How early to arrive at the airport?

[Z'Loth]

As inspired by articles from Travel+Leisure and The Points Guy, the advice is to be at the airport at least two hours early for a domestic flights, and at least three hours early for a international flight. Really?

 

Now, I have Global Entry which includes TSA Pre-check which helps shorten the wait to go through TSA checkpoint. However, I'm more used to the Sacramento International airport (SMF) which is a small metropolitan airport. Since then, I moved to Dallas and haven't had an opportunity to travel much thanks to that C-word. Dallas Love Field (DAL) is about the same size to SMF, but is primarily served by Southwest Airlines. The other airport is Dallas-Fort Worth International (DFW) which is one of the largest airports in the United States. During a recent trip, my gate changed from Terminal A the previous evening, to Terminal D when my mother and I arrived and checked in at the airport, back to Terminal A immediately after check-in. Thank goodness DFW has those SkyLink trains, but it didn't help that the plane departure was delayed one hour due to mechanical issues. 

 

Still, it feels like two hours is excessive, and I'm not terribly interested in paying airport prices for food or travel electronics. Thoughts? 

[6rugrats]

Yes, really. I am not sure what arriving early has to do with airport electronics?  And, you can bring your own food or eat before coming to the airport.  I cannot tell you how many people miss their flights because they ignore this advice.  If you've checked in online and have no bags to drop off and have precheck, you can probably arrive later.  For some reason, so many people wait until they get to the airport to check in and as summer approaches this will take longer and longer.  I personally would rather sit at the airport than miss my flight.  

Edited June 11, 2023 by 6rugrats

[FlyerTalker]

It all comes down to risk tolerance.

 

Even with Pre-Check, you can find yourself in a huge backup at TSA screening.  There have been times where Austin had lines running outdoors for screening.  DFW hasn't developed that kind of reputation, but it can strike almost any airport at any time.  Remember that TSA is a government operation. 

 

Beyond TSA, you also have to consider any kind of line for check-in and/or bag drop. Many carriers are short-staffed.  Plus, as mentioned, you have the issue of passenger-created delays with lines.  We've all seen the chaos that "amateurs" cause - and I'll leave it at that.

 

Some of the issues with the international time frame are the requirements for proper documentation for international travel.  And that process takes longer than a simple domestic check-in, which delays the lines even more so.  Agents need to verify passports and visas and so many folks spend time fumbling to try to produce them for the agent.

 

So, as Dirty Harry said "Do you feel lucky?"

 

 

[Z'Loth]

1 hour ago, 6rugrats said:

I am not sure what arriving early has to do with airport electronics?

 

Uhhh.... I'm a electronics geek, so yeah, browsing at electronics shops is my thing. Still, not really interesting in paying the airport premium at the airport gift shops. 

Edited June 11, 2023 by Z'Loth

[CruiserBruce]

Was at DFW last summer. My first visit in a very long time. It was a cluster. I would definitely be there 2 hours ahead for domestic.

[em-sk]

7 hours ago, Z'Loth said:

 

Uhhh.... I'm a electronics geek, so yeah, browsing at electronics shops is my thing. Still, not really interesting in paying the airport premium at the airport gift shops. 

 

You should not fell compelled to buy anything.  

 

I find US airports very unpredictable.  Some are extremely disorganised with how they do the security checks.  Most US airports also do this weird passport/driver license check just before the security check.  

 

At the airport there are these marketing people trying to sell membership in clear.  Some weird express security subscription.  However it is a bit of scam, in they get you out of line to fill in out an application at near the end it asks if your a US citizen and rejects your application if your not.  Then the sales rep looks confused and sends you to back of the line again.   It is uniquely US things.

 

In other countries security can be faster or slower.  Really depends on the country and airport.

    

[FlyerTalker]

45 minutes ago, em-sk said:

Most US airports also do this weird passport/driver license check just before the security check. 

 

Huh??  I don't know of anyplace in the USA where you have to do an ID check prior to you entering the security screening process.

 

You present your ID to the TSA agent, before you enter the bag/body scanning.  And if you are using Pre-Check, then there is someone at the start of that line to check that you belong there.  So just where are these other ID checks you talk about?  Airport?

 

48 minutes ago, em-sk said:

At the airport there are these marketing people trying to sell membership in clear.  Some weird express security subscription.  However it is a bit of scam   

 

Not at all.  Clear is a biometric identity verification product that uses fingerprints and iris scans to provide a positive ID.  After being verified by Clear, you are escorted to the front of the Pre-Check line.  I use it at airports where they are located and have found the system to be fast and effective.

 

Just because Canadians can't use it doesn't mean it's a scam.

 

 

[em-sk]

On 6/11/2023 at 8:27 PM, FlyerTalker said:

 

Huh??  I don't know of anyplace in the USA where you have to do an ID check prior to you entering the security screening process.

 

You present your ID to the TSA agent, before you enter the bag/body scanning.  And if you are using Pre-Check, then there is someone at the start of that line to check that you belong there.  So just where are these other ID checks you talk about?  Airport?

 

 

Not at all.  Clear is a biometric identity verification product that uses fingerprints and iris scans to provide a positive ID.  After being verified by Clear, you are escorted to the front of the Pre-Check line.  I use it at airports where they are located and have found the system to be fast and effective.

 

Just because Canadians can't use it doesn't mean it's a scam.

 

 

 

The US is the only country I have been to where you stand in line to do an ID check with TSA.  Then once you do the TSA ID check you go into the next line to have bags x-rayed.  Most other countries don't do these ID checks there.  In Canada the ID check is done by the gate agent as you board.  In some places like Germany they use kiosks and don't even bother with that.

 

The Clear sales people can be quit annoying.  I am not saying it is scam, just that the people they are trying to sell the service don't get it.  You standing in line holding a Canadian passport and they are trying to convince you to get out to line to go a kiosk to sign up for a service you don't qualify for.  

 

[RTR 21-0]

Flew recently on American and there was an issue with our TSA # not being printed on our tickets.  Uploaded everything on the website a year earlier, double checked before we left, got our tickets, got to the TSA booth and they turned us back to the American Airlines desk b/c TSA wasn’t printed on it (we didn’t think to look).  Went back to AA desk and they had no clue why it wasn’t printing.  Happened both outbound and return.  They ended up letting us go through but had we not arrived per the recommendations who knows if we’d been running to the gate.  Regular lines to go through clearance was crazy long and TSA’s was only better by a fraction.  I’d rather show up early and chill with a book than be rushed.  

[FlyerTalker]

22 minutes ago, RTR 21-0 said:

Flew recently on American and there was an issue with our TSA # not being printed on our tickets.

 

Known Traveler Numbers are not printed on your boarding passes.  What is printed is a notation that you are eligible for TSA Pre-Check at the security screening points.

 

Having Pre-Check is NOT a guarantee that you will have it given to you on every flight.  There are still randomizing elements in the TSA procedures.

 

 

 

[Z'Loth]

On 6/12/2023 at 10:43 PM, em-sk said:

The Clear sales people can be quit annoying.  I am not saying it is scam, just that the people they are trying to sell the service don't get it.  You standing in line holding a Canadian passport and they are trying to convince you to get out to line to go a kiosk to sign up for a service you don't qualify for. 

 

As I understand it, CLEAR costs $189 per year to utilize, and unless I'm being reimbursed for the service either through my employer or as a credit card benefit, I'm not interested. Global Entry with TSA Pre-Check, at $100 for five years, is a better value for me considering the infrequency of my travel. 

[Zach1213]

On 6/12/2023 at 10:43 PM, em-sk said:

 

The US is the only country I have been to where you stand in line to do an ID check with TSA.  \

 

Hell, there are some countries you need to show ID to even enter the terminal. India, for example, always requires that I show ID + ticket confirmation (printed or digital) to just get in the front door. 

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, Zach1213 said:

Hell, there are some countries you need to show ID to even enter the terminal. India, for example, always requires that I show ID + ticket confirmation (printed or digital) to just get in the front door. 

 

Same in Vietnam.

 

 

[FlyerTalker]

2 hours ago, Z'Loth said:

As I understand it, CLEAR costs $189 per year to utilize, and unless I'm being reimbursed for the service either through my employer or as a credit card benefit, I'm not interested. Global Entry with TSA Pre-Check, at $100 for five years, is a better value for me considering the infrequency of my travel. 

 

As like everything else in life, it's a cost-benefit decision.  The big advantage of Clear is that it moves you to the front of the Pre-Check line.  And when the PC line is sometimes as long as the regular TSA line, that's a huge benefit.

 

Now, how that meshes with your frequency, and with the airports you utilize, is that personal C/B analysis.

 

 

[em-sk]

On 6/14/2023 at 10:39 AM, Zach1213 said:

Hell, there are some countries you need to show ID to even enter the terminal. India, for example, always requires that I show ID + ticket confirmation (printed or digital) to just get in the front door. 

 

Your suggesting that extra step adds value in the process?   Ok.

 

Most other parts of the world they have found that to be not worth the extra inconvenience.

[Globaliser]

On 6/13/2023 at 4:43 AM, em-sk said:

The US is the only country I have been to where you stand in line to do an ID check with TSA.

 

6 hours ago, em-sk said:

Your suggesting that extra step adds value in the process?   Ok.

 

Most other parts of the world they have found that to be not worth the extra inconvenience.

 

"Not adding value to the process" wasn't the complaint you made earlier.

 

The fact that you've only seen this sort of thing in the US may just be a consequence of you not having flown to enough other countries around the world.

 

But so far as "adding value to the process" is concerned, keeping non-passenger members of the public out of the terminal building altogether certainly adds value in many situations.

[Zach1213]

9 hours ago, em-sk said:

 

Your suggesting that extra step adds value in the process?   Ok.

 

When the heck did I suggest anything? I provided an alternative view and showed that other places not only require ID to get to security, but some (several) require it just to get in the front door. That's not suggesting anything, it's providing facts. 

[RTR 21-0]

On 6/13/2023 at 11:41 PM, FlyerTalker said:

 

Known Traveler Numbers are not printed on your boarding passes.  What is printed is a notation that you are eligible for TSA Pre-Check at the security screening points.

 

Having Pre-Check is NOT a guarantee that you will have it given to you on every flight.  There are still randomizing elements in the TSA procedures.

 

 

 

You are correct…..what I meant was the words “TSA” stamped on the ticket so thanks for correcting that so no one else misunderstands.  I also understand pre-check is NOT a guarantee; however, we’ve flown plenty using it and never had an issue.  Actually the only issue are the lines getting longer than regular security check in and not enough staff working the TSA areas.