time to check-in for a flight. Instead, you can follow the following tips regarding your check-in:

Domestic Flights:

Online check-in usually opens 24 hours before departure. Aim to check in as early as possible to secure a preferred seat.

For Airport Check-In, arrive at least 1.5 to 2 hours before departure. This allows enough time for security checks, baggage drop-off, and any unexpected delays.

International Flights:

Online Check-In typically opens 24-48 hours before departure, depending on the airline.

For Airport Check-In, arrive at least 3 hours before departure, especially if it’s a long-haul flight. This is important for immigration, customs, and additional security screenings.

During Special Circumstances: If you have extra baggage, special assistance needs, or are traveling with pets or young children, it’s a good idea to add an extra 30 minutes to an hour to the airport arrival time.

A week ago, I was searching for the similar answers on Quora. Ideally you are supposed to reach Airport at least 45 minutes before the flight for the check in and it is advised to reach before 2 hours for the domestic flight.

Well last week, my flight to Hyderabad was at 6:55 in the evening. Since I am very punctual and cautious, I left from my place at around 3:45. It generally takes 1 hour to reach Airport from my place. However it started raining heavily and I reached airport at 6:20 ! . During my journey from my place to airport in the cab, I searched a lot of similar questions on quora and at one point thought that I am going to miss my flight. Thankfully I had done web-checkin and had only hand baggage. I straight away went to the security check and successfully boarded my flight. So I managed to board my flight reaching just before 35 minutes mainly because I had web check-in and had only hand baggage.

But it’s always better to take some buffer.

There’s no such thing as too early. It’s better to be early than late. Once I had a driver pick me up and take me to airport to arrive 5 hours before my flight and I was a bit pissed for being way too early at the check-in counter, but the damn thing opened just as I arrived, I checked in, dropped my baggage and passed smoothly through TSA, to spend some quality time in the business class lounge eating good food, having a drink, watching TV and reading my emails. Those 5 hours went in no time.

Other times I had 8 hours between flights, perfect for me. The other option was to send only 2 hours between flights, but spend some more time to reach the final destination and arrive 25–30 min before the option with 8 hours on airport… Considering the 8 hours layover option meant spending the time in the business class lounge in Istanbul airport, with very good food, lots of drinks and coffees available, the shorter option was a blasphemy…

One time I arrived early morning on Gatwick airport and the connection was many hours away… The good thing was I could check in very early and spend the time in a lounge… Too early meant, as usual, not a problem at all, considering spending time with good coffee, internet connection, good food ect…

Don’t be afraid of being too early on the airport, the extra time will fly.

If you like airplanes, there is no early for a flight. The norm is 2 hours prior to departure for a domestic departure and an extra two hours for international departures. That said, I have spent up to seven hours in a terminal waiting for a flight. I am an airport buff and there are always things happening. An airport is a city into itself with restaurants, shops, power supplies for your electronics and things to keep you amused.

And there are the planes themselves. But, again, I am an airport buff. For me it is never too early for a flight. But, you might want to limit yourself to maybe four hours prior to departure if you are not like me.

When you're traveling, we make the suggestion to arrive at least 3 hours prior to your departure. You must be checked in at least 1 hour before your scheduled departure. Additionally, we recommend being at the gate and ready to board 45 minutes before your scheduled departure time.

If you're not checking luggage, the carrier advises you to arrive at the airport at least 60 minutes before your scheduled departure time. If you're checking luggage, it's 90 minutes. For international flights, give yourself two hours.

It’s the best time of the day. Everything will be open and you may clear immigration quickly and be on your way without joining long queues?

So early arrival can be a bonus.

Source: Getty Images

I think three hours is recommended. It’s a reasonable estimate for negotiating crowded hubs such as Atlanta or JFK.
Columbus’s John Glenn is an international airport (meaning it has a Customs office), but it is not a hub. It does have some non-stop international flights, mostly to Canada or Mexico. One hour is more than enough time for check-in there.

Once, though, we did arrive three hours early and we were sitting there when the first employee appeared. He told us that, if we were willing to take a later flight, we would actually arrive in Cancun ten minutes earlier than our currently scheduled flight. And he would give us free tickets to anywhere we wanted to go in the continental US.
Of course, we said yes. A few months later, we took that free flight to Seattle, and then cruised to Alaska.

It depends on:

• Who are travelling?
• Age?
• Lounge access? ← Add in 30 minutes if you are without screaming toddlers for relaxation.
• Security speedup? E.g. TSA Pre? CLEAR? I personally don’t known international equivalence of these.
• Which airport?
• Which types of flight?
• Domestic vs international.
• Which airlines and what kind of tech they have?

So, here are a few extremes:

1. If adults fly out of Seattle airport (or San Jose) on a decent time (think Wednesday eve) going domestic without checking luggage with TSA Pre, I think about 30 minutes is sufficient. If you really push it, you can probably do it in 20.
2. If adults fly out of Minneapolis St. Paul (MSP) on Monday morning, I recommend 2–3 hours; if you have luggage flying Delta, I recommend 4 hours. Delta service in MSP sucks, in case you haven’t caught on what I am trying to say.

In general, here are my guidelines:

• You need at least 5 min before schedule flight time. Now, I recommend 10, but your mileage varies.
• Security during low time with priority (PRE or CLEAR) takes around 10 minutes.
• No priority adds around 10–15 minutes more.
• High time adds 15–30 minutes.
• OMG-COVID-is-over-let’s-fly add 1–3 hours, depends on your luck. Luckily, we are out of this right now.
• Children add around 5 minutes each, but with fat tail. A toddler can easily stretch this out 10 additional minutes.
• Walking to gate takes around 10 minutes in a reasonable airport.
• Some airports are crazier. International hubs are the worst.
• Some airports to account for extra time (that I know of): Delhi, MSP, Seattle for gates C and D (train time), Singapore, and I think Beijing, but I haven’t been there for a while.
• Checking in to international flight takes around 30–45 minutes.
• Priority line (Biz, status) is faster.
• Chinese airlines are significantly slower, for some reasons.
• American airlines (not only AA, but also United and Delta) are significantly faster.
• Hubs (i.e. you fly Delta out of Seattle) with exception of Delta in MSP cuts down around 10 minutes.
• MSP by itself adds 30 minutes if you go with Delta.
• Dropping off luggage takes around 10–15 minutes, except in MSP, which takes all day.
• Immigration (outside of US only) takes around 20 minutes in low time, 1–2 hours during high time.
• Children toilet needs take additional 10–15 minutes every hour.
• Lounge takes 30 minutes if you choose to do it.

So, if you go with 2 toddlers domestically from SFO to domestic with CLEAR, you can expect:

10 (minimum) + 10 (security min) + 5x2 (security additional) + 10 (walking) + 10 (luggage) + 10 (toilet for the kiddos) = 1h.

Simple, right?

Hello Erin,

Whether it’s a smaller airport (CHA, SAV, SDF) or a big one (DFW, ORD, ATL) you want to be at the gate a minimum of 1 hour before departure. So that means, allow for the time you need to get to the airport (traffic, road construction, etc.) and how long it takes to get through TSA, and then from the terminal to the gate. Add all these together and you now have a good idea of when you should leave so as to be at the gate a minimum of 1 hour before departure.

If I may, I’d add another point. Many people flying out of smaller airports go to a bigger one where they connect to a flight for their final destination. Sadly, I’ve seen this many times, but they fail to allow sufficient time to go from their arrival gate to their departure gate. Lots of times I’ve had to tell passengers we have a ground stop, or weather delay, and immediately the F/A call buttons light up like a pinball machine. I would often stroll through the cabin and talk to my passengers and I would be stunned that they booked a connection with 30 minutes (or less) between arrival and departure. Using Atlanta as an example, the distance from one gate to another could be over a mile. So, don’t make the mistake of thinking that because you’re already at the airport, you’re already at the gate. The same rule of thumb should apply for your connection as for your original flight - be at the gate a minimum of 1 hour before departure for a domestic flight,( 1.5 if it’s an international flight.) Allow at least 30 minutes to get from your arrival gate to your departure gate. And then do you know what will happen? The travel gods will smile upon you - your departure gate will be next door. But better bored than too late to board. Safe travels. Take care.

Short answer: it depends very much on the airport.

I usually fly out of JFK and EWR and when I do allow a full three hours before an international flight. Security screening of you and your carry on baggage, which is expedited by TSA Precheck, is only a small part of the process. You need to get to the airport (think accidents and construction), through traffic at the airport, perhaps parking and a train or bus to the terminal, check your bag, go through security and get to your gate. Meanwhile your checked bag must be X-rayed and perhaps opened, transported to your gate and loaded on the plane.

At the same time, thousands of other people and pieces of luggage are going through the same process. The possibilities for delay are enormous.

Contrast this with another airport I’ve flown out of, SJC (San Jose, California). The airport always seems empty and there are no lines at check in or security and no mob scene at the gates. Probably 90 minutes would be enough.

Enjoy your flight.

This is a question that you have to do some work-backwards-from style math to figure out. Most flights require you to be boarding the plane no later than 10 minutes before departure. Meaning if you show up and want to step onto the plane 9 minutes and 59 seconds before the listed departure time, you may be denied boarding.

That’s really the only number that counts and is the same almost everywhere.

Now to start adding backwards.

If you are flying private, then add 5 minutes to park your car at the jetway, get your stuff out of the trunk, and walk to the plane. Total answer would be 15 minutes.

If you are flying commercial, then things get more complicated. You probably have to traverse from the security area to the gate where your plane will be taking off. So add 5 minutes in a little airport, and maybe 20 minutes in a large airport. You will have to clear security of some kind. It might take 5 minutes to get through if there are no lines or if you have pre-clearance of some kind. It may also take 4 hours to clear it if you are flying with no special clearances on a holiday through a busy major airport (i.e. 2016 US Thanksgiving lines through DEN, reached 4+ hours long for those without TSA PreCheck or CLEAR).

If you are checking a bag, again it depends on the airport, airline, the time of the year, the airport, the fare class of your ticket, etc. For example, again using DEN, Southwest controls almost an entire Terminal and has hundreds of check-in machines. Even during busy travel times you may only be in line for 10–20 minutes. Versus Delta at the same airport has 4 check-in counters total, 1 of which is dedicated to SkyPriority, and the other to special assistance passengers. Meaning everyone flying Delta is funneled to one of 2 counters, and if 1 counter is busy with a particularly hard check-in, you may be there for an hour or two. Time of the year, just as before flying when it is dead, you may be the only flight that airline has for a CRJ (small regional plane) so it is just you and 30 other people that need to use that line, so it will never get long even if you all show up at the exact same time. Alternatively it could be that 4 fully loaded Emirates A380’s are departing within an hour of one another, and a few thousand people need the same 10 counter agents. If you are business or have elite status with an airline generally you get special check-in privileges. With Southwest you get the A-List line, Delta it is SkyPriority, etc. Because you are loyal to them, they reward you with not having to wait in line with those that buy only because it was the cheapest or most convenient that day. So again add 5 minutes to 4 hours to your time.

This is where things can get dicey. Lots of places have a minimum time before your flight departure that you can check-in and give your luggage. If it is crazy busy and it takes 4 hours to get through both the security line and the check-in line of your carrier AND you are flying domesticly within the US so the max time allowed is 4 hours, even if you get your luggage checked-in the second you are allowed to, you will still miss your flight. And this does happen.

In normal circumstances you budget 1.5hrs to 2hrs in total to both check-in AND clear security.

You will also need to park, which begs the question of pay extra to park close in the garage, or be cheap and have to take a 30 minute shuttle to the airport that only runs every 30 minutes.

If you don’t travel often, and you are not traveling for anything important 2 hours is an easy rule of thumb. You might be wasting a bunch of time sitting at your gate, but that is much less stressful than making the Home Alone style airport run to board right before they lock the door.

If you do travel often, then get preclearance of some kind. It will save you so much time.

If you are traveling during peak holiday periods and you really want to be there, don’t be a cheapskate. The $49 flight may look appealing, but do you really want to risk sitting at an airport all day, missing your flight, and needing to wait 3 days before they can fly you out? At that point your entire vacation is ruined and you don’t get your vacation days back. Pay the extra for a business class seat or on an airline where you can upgrade into those priority check-ins even if flying in steerage. Flying business usually means you can bypass check-in and security lines, priority check-in you just bypass the check-in line. More opportunity to get to your plane. Also if they start bumping people, the cheap $49 fare gets booted before the guy paying $800 for a seat on the same plane upfront. Decide how much this travel is worth to you, and pay it. If you cheap out, be prepared to ruin your travel plans.

Well generally in India the reporting time starts 2hours prior to the departure time and going as per the norms I had always reached Airport by 1:30–2hours before departure time for a hassle-free check-in and avoid the eleventh hour rush.

But since I shifted to Bengaluru in last year, I have started creating records in reaching the airport before time!! Last time I reached Airport 9.5hours before the departure time!!!

The reason is that since my last 2–3 trips, everytime my flight is scheduled at early morning at around 6–8am. Now if you need to reach Airport 2hours before then usually you have to start 4hours before the departure time and 2hours before the scheduled reporting time (since in Bangalore the Airport is miles away from the city!!). So going by the calculation to catch a flight at 7am you need to start at 3am but here comes the twist.. Since the Bangalore airport is too far from the city so you have to arrange a cab (Ola/Uber) or board the Airport buses where the last bus leaves the city at 11pm and the 1st one starts at around 5–6am. So if you want to save some bucks and board a cheaper mode of transport to Airport then there is no other option rather than boarding the 11pm bus which generally takes 2hours to reach. But in case you would like to book an Ola or Uber at 3–4am and reach Airport on time then my dear friend, you are about to get doomed!!

The reason is Cab drivers.. Irrespective of your booking, you need to depend on the moods of the cab drivers. Most of the times they cancel the trip at last moment saying that they won't travel for such long distance to Airport at midnight. Sometimes even the Cab drivers sleep and forget to pick you up and the sad part is even if you call them numerous times to wake them up, they won't pick your call and they even don't bother if you miss your flight. So at midnight you will be left with no other options except to miss the flight! (I have faced this situation twice!!). And if you wait for the morning bus then by the time you will reach Airport, you can see your flight taking the last leap on runway before take-off.

So it's better to reach Airport at night by bus or cab whatever you wish in order to catch an early morning flight at Bangalore Airport. There are few sofa-cum-beds in the departure hall so you can sleep the entire night there and board the flight at morning.

How early do you show up at the airport for a flight?

Travelling from the UK, I generally allow 1h30 for domestic and 2h30 international. From the US, 2h domestic, 3h international. I don’t trust TSA line times!

That said, my international flights from the UK are usually to California or Nevada, and depart something like 10am or 11am. Oh, and it’s typically a 2h travel time to the airport, sometimes worse. That means that if I were to drive or get a transfer service, I’d have to get up at the crack of sparrow-fart (as we say in England!) for a flight that delivers me to my destination around midnight my time, which is still mid-afternoon US time.

So, more often than not, I travel to the airport the previous evening and stay at an airport hotel. I learnt that lesson early! With a little nap on the plane, I’m functioning when I arrive.

You can check-in online. Most airlines have a website.

General Instruction:

1. Reach airport around 2–2.5 hrs before the flight for domestic flight.
2. Carry a maximum of 2 bags with a total weight of 20–22 kgs. One of these bags you will have to give for check-in (meaning they will keep this in the baggage hold area of aircraft. This bag should be locked and there should not be any explosive (No crackers etc), achar, oil etc in it. Another bag (less than 7 kgs) you can carry in hand. This bag can have a laptop etc but no scissors or nail cutter or knife etc. In handbag they don't allow perfumes, deo’s, water bottle (above 500 ml not allowed), liquid etc.

Check-in process:

Reach airport and search for the flight you are travelling by. Say you travelling by Indian Airlines, so ask people or follow the boards as to where the check-in counters for Indian airlines are. Then go to counter and stand in a queue and present your ticket and identity card/photo document and they will take your check-in baggage and issue you a boarding pass. Then you proceed for the security check. Your laptop will have to be taken out of the bag and kept in a tray. DO NOT ARGUE WITH CISF SECURITY GUARDS. It is adviced that you ask fellow passengers for guidance.

Post the security check proceed to the gate no (specified in your board pass) from where your flight will take off and go and wait there. PLEASE NOTE THE BOARDING GATES ARE NORMALLY CLOSED AT LEAST 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE FLIGHT DEPARTURE SO DONT UNNECESSARILY ROAM IN THE AIRPORT.

Once your flight is announced then board the flight.

CHECK OUT: Collect all your belongings. Get your handbag and come out of the flight. Follow other passengers. GO to the conveyor belt where your check-in (the one you gave at the counter) would be coming. Once you have collected this bag then you are free to exit the airport. There would be a lot of officials to guide you on how to go out.

Congrats your first flight is done now..

There are various factors which drives the time to check-in the international flights.

Few airports will not allow you too early o check-in. For example if you enter the gate 6 to 8 hours earlier, then airport security may ask you to wait. It is even pointless in going too earlier, even if there are genuine reasons for you to reach airport early. The reasons may be that you are traveling from a different nearby city by cab, train or bus and cannot take risk in the heavy traffic. Sometimes there are other reasons like, rains, festivals or a fair traffic or any other issues. It is better to wait outside the gates because you may want to eat or drink something outside, which is way cheaper as compared to the cost offered for same food inside the airport.

On a very certain occasions, airport security will allow you to enter early. For example if you have an early morning flight, if you are a senior citizens or traveling with them, if you are going for a pilgrimages or if you have heavy baggage etc.

If you are an economy class traveller, ideally you must enter the airport 3–4 hours before the flight, then you will be able to reach the gate before time.

The process of getting a boarding pass can be lengthier sometimes, if two flights have close timings and chekin is on the same desk section.

If you know that you will be late by an hour and may be able to reach not more than 2 hours early from flight, then you must always check-in online as it gives you a shorter line. Then baggage drop, immigration and security check may take time upto 90 minutes. If you check in 2 hours early then you must walk fast or run wherever you can, take less rest and no food until you reach the gates.

For a business class passenger even 2 hours early check-in is manageable, even though only the baggage drop and boarding pass section will have seperate lines for business class.

Business class passengers can relax in comfortable lounges, some airlines offers good food and drinks for them and they have a very good relaxing experience throughout the traveling time.

Yes you can, send your luggage first by cab, taxi, boat, canoe, Sampan, camel, bullock cart before you arrive at the airport. No problem

You are allowed to arrive on or after 12:01 AM (beginning of the day) that your ticket or boarding pass states your flight will depart.

Indeed, in the USA, the TSA lines do not open (in many airports) until 2 hours prior to the first flight scheduled to depart the gate. In Boston that is 5:30 am for the first scheduled flight (take-off at 6 am or later, so be prepared to sit in the plane in a queue) therefore the TSA line opens at either 3:30 am or 4 am (not too many rushing in at that time).

There are some airports like Dallas-Fort Worth that have a hotel on the airport property and you can arrive days or weeks early and stay at the hotel, and then take the tram to the correct terminal and start the check-in process.

NOTE: If your flight departs (for example) at 6 am and you enter the airport at 10 pm the night before and “hand out” on the ground-side of the TSA inspection area, many airports “won’t care”, but the local police may ask you some questions. NOTE: If you are on the air-side of the TSA inspection at 10 pm the day Before your flight (an example) (due to a flight cancellation and reschedule), you may get “tossed out” to have to pass through TSA the next day (day of your flight).

It is highly recommended to enter the airport 2 hours prior to the gate-depart time of your flight. You never know what problems may occur at the TSA area or at the gate.

Enjoy your flight.

It depends on where you are.

Most major airports in the USA suggest a minimum 2 hours for domestic flights, 3 hours for international. This should allow you enough time to check bags, go through security, and get to the gate. Some international places in other countries might even require more for international flights.

Holidays and seasonal demands also affect this and strikes can change everything.

I've also departed some smaller airports that have at most 3 flights per day and the security checkpoint only opens 60 minutes before the departure time of each flight. They clear the entire gate area (all 2 gates) between each flight and everyone has to pass security again. So in these cases, getting to the airport early would not help you.