How early do you need to get to the airport? What are the best seats on a plane, and how to choose your airline seat for free? Today you’ll know some airport arrival tips and hacks that can save you some nerves while security check.
Running late for your flight can put a damper on your holiday before you have even set foot in the airport. Similarly, arriving early can mean you’ll be eating into your holiday budget long before you’ve taken off – whiling away the hours over-priced cafes and gift stores can get pricey! If you have ever missed a flight (or even come close), you know how it can disrupt your entire travel plan. Here’s everything you need to know to catch your flight on time. Stay tuned!
—
// TRAVEL RESOURCES
100 Travel Hacks for 2023 (free guide): bit.ly/PP-100travelhacks
VPN – get 3 months FREE
https://www.expressvpn.com/portableprofessional
I ALWAYS use this VPN when buying things online to protect my credit card, when traveling and when booking flights to get the lowest price.
Travel Insurance ($1.43/ day!)
http://bit.ly/PortableProfessional-Insurance
—
// ABOUT
Hey there, I’m Megan and I’ve spent 5+ years living and working from over 50 countries around the world. I’m on a mission to prove that anyone (even you!) can do it too.
Portable Professional is a youtube channel full of actionable tips and guides to travel, live and work from anywhere in the world. Serving seasoned digital nomads and first-time travelers alike, it’s the ultimate resource to hack the travel lifestyle.
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/c/PortableProfessional/?sub_confirmation=1
Travel HACK Newsletter & giveaway: https://bit.ly/PP-travelnewsletter
https://www.instagram.com/megan.gougeon/
33 Comments
When I was young, I always booked the window seat. At 60, my bladder isn't what it once was, so it's always aisle now. 🙂
The wait times are reasonable if flying at peak times from a large international airport but are not necessary if flying out of a smaller regional airport.
For me, it all depends if you have lounge access.
I have no problem relaxing in a lounge for a couple hours with a couple cocktails, snacks, wifi and comfortable seating
(…and smirking at people running thru the terminal to catch their flight).
I prefer aisle seat. If I'm flying coach, I want it near the back of the aircraft, but not in the last row. It's my experience the back of the aircraft fills up last, so I'm bumping the odds of an empty seat next to me. Besides, even if I'm among the last to deplane, I've always had time to use the terminal bathroom and still make it to baggage claim ahead of my luggage. I don't care which side of the aircraft I'm on.
I always arrive two hours before a domestic flight; three hours before an international one.
Aisle seat 💺…
I'm a worrier, so the earlier the better!
Your videos have been a big help with flying.
I agree with you 100% about giving yourself extra time. I would much rather have to spend time puttering around the airport than to run and risk missing my flight. I'm also team Aisle. If I'm in Y, then I can at least stretch 1 leg out. Plus I won't have to inconvenience anyone if I need to use the washroom.
I can never pre checkin, per airline rules. I’ve never seen a checkin open before 3 hours as I prefer to arrive 3.5 x 4 hours but it never makes a difference.
I now have a sling on my arm. Figuring out whether a window has more space for my arm is annoying. I prefer aisle especially for long hauls but the sling is becoming an additional concern.
Fly super early in the morning when the airport opens and you don't need to be there that early. If you schedule one of the first flights out of an airport you probably can't be there more than 2 hours ahead of time because no one will be there to help you. It's a pain waking up at 3 am to catch a flight at 5:30 or 6 am but you can pass out on the plane. Yes there are a few airports that fly 24 hours but most don't. Never ever fly before a holiday, flying on a holiday can be great.
Size of airport matters in terms of how early to arrive. Tucson is small and three and a half hours is really overkill.
window seat, right side
I usually do 3 hrs international if it's one of the first flights in the morning. Plus an additional 30 minutes to visit Immigration as I have to go there first (as a resident) in Mexico before flying out of the country. 4 hrs if it's an afternoon flight and the airport is busy.
Can you tell me how I would go by flying to Dubai and then back to Texas. Anything to help it more earlier for me.Thanks so much.
I have arrived at the gate at TPA less than 1 hour before boarding with no problem, especially for super early flights such as 5:30am. I have TSA Precheck, so I usually get through security in 2 min. I download the mobile boarding pass 24hr prior, and I don't do checked bags. International flights out of Miami are really no different than Domestic. Just you need to briefly show the gate agent your Passport as you board. I recently flew to Martinique (France).
It used to be, if you travel with someone. One would take a window and an aisle. Hopefully no one seats in the middle.
I prefer a window on international and aisle on domestic
I like aisle seat.
I say it all depends on the size of the airport in the country of departure, the time of day and how many flights are departing that day. I'm from a small island, so lines aren't very long, so I can get away with 2-2.5 hrs for an international flight and 1-1.5 hrs domestic.
Thanks for the info. Your Quebec accent is no longer as strong.
Can't we just do Early Check-In Online and then take advantage of the Curb-Side Checked Baggage Services, so we can then head straight thru TSA & directly to the gate (or perhaps even a nice meal first in the gate area before flight time), in order to avoid having to wait in the Check-in Line just because we have a checked bag, despite our Pre-Check-In Online? As I recall, this has worked to be of great benefit to me in the past (albeit, years ago). Seems that this strategy worked quite well, at least for Domestic flights, but never tried it and so not sure about International flights. Thanks! 🙂
In a about 7 weeks I’m going to be traveling with my arthritis medication-needs to be refrigerated. Also, I don’t look like a recent college graduate and I’ll be traveling solo. Any advice?
I assume most people are commenting from the States? It really seems to depend a lot on airport and country. To me these airport arrival times seem very long. I arrive 1.5-2 hours before for Africa-Europe flight with checked baggage and it's plenty of time. For recent EU flights with only carry on 30 mins before gate open would have been just fine, but I was there 1 hour before 😅
I Fly Southwest Mostly,And On Southwest You Can Set Where You Want.
The bigger/ busier the airport, the earlier you should arrive. It is rarely about check-in, and more about getting through security. I've spent ten minutes in check-in and two hours in the security line. Airports are a lesson in patience, good humor, and a certain sense of inevitability. For international flights, add Murphy's Law just to be safe!
I actually try to get to the airport at least 2 hours early for domestic and 3 hours for international flights. I am willing to arrive even earlier if I have the time. If I want to change my seats I check in at the first chance usually. I have access to the Priority Club via my Ritz Card and United Clubs via my United Club Card. Both of these cards do have annual fees but these fees are offset by significant travel savings and both help pay for things like TSA Pre and/or seat upgrades, wifi costs and with the Ritz Card, one free night at a nice Marriott hotel. With the United Club Card I also get pre-boarding priviledges which is nice. I agree with full flights these days. There are still flights that are not full, but they tend to go to smaller market airports or they are flights at incovenient times or red-eyes. I hate those. I was a frequent flyier and have just under 700,000 actual flight miles on United. I prefer the window seat. I never have to get up to let someone head to the potty and I have one guaranteed armrest and can rest my head against the side bulkhead.
3 1/2 hours is usually an overkill in most cases but this will depend on your situation. If you live more than an hour away and there's a major traffic accident that blocks all lanes, that could delay your arrival at the airport substantially. Same thing with unexpected snow storm. If you spent a night near the airport and the hotel shuttle gets you to the airport, maybe it isn't a huge concern to arrive 1 1/2 hour before the flight. Never understood why they want a full extra hour just because you have a international flight over a domestic flight. It doesn't take that long to verify your passport, Visa, and maybe COVID requirements. The recommendation seems to be more from people thinking if they are at the airport garage, they are at the airport already. Ditto for those people whom underestimate the realistic time to get to the airport. Still another reason is that airport is a business too and the longer you spend there, the more likely you'll spend money at their shops and restaurants. So yes, they want you to arrive extra early. There are many ways to cut time to get to the departure gate and the more hacks that you know, the less time you'll need.
I'll be taking my first flight since the 1980's. I bet there will be all kinds of surprises.
Should I be worried if one of my connecting flights only has a layover of 56 minutes?
I picked a window seat this will be my first time flying
Just very curious would Florida be an international flight also what are other places that are considered international? Never flown or been on a cruise but it sounds so amazing!!!!! I want to learn all I can so if I do someday get to do these things I'll know what to do ahead of time 🙂
She looks like a cat..her eyes.
This will be my husband and my first time flying and you provided some helpful tips. I mentioned to my husband I wanted to be at the airport at least 2-3 hrs before watching your video. Thanks for this video.
Hi Megan, I'm a window seat girl. I love to see the views from above.
Are writing pens allowed or restricted to carry in my personal bag/purse?