Originally Posted by
Exiled in Express
Saturday morning is likely the worst TSA queue of the week at Humphrey due to Sun Country's Mexico bank. That said I have not had a wait over 20 minutes at Humphrey and Saturday morning is usually when I fly out.
The car rental is a more difficult one and as a local one I am not totally suited to answer. I did a rental return once at T2, it was National and I believe they had an unmanned drop off lane. Park the car, drop the keys in the box and get a receipt by email.
Depending on where you are spending Friday night it may make sense to drop the car then and shuttle/taxi/Uber to the airport just to save stress and get 20 minutes more sleep. T2 is also not as well signed on highways as it probably should be.
Without more details and assuming no checked bag and mobile boarding pass, I'd want the car dropped at T1 by 5:30AM and if ditching the car the night prior, dropped off outside T2 no later than 6AM.
Thank you everyone for your guidance. You are right about that bank of flights and therefore the potential for early Saturday to be a bear at TSA security. I am taking your advice, staying near the airport, returning my car the evening before and scheduling their 24/7 shuttle early - 4 or 430a - for my 650 WN flight. Even then I know there are no guarantees but I have a strategy and I have the FlyerTalk community to thank for it.