Is 1 hour before a flight enough?

Is 1 hour before flight enough for check-in?

No, one hour before a domestic flight for check-in is generally insufficient. Airlines recommend two hours, particularly if checking bags or not already checked in online. It's too tight.

I remember this one time, it was May 2022, flying out of LAX to Seattle. My friend, he insisted an hour was plenty of time. He hadn't checked in online, oh dear, and had this rather large suitcase. The traffic that morning was just awful.

Then the security line moved so slowly. My stomach felt all fluttery and sick.

We barely, and I mean barely, made that flight. The gate was practically closing as we sprinted up, sweaty and stressed. Never again will I trust that "just one hour" idea for a domestic trip, even for a cheap $70 ticket.

What if the kiosk freezes. Or you lose your ID for a second. Stuff happens.

It's just too much anxiety for what, saving an hour of sleep. I'd much rather sip my slightly too expensive airport coffee, watching planes, feeling totally calm, than run through a terminal like a lunatic. My rule now is always two hours, minimum.