Mid-Atlantic - How much time to allow at Dulles?

I'm flying out of Dulles on Thursday on a British Airways flight at 8:10AM. The earliest 5A bus arrives from downtown at 6:23. The MWAA website suggests that pax allow 2.5-3 hours for international flights. Is this estimate overly cautious, especially for a morning international flight? In other words should I be alright taking the bus?

I'm flying out of Dulles on Thursday on a British Airways flight at 8:10AM. The earliest 5A bus arrives from downtown at 6:23. The MWAA website suggests that pax allow 2.5-3 hours for international flights. Is this estimate overly cautious, especially for a morning international flight? In other words should I be alright taking the bus?

Thursday is not the worst day at IAD. Although 6:23 is cutting it a little close, I think you should be okay. Do you need to stand in a ticketing line, or are you headed right to the gate? If you have to stand in line for a ticketing agent before security, I don't think you'll make it.

I'm flying out of Dulles on Thursday on a British Airways flight at 8:10AM. The earliest 5A bus arrives from downtown at 6:23. The MWAA website suggests that pax allow 2.5-3 hours for international flights. Is this estimate overly cautious, especially for a morning international flight? In other words should I be alright taking the bus?

I've seen very long lines for BA checkin for this flight. And TSA security can take 30 minutes (or more) at 7:00-7:30 am. You've also got several hiking trips: from the 5A to BA ticket counter (5 minutes), from BA ticket counter to TSA (3-4 minutes), from TSA to mobile lounge for the D Concourse (5 minutes), mobile lounge ride (5-8 minutes), from mobile lounge to BA gate (6-7 minutes). It all adds up... I think you are going to be very stressed!

Hey, first, welcome to the club.

The bus is supposed to arrive 1hr 47 min. before the flight.

Although Annandaler clocked times, I think if you are lucky, you'll make it, but if TSA is slow, or the bus is a bit late, or BA does one of its' classic stupid things, you will miss the flight.

You feel lucky?

I assure you, if that flight is overbooked, you will miss it.BA will enforce the check-in 1 hour before flight rule. I don't know if that is a valid rule, but I spent overnights in MUC & FRA when it was enforced, and who do you argue with?

Do keep in mind that TSA at IAD in the morning sucks major A$$. During my last AM flight from IAD they had pulled a captain aside for a private groap session; as if he couldn't do something not so nice with the airplane with out a a nail clipper. :rolleyes: They also had IIRC 3 lanes completely closed despite the 30 min wait to get to the check point. This was on the Friday before July 4th.

Thanks everyone. I won't chance it then.