Originally Posted by
ricktoronto
Nobody would allow people to go through security the night before then leave the airport. Arriving 3 a.m. is too early also. Nobody is around at 3 a.m. including AA staff and the US Preclearance folks who open at 4 a.m.(used to be 4:30). Even at 4 a.m. you are more likely to check in at a kiosk because AA folks are none to prompt at the podiums.
If you are dropped off at 8 p.m. and need to be in the airport at 4 a.m. then stay at the hotel attached to the terminal or the one at the end of the monorail. That's more than 4 hours, it's a proper night at a hotel.
We wouldn't leave the airport. When we arrive the evening prior to our flight we want to check-in for our flights, check our bags, go through US security and then sit in the secure area (maybe near our gate, if its listed) for the rest of the night. I know 3AM is too early to arrive at the airport, even though we are told to arrive 3 hrs ahead of departure. With ours and family members past experiences in arriving at 4AM when security opens its doors there will be a huge line up then a mad dash to make it to the gate in time. The times we have arrived at 3AM for a 6AM departure we sit on the floor at the door to security to be the first ones in when they open. We don't want to depend on the kindness of others who have patiently waited in line to allow us to butt in and jump the line because we didn't want to get to the airport 3 hrs early and before security opens.