kpfleming

I'm heading to BRU on Thursday evening on DL, wondering how long I need to plan for security/etc. at JFK. I'm not checking a bag, will use OLCI, have Global Entry so *may* get TSA PreCheck, flying in BE. As I understand it, that means I can go directly to Terminal 2 for security and then head to the gate; last time I did this was for a transcon flight and I was at the gate less than 20 minutes after arriving at Terminal 2. Is that likely to be the case for a TATL flight as well? I'd rather spend time at dinner in the city with my wife than sitting in the terminal... so is planning to arrive at T2 60 minutes before flight time reasonable?

nystateofmind

Security Check-in Requirements for International Travel To/From Non-U.S. Cities

The recommended arrival time at the airport prior to departure of international flights is 3 hours. When traveling to/from a destination outside the United States, you must be checked in at least 60 minutes before your scheduled departure time and it is required that you be at the gate and ready to board at least 45 minutes before your scheduled departure time. This minimum requirement applies to all customers checking-in, with or without baggage. Customers who fail to complete the check-in procedures by these deadlines willl not be able to travel on desired flights and change fees may apply.


That comes from Delta.com. If you have no checked luggage I would suggest being at the airport between 90 and 120 minutes prior to Departure and if you have extra time just go to the SkyClub for a bit

MSPeconomist

Since it's an international itinerary, OP is not eligible for precheck but there should be a separate SkyPriority security line.

Usually on international, there's a statement during OLCI that says you must show travel documents to DL by T-60. At T-30, the door can be closed and boarding denied.

The three hours quoted above is silly for BE and SkyPriority passengers unless there have been recent major IROPs, such as weather issues.

TrojanTraveler

A bit irrelevant as Delta does not currently have Pre-Check at JFK.

StefanNYC

I fly out of T2 quite a bit. I don't remember when I last arrived there earlier than T-60 -- domestic or international -- and I have yet to miss a flight (knock on wood).

My personal record is walking through the T2 entrance door, for a JFK-SVO flight departing from a faraway gate at T3, at T-30. Made it without a problem. Still, that's an exercise I'd label "Do not attempt"

Bottom line, with T-60, most probably you'll be fine. But, this cannot be taken as legal advice Good luck!

FlyAO2

Completely unnecessary. If you have no checked luggage and checked in online - you do not need to be at the airport any earlier for an international flight than you do for a domestic one.

They of course, won't tell you that - but it isn't needed. They have no idea when you arrived - the only thing they know/can enforce is if your rear-end is in a seat before the door is closed

TrojanTraveler

I don't know from where you are coming, but if you are travelling by road and have to take the Van Wyck, traffic is both bad and unpredicatable (some say predicatably bad), and you should budget extra time in for that.

kpfleming

Thanks for the feedback; I'm coming from Midtown Manhattan via the 7/E subways and AirTrain, which is pretty reliably 60-65 minutes to get to JFK T2/3. Any route on the roads is too unpredictable :-)

MS02113

Because boarding tends to begin 20-30 minutes earlier on international flights, I might allow a little extra time, but certainly not three hours.

MSPeconomist

OP states that he/she has GE so *may* get precheck. I pointed out one reason this isn't going to happen and you pointed out a second reason.

TrojanTraveler

The OP was asking for information as he was unfamiliar with a particular situation with Delta at JFK, hoping to get responses from those who are familiar with JFK. You responded, but if you were familiar with Delta at JFK, you would know that there is no Pre-check. Since the OP was by implication asking for information from those who are familiar with JFK, and I assume that you are not that familiar with JFK (if you were you would know that Pre-Check has never been at Delta's terminals at JFK), I'm curious as to why you responded to the OP.

MSPeconomist

I am familiar with JFK, although I haven't recently used it for a domestic departure. TSA precheck locations are constantly expanding and even the TSA website list isn't kept up to date. Whether JFK has precheck or not is irrelevant to the OP, who is not eligible for precheck before a TATL flight.

TrojanTraveler

Whether or not you are on a domestic or international departure has no bearing as to whether or not a Pre-Check line exists. Rather than mentioning that one can't use Pre-Check on an international departure, it would have been far more helpful to mention to the OP that there is no Pre-Check.

Actually, looking at your post, there is nothing in your post that provides any definitive knowledge about Delta at JFK, about which the OP was inquiring directly about:

"Since it's an international itinerary, OP is not eligible for precheck but there should be a separate SkyPriority security line.

Usually on international, there's a statement during OLCI that says you must show travel documents to DL by T-60. At T-30, the door can be closed and boarding denied.

The three hours quoted above is silly for BE and SkyPriority passengers unless there have been recent major IROPs, such as weather issues. "

TheMadBrewer

If the OP is not pre-check eligible, why does it matter if there is or is not a Pre-Check line? It sounds like you are trying to pick an argument.

af fp

I've done this very thing, and with luggage.

I had checked in online for JFK-BRU in C. Showed up 2 hours before departure on a busy holiday departure day. Waited 30 minutes to drop bags (it was extremely busy that day), then 30+ minutes to clear security at T2. It was bad but we still had time to get a drink at the club before boarding among the first passengers.

If you have your boarding pass in hand no need to show up early if you don't want to spend time at the airport that day. I would leave Manhattan 180-150 minutes before departure, with a goal to be at T2's security 90-60 minutes before departure and have spare time in case something goes wrong.

I would not think you are crazy if you left Manhattan 120-150 minutes before takeoff if you already have a boarding pass. If you leave less than 120 minutes before takeoff you like thrills, if you leave Manhattan less than 90 minutes before takeoff it means you can afford to miss that flight.