How early should I arrive for my domestic flight?

When should I arrive at the airport for a domestic flight?

Okay, lemme tell ya how I roll with airport arrival times.

The general rule of thumb, I guess, is 2 hours before takeoff for flights inside the country. Internationally? Bump that to 3. But honestly, that’s just, like, the bare minimum starting point.

My sister, bless her heart, always arrives 3 hours early for everything. Drove me nuts in Madrid during our trip last July. We were sitting at Bar Museo del Jamón for ages! But me? Depends.

If it’s a small airport, say Roanoke, Virginia (flown from there March 2023, so charming!), and I’m not checking a bag, an hour, maybe hour and a half is usually fine. But if it’s O’Hare… hoo boy.

Checking a bag is a HUGE factor. And the time of day. Early morning or around holidays? Add, like, another hour just to be safe. Remember that Thanksgiving travel disaster of ’18? Never again.

Plus, gotta factor in security lines. TSA PreCheck is a lifesaver. Got it for $85 in like, 2020? Worth every penny. Clear is an option too but that cost a lot more and I’ve been fine with just Precheck so far.

So basically, the “two hour” thing is a guideline, not a gospel. Be honest with yourself about your risk tolerance. I like to cut it closer, but I’ve also sprinted through airports.

Summary of arrival times:

• Domestic Flights: Generally arrive 2 hours before departure.
• Smaller Airports/No Checked Bags: 1-1.5 hours might be sufficient.
• Peak Travel Times/Large Airports: 3 hours recommended, maybe even more.
• TSA PreCheck or Clear: Can shorten security wait times, but still factor in other delays.