What type of airline traveler are you? Are you the type that sprints through the terminal to get to the gate before the doors close, or the type that arrives at the airport with hours to spare? Either way, you'd probably benefit from knowing how early you really need to be there, which depends on many factors including whether you're flying domestic or international, the size of the airport, the time of day, whether you're checking luggage, and if you have TSA PreCheck. Experts have created a calculator to help you determine what time you should get to the airport.
- Start by arriving 2 hours early for domestic flights and 3 hours for international flights.
- If you've checked in online, subtract 30 minutes.
- If you don't have luggage, subtract 15 minutes.
- If you have TSA PreCheck or Clear, subtract 15 minutes.
- If you're traveling through a busy airport or at peak time, add 30 minutes.
- Want a grab a bite to eat before the flight? Add 30 minutes.
- Traveling with kids or special equipment? Add 30 minutes.