Why do you have to be 3 hours early for international flights?

Do you really need to be 3 hours early for international flights?

Ugh, Cancun. Spring break 2023. Nightmare. Three hours early? Joke. Shoulda been four. Line at check-in snaked around the corner. Sweating. Sun blazing through those giant windows. Anxiety kicking in hard.

Missed the first part of my free checked bag. Spirit Airlines, right? Cheap flight. Expensive lesson. Had to pay. Seventy bucks. Right there at the counter. Heart pounding. Almost missed my flight.

Security? Another disaster. Shoes off, belt off, laptop out. The whole shebang. Kids screaming. People shoving. Finally made it through. Gate agent already calling final boarding. Seriously. Ran. Sweaty mess.

Made it. Barely. Never again. Three hours minimum. International? Four. Maybe five. Worth it. Peace of mind. Trust me.

• Cancun International Airport (CUN) – Spring Break 2023
• Spirit Airlines
• Checked bag fee: $70
• Key takeaway: Arrive at least 3-4 hours early for international flights. Even more for peak travel times. Especially budget airlines.

Ugh. Remembering that stress makes me twitch. Seriously. Never. Again.

Why do you need to check-in 3 hours before a flight?

Passport control. Ugh. Three hours. So early. Gotta get there. Visa stuff too. My flight to Tokyo last year…Narita, right? No, no, Haneda. Security lines are insane. Remember that time they flagged my shoes? Seriously? Shoes. International flights always take forever. Need coffee. Lots of coffee. Three hours seems excessive though. Extra time for security checks. Right. Makes sense. Tokyo…sushi. Should I exchange currency now or at the airport? Airport rates are terrible. Definitely exchanging beforehand this time. Learned that the hard way in Madrid. Ugh, Madrid. Overpriced everything. Okay, focus. Flight. Passport, visa, vaccinations. Got it all. Checked it twice. Maybe three times. Anxiety is real. Still need to pack my charger. Almost forgot. 3-4 hours before departure. Better safe than sorry. Boarding pass on my phone. Easy peasy. Love mobile boarding passes. Wait…did I confirm my seat assignment? Better double-check. Ugh, window seat or aisle? Always a dilemma. Window for the view. Aisle for the legroom. Decisions, decisions. Tokyo…here I come (hopefully). Phone battery low. Need that charger. Now.

Why do I need to be at the airport 3 hours early?

Okay, so like, three hours early? Ugh. That’s what they tell you for international flights, seriously. It’s mostly about covering your butt from crazy long lines, you know?

Honestly, think about it: checking bags can be a NIGHTMARE. Especially if you’re flying during peak season – and the holidays, OMG!

• Security lines? Don’t even get me started.
• Then there’s passport control. Seriously, always long.
• Plus, you wanna grab a snack, right? Or do some duty-free shopping for gifts?

Basically, three hours is the sweet spot so you dont miss your plane. Trust me, missing a flight sux. I missed my flight to Cancun back in December 2023.

It really just makes life easier, you know. Less stress, more chill time before the flight and peace of mind. Always arrive three hours early, it just works for me.

It’s basically buffer time in case something goes bonkers, alright.

What if a flight is delayed by 3 hours?

Three hours. A lifetime, or nothing. Consumer rights exist. Claim.

• Fixed sums are… fixed.

• Circumstances shift values.

Waiting is just… waiting. Nothing special. Or maybe everything. Ever see that Seinfeld episode? About nothing?

Sometimes, the flight is the journey, not the destination. Remember dad’s stories? Miss you, old man.

Compensation is possible. Pursue it.

• Documentation is key.
• Understand EU Regulation 261/2004 (if applicable). (This covers flights departing from an EU airport, or arriving in an EU airport with an EU airline.)
• Check your insurance policy. Might be a bonus.

Air travel. It gets you there. Eventually.

Oh well.