Originally Posted by
Genius1
Because I want a drink in the lounge
In all seriousness though, I always aim for 2 hours before departure if my schedule allows simply because I don't like rushing and you can't always predict how travelling to the airport will be (particularly in places like IST!).
For infrequent travellers, I would always advise 2 hours for short haul and 3 hours for long haul.
Just by way of update for anyone searching this thread in the future, we were dropped off at 0610 for a 0710 departure. Security was crazy busy presumably due to vueling early morning flights all leaving at roughly the same time. Fast track was however completely clear. BCN is pretty easy to navigate and we probably had around 20 minutes in the lounge before going to the gate when boarding started. Unexpectedly the fast track boarding was rigorously enforced. Flight was full (including four on jump seats) and, as usual, plenty of yellow tagged ‘under seat’ bags in overhead bins although CC were pretty good at moving them to make space. ^