Did a search but nothing popped up. I'm flying IAH-EWR-BDA on March 6, on CO 89 and 1657 in BF. CO 89 departs IAH at 6:40 am. Website says to arrive 3 hours early for international flights. My question is, since I'm going through EWR, does the 3 hour rule apply? Normally I'd arrive about 5:30 am. I am checking one bag, if that makes a difference. TIA for any light you can shed!

BF to BDA?

Intercontinental airport start letting people through security about 5:15am, unless something has changed recently. I don't see any point of going there earlier than 5am. Unless it's major holiday, terminal E's pretty quiet early in the morning. 5:15-5:30 is fine.

I don't believe the three-hour rule (to the extent that it is indeed a rule) applies if the first leg of the journey is domestic (i.e., to a hub to connect with the international segment). I routinely arrive at the airport an hour or an hour and a half before departure for DCA-EWR-Europe flights and never have had a problem. Don't know if the rule/suggestion applies though and they just don't enforce it.

In any event, if you're connecting through EWR from a domestic segment (from just about anywhere) to an international segment, you would have arrived at and checked your bags at the initial point of departure at least three hours in advance of the international flight. That would seem to satisfy the three hour requirement. Also, the website says international baggage can be checked up to 60 minutes before departure: http://www.continental.com/travel/po...B7276E8DBE518C

("For international flights, baggage must be checked at least 60 minutes prior to scheduled departure.")

I guess the point is no matter what, you should be fine arriving at IAH at 5:15-5:30 for the 6:40 to EWR, then on to BDA.

The EWR-BDA flight is termed BF on CO. com. (the IAH-EWR segments are in Z). That's all I know!

The IAH-EWR flight can be a "A" class, or the cheaper "Z". On the early morning CO89, it's going to be a First Class seat on a 737.

EWR-BDA is technically called "International Business", again with the same domestic FC seat on a 737.