IAD - 5:45 PM Flight

[CroozeNoob]

We will be flying from Dulles to Fort Lauderdale (FLL) on a Tuesday evening at 5:45. I was just wondering when I should plan to arrive at my parking spot. According to google, it is a 1 hour and 45 minute drive to the hotel where we reserved parking, and the shuttle ride should take ten minutes. Would leaving at noon provide us enough time to get to the parking, shuttle over, and check in on the flight? We would be driving up 81 and over into Dulles.

[princeton123211]

12 minutes ago, CroozeNoob said:

just wondering when I should plan to arrive at my parking spot.

You don't really need to be to the terminal til maybe 3:45 unless you need extra time at the airport. Getting to the parking lot at 3:30ish would be fine. I always give myself a little bit of buffer in and around DC due to the traffic although you'll be coming in on 66 in the opposite flow of traffic during that time. 

[capriccio]

When going to Dulles from our home off exit 291 on I-81 we always give ourselves at least 2 hours to get into the airport.  While construction is finally done on I-66 east of Gainesville, until that point I-66 is only 2 lanes in each direction (as is I-81) and an accident will tie things up.  Once you get to the hotel where you are leaving the car, do you know how often the shuttle to the airport runs?  That obviously needs to be taken into consideration.  Getting into the airport by 3:30 should be fine especially if you have priority luggage check-in and TSA pre-check.  If not, realize that you will be hitting the Dulles rush hours for outbound European flights and the crowds just get bigger after 3:30.

[CroozeNoob]

Ok, thank you for the info. We are leaving 3 hours to get to our hotel parking (which shouldn't hit traffic on the way in), which leaves at the top of the hour. Worst case, if we arrive a few minutes after 3, we can just uber over the 6 minute drive. That will leave us just under 3 hours prior to boarding to arrive at the airport.

[capriccio]

43 minutes ago, CroozeNoob said:

Ok, thank you for the info. We are leaving 3 hours to get to our hotel parking (which shouldn't hit traffic on the way in), which leaves at the top of the hour. Worst case, if we arrive a few minutes after 3, we can just uber over the 6 minute drive. That will leave us just under 3 hours prior to boarding to arrive at the airport.

That should work!  Have an easy drive and a great cruise.