Wait time at DCA Security?
 

First time I'm flying NW out of DCA. Wednesday morning, 8AM. Is 30 minutes enough time?

Are you asking can you check in at 7:30 and make it through security and board the flight in 1/2 hour? Or are you asking will the security line take 1/2 hour to get through?

It has been a while since I flew NW out of DCA, but I have stood in line an hour to get to some of the other terminals at DCA.

Clarify your question a little and you will get some helpful responses.

Last time I flew out of DCA it was very quick on a Sunday evening. Incidentally, the WC is outside security, so watching when the experienced DCA travellers head for the gate is worthwhile.

I also echo wldtrvlr's question.

From three month's worth of experience flying out of DCA back in 2003, it never took me more than 10 minutes to get through security at the NW terminal. This was on Friday afternoons, around 4 pm. I could certainly have been lucky, so I would not count on this always being the case for you.

But if you're trying to check in, go through security and get to your gate a half hour before your flight...which means the flight will start boarding as you arrive and you hope to get there before they close the door...all I can say is good luck and I hope you find some overhead space still available for your carryon!

Geez, I did word that question a little oddly, didn't I? :D

I just want to know if 30 minutes is enough time to allow for getting through DCA security at the NW pier...that is, will it take longer than that?. I'll already be checked in. I only mentioned my flight time to get opinions based on the time of day I'm traveling.

Thanks for your responses.

From my experience, I would think you can get through DCA security at A terminal in under 30 mins. You're safe if you alot 30 minutes for security on a Monday morning.

I've never waited more than 5 minutes at NW concourse at DCA, my home airport. So half an hour should be plenty. Walk to the gates is only about 3 minutes from there.

CO/DL/others can be much longer, specially Friday afternoons.

Agreed, "A" Concourse is basically only NW, ATA, Midwest and Spirit (who am I missing?) and the line at security moves very quickly. 10 minutes, even on a weekday morning should be enough (especially as the crowd at that hour knows the drill).
USAIR over in "C" is the scary line. :(

Last Friday 15 minutes
Friday before 7 minutes

30 minutes = plenty of time

Although they can be inconsistent with enforcing an elite line down the right hand lane. Last Friday they did not, hence the longer wait

At Terminal A from my experience 10-15minutes tops.

all depends... when i've been on first flights of the day, esp when spirit and ata all have flights goign out with the DTW, MSP and MEM flights... i've seen it all the way out to the baggage carousel... 30 min should be ok for an 8:30... but I wouldnt push it much more than that. Remember, it's summer and lots of kids, baby strollers, etc that can really crunch the line.

TSA now publishes historical wait time averages/maxima:
http://waittime.tsa.dhs.gov/index.html

Very very helpful.

I disagree. I think the wait is 10 minutes on average, often closer to 20. Remember that NW shares this terminal with a couple of LCCs who tend to have more infrequent travellers.

Just went out of DCA on Monday for 6:50AM flight
 

I just left DCA on Monday, and asked a similar question. Got some very helpful responses from the people there:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=451387

Agree with everyone here...

5-20 minutes for me
 

I fly out of DC often and the wait time typically varies from 5-20 minutes.