
If you’re taking a domestic flight from Anchorage, Los Angeles or Miami on United, for example, you’ll need to check in 60 minutes before your flight if you’re checking a bag and 30 minutes before if you’re taking carry-on luggage.Īnd don’t underestimate those small airports, Baskas points out. Still, some airlines require travelers to check in a certain amount of time before even domestic flights, too. It’s also worth considering how familiar you are with the airport-if you’re flying out of your home airport and you know you can breeze right through to your gate, you could shave some time off the recommended two hours. Travelers like Schlappig who have applied for and are enrolled in the TSA’s Precheck program, for example, can go through an expedited security line without removing their shoes, laptops, liquids, belts or light jackets, which speeds up the process. The TSA recommends getting to the airport two hours before a domestic flight, but there are certain factors that could influence whether you should leave earlier or later to catch your flight. How early should I get to the airport for a domestic flight? Instead, you could be forced to pay for new ticket if you miss your flight. And with fuller planes and limited number of flights per day to international destinations, you may not get automatically rebooked on the next flight. Some planes close the doors up to 20 minutes before departure, so not only do you have to be checked in and make it to the terminal with time to spare, but you also need to be at the gate ready to board with ample time. You might be at risk of missing your flight, but that “does not give you automatic right to move up the line,” says Duncan.Īnd if you think your flight crew will hold the plane for you, think again: “That almost never happens,” Schlappig says. Another reason to leave three (or more) hours before your international flight: Just because you’re running late, doesn’t mean you can skip to the front of the security line.
