Early-morning flight from VCE - when to get there?
 

My mother and I will be visiting Venice in a few months, and we have an early flight out. We're booked on the 6:20am Air France flight to CDG (where we'll connect to our separate flights home to the US) on Saturday, November 3.

I see that the airport's website recommends that you get there two hours ahead of time for an international departure. I've also read online that VCE is variously a.) completely quiet that early in the morning, b.) that the terminal (or the check-in counters) don't open until 5am, and c.) that it's a jam-packed madhouse and that we'll need every moment of those two hours to get checked in, check our bags, and get through security and to the gate.

Which of these is most accurate? If we follow the airport's recommendation and get there by 4:20am, will we have to cool our heels waiting for Air France to receive us at 5am?

We have an easily cancelable reservation for Friday night at the Best Western Titian Inn Venice Airport in Tessera which looks very close. If we take their earliest shuttle, it departs the hotel at 4:45am which I assume would get us to the airport at 5, but I wonder if that cuts it too close once we get to the airport. Does anyone have experience with this flight or this situation? Thanks in advance.

I have taken that flight several times. It would be helpful to know if you are flying business or economy class as the check in lines move faster for business class passengers.
I see no reason for you to stay at a nearby airport hotel. When we take that early flight, we leave a wake-up call at our hotel in Castello area of Venice for 0400. We have packed and showered and paid our bill the night before. We have also arranged for a water-taxi to meet us at 4:15. We arrive at airport about 20 minutes later (not much traffic on the lagoon at that hour). Arriving at 0500 should not be a problem.. The only glitch would be if there was a lot of fog in the AM and that is something you can check the night before, to allow yourself more time.
After too many of those early AM flights, I now take flights out ofVCE which leave after 10:AM. My next flight from VCE/CDG/LAX leaves around noon.

good point -- we'll be in economy class.

When you've arrived at the airport around 0435, was the checkin counter/terminal open? So arriving at 5 for an 0620 flight wouldn't be too bad? Air France closes checkin at 0540, but I think we'd definitely want to be past security by that time.

I am certain that the check in counter will be open at that hour. The only issue is the customs desk to have your purchase forms stamped prior to mailing from airport may not yet be open (that is a pain). Suggest checking in for your flight and then going to that window. I have never had them ask to see my purchases.
Also, there will be plenty of places to buy coffee at that hour, although duty free shops may still be closed.

2 hrs will be okay, as you may face a long line to drop-off your bags (even if you have already checked-in online). Security line in VCE is always short and well organized. After security you don't have to be worried about passport control as all the border formalities will take place in CDG.

Apologies, I should have come back long ago to update this, for the benefit of anyone else wondering about this flight.

We took the shuttle from the Best Western Titian Inn in Tessera, which put us there right around 5am. The terminal wasn't closed, and yes, the line was long but not terribly chaotic. My mother had requested a wheelchair at CDG to make her connection to RDU, and they jumped her to the front of the check-in line at VCE and brought me along with her. Security was efficient -- I didn't get any special treatment there and was only a few minutes behind my mother to clear the checkpoint. We had plenty of time at the gate, enough to get one last Italian espresso and a pastry.

Since they'd jumped us to the front of the check-in line, I didn't see how quickly it moved. But we were on a full flight, so everyone appeared to have made it.

Thanks for all the info, FT.

Rather than start a new thread let me ask here:

We will be taking an evening flight in TAP business class to LIS - will it be sufficient to arrive 1.5 hours before ETD?

I.5 hours should be sufficient, particularly as you are flying in Business Class.