Watch the correlation between how long in advance people get there, and number of FT posts...

I usually 'back into' my flight... meaning depending upon my flight's scheduled departure time, I'll figure out what time boarding starts. Then whether I'm in BF or coach, or if I want to buy something in DF or need to buy food to eat on board (if in coach). And then add in how long it will take to get to EWR (or my int'l destination) from my starting point-- work in Midtown NYC or hotel. (As I alway's only do one carry on and am Plat, I'm not concerned about checking luggage or standing on long check in lines).
Example- Flight leaves EWR at 5:45pm.. I'll assume check in starts at 5pm (I always like to be one of the first to board--or at least that gives me a cushion if I have some delays getting to the airport or thru security). If I want a little time to buy food/DF/visit PC... I'll want to be at EWR at 4:30pm. Thus I leave my office at 3:30 to get the subway to Penn Station for NJ Transit/AirTran to EWR. Same goes for leaving from international cities, I'll factor in public transport to the airport, but will allow a bit more time, if it's someplace I've never been thru before. In general, I'll arrive at an airport 60-90 minutes before a flight.

For whatever reason, I'm a high-stress traveler until I'm through check-in. So I do whatever I can to get checked in and baggage dropped as quickly as I can mange. After that, I'm fine.

Seven years ago:
For international, I used to do four hours ahead - but that allowed me to get out of my office a little early, take trains or buses to BWI from downtown DC, get checked in, eat and head to the lounge.
Three hours at ARN before departure just to make sure I had a little more time with the bearded guy before leaving to head back to the states.

Five years ago:
I realized that most of my time was being spent in the lounge and since I was returning a rental car, I would arrive at BWI three hours ahead, drop off the car then do the check-in, etc. Two hours from departure at ARN was usually plenty to eat and hit the lounge. Plus, because I'd moved, it felt easier to get to the airport at ARN and be on my way an hour to an hour and a quarter ahead (of course, nothing had changed but my perceptions) so cutting a little time there was okay.

Last year:
Changed my airport pair to ARN-EWR (with the drop of BWI from Icelandair). At ARN, we are back to three hours ahead of flight until I can figure out the best timing regarding OLCI and dropping baggage. Seven trips out of ARN since changing to EWR with the occasional IAD thrown in and each one has been wildly different regarding baggage and OLCI procedure. Still haven't chosen a new carrier.
Leaving EWR, because I've dropped the rental car off usually at least a day before, Mom drives me to the airport (an hour from her house). At first she thought 2 hours ahead of flight to plan arrival at EWR was silly, but then trying to meet an incoming flight, she got caught behind an accident on the turnpike and was very stressed at being late. (It's okay, Mom, I landed!)
This last trip, we managed to arrive at the airport 2 hours prior to takeoff - so Mom parked and went in with me to see how it all works for international. Her opinion now is that 2 hours is just barely enough.
My opinion is that I really need to choose a new carrier and get status in a hurry because 2 hours may be fine but I'd sure like some of it in a lounge!

I'd tend to disagree on this ... I think that you will find a mix of people on FT, just like overall.

Some of us like to play it safe, and spend some time enjoying a couple of drinks in the lounge (especially when flying coach). Others cut it fine ...

Just as an example, on one of my recent trips to ATL, heading home:
- Friday afternoon traffic on I-285, so slow down ...
- Long wait to check in my car at Avis
- Just missed the Avis shuttle ... wait 10-15 minutes
- Friday afternoon at ATL ... long lines at security, even for the elite lines (30-40 minutes wasted)

Got there with enough time for a couple of drinks, and finishing up some emails in the lounge ... stress level = 0 (whereas my colleague who left 1 hour later ran into the lounge ... just as our flight was starting to board ... no drink for him)

Cheers,

GenevaFlyer

For about 50% of flights I have made (10 to 15 per year) I arrive the airport between 61 and 75 minutes before flight departure. So far I have never missed a flight but sure will happen someday. I have on many occasions in LHR been the last one to check in just as the 60 min mark has been clocked.

Personally I cannot see a reason to be in an airport any more than 2 hours before departure of a flight. For those wanting to get early so they can sit in a lounge and sip free drinks or snacks, do you not have chairs and drinks at home? Of course when I have time I stop by the lounge but would rather be home, work or elsewhere than hanging around in any part of an airport for hours.

I fear a problem getting there, traffic, flat tire, accident...

I also like to get going, even if that means sitting at the airport for a bit. Sitting at home staring at the clock watching the time drag on, sucks.
At least as the airport, you can people watch, eat, look around, shop or sit in the lounge

This is what it really boils down to is ones disposition. Some like to cover all eventualities, others like to take risk. If a flat tire has not happened all year, why would it happen day I am on way to airport? If it does then so be it. We surely cannot guard against all eventualities.

I had a friend of mine like this who would head off to Gatwick airport 6 hours before the flight, incase the motorway was closed or something similar and I used to ask him why he didnt leave the day before and sleep there. At some point one has to draw a line. Indeed in many of my close shaves at the airport I get angry and come close to missing my check-in because some over-zealous travellers whose flights dont leave for another 3 or 4 hours are already in the same line trying to check in and I wonder whether they dont have other things to do than be in an airport 4 hours before a flight!

I have though come very very close to missing many many flights and can be stressful watching the traffic and looking at one's watch so really it boils down to how one is willing to put himself through stress and how one is able to cope with it.

I usually end up hanging around airports anyway because even when I cut it close the flights are often delayed.

I was on LHY-PHX a few years back. Was going to grab a bite first, then head to airport. Got a dodgy feeling, and decided to eat when I got to LHR.

Was a fire in the tube, leaving me standing there close to 1 1/2 hours. People around me missing earlier flights.

finally get to the airport just at the 2 hour window, complimented the agent on how calmly she was handling all the testy people who missed flights. Lovely lady then decided I needed a seat change- to Biz.

Leave early- you can always eat, shop, read. Better without the stress.

I was always wondering who were those travellers who sit down leisurely so relaxed in TGIFs and restaurants of that like at the airport having a three course meal....now I know!

BTW one drawback of being early at the airport - and I know two people that have suffered this - is that one gets to comfortable, decideds to relax and read as you say, falls asleep and misses their flight. This is very unlikely happen to me as often an uniterrupted trip, or trip with only brief interruption, from check-in to gate.

:@:-) sometimes you have no choice but to take long layovers, for varied reasons @:-)

must be really boring books LOL and you are right, its unlikely to happen to you if you are sweating the check in at the 60 minute mark, adrenaline keeps pumping

now not to sound like I am picking on your posts only but regarding this...

answer= Murphy's law

'all year' I did not need to be at the airport to catch a flight connecting to a trans-atl or trans-pac or something like that

and how risky the consequences of cutting it too close are, "dear customer, I didnt think I needed more than 60 mins to check in , there are no more flights today so I will see you tomorrow, I am sorry for the extra day downtime in 'x' or missing the 'meeting of the year' "

just checked and I seem to have all the above, the only thing I am missing is a jetway/gate/plane and crew to take me from my house to 6k miles away, now in the lounge the free drinks/snacks are meters away from said jetway/plane/crew and there are no taxis/roads/cars/rental cars/full parking lots/etc in the way


I take about 6-9 trips a year (12-20 segments which is of course nothing), the first leg is always 1500 miles (2nd or 3rd leg anywhere from 1500 to 5000) and there are only so many flights from SJO to IAH/EWR on a given day. Missing my first leg will for sure end up in a misconnect and the cascading effect can be horrible, that is MY travel 'profile'

Of course you have people with 100 segments, most of them domestic...with plenty of opportunities to reroute if there is a problem ......and since 1 extra hour @ 100+ segments adds up........well..... I would probably go from 2 to 1 hr pretty soon too. those road warriors spend enough time on the road as it is.

I also don't want to look stressed going through security, already happened once that by running from immigration to customs (tight connection after delayed plane leaving and then EWR was shutdown adding 30 mins of flight time) someone got very interested in me and added 10 mins of interrogation (but I made the connection anyway)