Knowing how early to arrive for a flight comes down to a bit of research and organization. Planning ahead is important, as is understanding that although some things are nearly impossible to predict, most are avoidable. People miss flights because they overslept, were caught in traffic, waited at the ticket window for too long, endured a painstakingly thorough baggage search or got lost in an unfamiliar airport (among countless other more obscure reasons). But chances are that they weren't late because of some epic or inexplicable occurrence.
The physical and/or emotional stress on the human body experienced by many air travelers (whether it be excitement, fear, fatigue, nervousness or nausea) need not be heightened because of missing or nearly missing a flight. Give yourself peace of mind by preparing luggage and transportation logistics the night before. Also, be sure an alarm is set, even if you are already wide awake. The alarm isn't so much a reminder as it is a mental note to keep you focused on arriving on time at the airport.
Calculating a time frame of how early to arrive for a flight is fairly straightforward, yet highly variable. Quite simply, always allow more time than necessary. If unsure, contact the airline directly via phone for first-hand information. Online weather and map websites also provide good information for real-time updates of variables that could affect your airport arrival time.
Distance from and type of transport to the airport, airport size, expected traffic delays, the number and age of travelers; the quantity, size and type of checked bags; physical condition; time and the day of the week; the destination; booking method; security alert level and holidays should be universal considerations. However, a common, generic time-frame is virtually impossible to predict. Determining how early to arrive for a flight is less a matter of formulaic consistency, than a matter of common sense.
Obviously, if the reservation is made by e-ticket, the traveler has no checked bags and departs from Chicago to New York on a red-eye flight, he will normally need far less time than a family of six with three checked bags, heading from Chicago to Tokyo, on a Saturday during Christmas week.
Logistics and other mainly avoidable variables aside, once entering the airport doors, it's a good idea to allow 1 1/2 hours for domestic flights and upwards of three hours for international departures. In most cases, there will be time to spare, but arriving a little early assures that the view will ultimately be downward from 15,000 feet instead of from the boarding area, watching your plane take off.
According to Bureau of Transportation statistics gathered at the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), in Washington D.C., airlines have exhibited an approximate reliability rate of 75 percent in on-time departures.between 1995 and 2009. In other words, if you do not allow enough time to arrive, check in and clear security, three out of four passengers could realistically miss their flights if arriving late to the airport.
