BostonPlanesAndTrains

Hi! I am travelling on the 5:35am DL flight to MSP. What time should I be getting to the Airport by? Also, what is there to do airside?

Eighty8MPH

There is an Alaska Board Room at ANC (near Gate C-1), but it doesn't open up until 5:00 am. So, you'll probably be boarding your flight around the time it opens.

If you're looking for a place to eat, the Hudson Euro Cafe (next to the Board Room) opens up at 3:30 am.

If you have pre-check and are not checking bags, security is a breeze - you'll be fine getting to the airport an hour before your flight.

If you have time to kill, check out the observation deck (2nd floor) or look at the Alaska Native Art Display.

BostonPlanesAndTrains

Thanks! I'm traveling F so I was wondering if they have priority security? What gates does DL use? Thanks!

Eighty8MPH

Delta uses the B gates.
The MSP flight usually leaves from B6 or B8.

There is priority security. Have your BP ready as there is usually someone policing the line.

brocklee9000

Another data point, for anyone else who may peruse this thread later. A mid-July visit. Came in from a cruise (arrived in Seward). Took the latest possible departure from the ship and got into downtown Anchorage at about...noon. I walked all around downtown, saw a park (Elderberry Park), checked out the Firefly Island observation area/place where the signs warn you of the mud flats you can sink into. Then walked back to the hotel where the shuttles to the airport met (Marriott downtown). Got to ANC around 5:00 PM (spent four hours walking around the small downtown and was bored). No one at the checkin counter, dropped my bags, and walked over to the security area. Looks like it could accommodate a ton of people, but no one was there yet. Regular, priority, and PreCheck were empty. Went through the pre line, and then went to the Board Room. Proceeded to relax for another 6 hours (yes, six hours...) and caught up on emails and other things I had missed out on, and edited/uploaded photos (our cell service was pretty much crap in Alaska). Left around 11:30-35 for a 12:00 departure. I'm glad I waited, because it was a 757 and the area was PACKED with tourists. I can only imagine security had been a mess for the previous one to two hours, as DL and AA both had 757s there, plus the constant flow of AS flights. Anyway, was able to just sidestep the mob, board in the SP lane, and settle into the half-empty F cabin for our redeye to LAX.

Overall, seems to be one of those airports where security lines will be awful at certain times of the day, and there's really not much to do at the airport.

BostonPlanesAndTrains

So the cruisers don't use 5am flights?

brocklee9000

Not when I was there, no. The ships don't come any closer than Seward, which is a few hours away by car, bus, or train. The ships arrive in the morning, dump everyone off by 9:00ish, clean up, and then start loading passengers for the next itinerary in the early afternoon. Large groups book after-cruise packages and may spend 1-3 days in Anchorage or even as far up as Denali and FAI, and they may leave at other times. But the majority of people arrive in Anchorage in the early to mid afternoon, and catch any of the various flights. I just noticed quite a few large redeyes leaving around midnight that particular day. I can't speak for people who spend a day in Anchorage and then spend the night in a hotel (or just wait it out) for an early morning flight elsewhere.

Eighty8MPH

ANC can be insanely busy from 10 pm until 2 am (especially during the summer tourist season).
There are many, many red eye flights (to allow for onward connections).
Security lines can be long.

However, ANC is usually less busy at 5:00 am.

AS has flights to SEA at 5 am and 6 am.
DL has the 5:35 MSP flight and a 5:45 SEA flight.
AS also has 6 am flights to FAI and PDX.

That's about it for major morning flights.

So, the early morning at ANC is usually not as busy as the red eye rush.