Optimizing airport arrival times
 

While I realize that most FTers like to get to the airport early and also board the plane ASAP, my strategy is the opposite. If the check-in deadline is t-60, I get to the counter at t-65 (this works best when I'm certain about my transportation time to the airport). And, if the boarding deadline is T-10, I hang out at the gate until T-10 (though I do board earlier if I know I'm the very last passenger, and they want to get the flight out).

Basically, I don't care about lounges, and I prefer to keep my airplane seat time to a minimum. Some people use the -- I need to find overhead bin space -- rationale in order to justify boarding early, but this honestly isn't a problem for me (I always check a bag, and have recently started putting my computer inside it, which makes my laptop bag lighter and saves time at security).

I've been burned by this "cut it close" strategy 5 times during the course of the past 10 years at a cost of $1,000 and one missed meeting. On the flip side, I've saved ~2,000 hours.

When I was visiting my friend in HK last week, he really impressed me because he left his apartment in Wanchai at 8:05a for his 9a flight to MNL, and wasn't the slightest bit stressed.

I'm curious to hear if there are others like us, and how often you've been burned (as a percentage of flights).

Optimizing airport arrival times
 

Yea, I have done this a few times. Mainly I hate hanging around the gate while everybody tries to board in one big crowd. Never been burned. On some airlines, like the International ones, they make a concerted effort to wait until all the passengers board.

Looking forward to hearing how much time you lose when your laptop get stolen

Have you really 'saved' that much time? Did you do things during those entire 2000 hours that you could not have done in the lounge. Also, is the seat at the gate, that much more comfortable than the seat on the plane. How much time did you spend resolving being burnt? When you are flying to the destinations that I tend to go to, you would likely arrive at least two days late (if you could get a flight) and spent hours trying to rebook.

It may be that your flying patterns are such that rebooking is fairly easy.

I don't mean to doubt the OP's post, but in general, I find it hard to believe that you could possibly time your airport arrival with so little time to spare that you didn't have a larger failure rate over time. With only 5 minutes to spare in your schedule, even small events like a traffic jam, late public transport, or an unusually-long line at airport check-in, immigration, or security will cause a missed flight. That is, unless you cut to the front of every line that's longer than 5 minutes under the guise of "My flight is about to leave!"

I like to arrive at the airport with plenty of time to spare. I don't consider it wasted time, as I use it for things I'd be doing otherwise: enjoy a nice meal, and/or get some work done. When the unforseen happens and I get delayed, that time eats into eating and working and doesn't cause me to miss the flight.

I concur. I used to be like the OP, but the two best things I've done to lower my blood pressure are to (1) travel with carry-on bags only (and, when I must check a bag, I never check anything I care about losing), and (2) buy a lounge membership to encourage me to book longer connections and to arrive earlier before my flight. For these sacrifices, I enjoy travel that is much less stressful than before.

Personally, I don't care if you want to wait to board the aircraft until the last minute.

However, if you're always "the guy" who is allowed to cut in line at the counter or in security because your flight leaves in 10-20 minutes, I believe you have lots of karmic debt. I hope your guesstimated 2000 hours is worth an eternity in karmic hell.

This was my first thought as well, or damaged. Have you seen the way these bags are handled?? Hope the laptop is made of titanium.

I can't arrive for anything with so little time to spare, it's not worth the extra stress level to me. I'd prefer to be early and put up with some "wasted" time relaxing.

The seat at the gate is 5x more comfortable than the seat on the plane (it is summer here in south China HOT, and the seats in the gate area have infinite legroom).

But, 1/3 of the time, the choice isn't gate v. plane; rather it's gate v. standing in the bus that brings me to the plane. I greatly dislike the bus. As such, I always make sure that I am the very last person to board whenever remote stands are involved.

There are very few lounges that I enjoy. I do like the Cabin (HKG) when it isn't super crowded, but I still prefer eating in town.

Regarding my laptop, it isn't the slightest bit sexy, but my laptop bag is heavy even when it's empty. Furthermore, prompt baggage delivery is one area in which China is on top of its game.

Insofar as being "burned" is concerned, a colleague and I showed up at PEK at 8a for a 9a flight to XIY, and we immediately realized that we didn't have chance in hell of making it (the security situation was REALLY bad). We ended up tossing our tickets and buying F the next MU flight out, which was delayed for 5 hours. That experience sucked, but is acceptable in the grand scheme.

OP, do whatever you like. It sounds like you don't mind tossing money out the window by missing flights, and if you are able to do that, more power to you. ;)

I'll continue to enjoy my leisurely cup of coffee and WSJ at the airport.

Checking a laptop? Nuts. :rolleyes:

I'm genuinely envious of people like OP, being quite anxious myself and showing at airport security control 2 hours earlier even for domestic/EU flights.
Elite status made it even worse, as I tend to justify a longer wait thanks to lounges.

I'm envious of the OP's ability to do this. Sadly I do most of my flying on UA which suffers from a clientele which likes to travel with their kitchen sinks, and through US airports which have crazy long queues for security. However I do follow this approach at LHR, the path through which is fairly predictable.

I'd rather sit at the airport and read there than risk missing my flight because there was a traffic delay or security had gone crazy because of a group of people that had not been on an airport lately and take forever through the lanes. Plus this way I can get back home and grab a forgotten item if I find out fast enough (done that both for my passport and for work related paperwork).
With most of my travel for business, buying a new ticket will mean paying from my own pocket AND probably loosing the return as well (and needing to pay it as well). Not a risk I would take.

At the end of the day everyone makes there own choices. As long as they do not ask me to go in front of me in security/checkin or telling me that their suitcase should go in the overhead because my backpack is smaller and fits under the seat and they were late to board, it's none of my business really so people can do as they wish.

I'm with you, one time I got dropped of at BOS and realized I had forgotten my wallet. I was able to call my friend who came back, took me home and brought me back to the airport. The only thing it cost me was the opportunity to board an earlier flight.

My last flight was a 6:15 AM flight to MKE, got to the gate by 4:35; about 20 minutes later the security line was up the stairs while Mom and I were enjoying a beverage in a comfy chair near the gate. Would have much rather been in that situation than standing in line for 25 minutes to clear security.

Sure, it didn't change the time it took me to get to MKE any but it did reduce any anxiety Mom or I might have had.

It depends where you are/live, because such kind of behaviour is quite norm in Asia - particularly Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea where infrastructure and policies are quite different comparing to US/EU.

I reside in SIN, I travel with carry-on only on my business trips. I leave home about one hour before of scheduled departure time. 95% of my flights leave at 6-6:30AM, taxi takes 20min to reach the airport and there is no traffic. Getting boarding pass on a counter (SIN does not have kiosks) takes 3-5min max (due to *A Gold status), passport control takes 1 (one) minute due to automated gates, so within 30 min I left home I am on airside and usually have 10-15-20 min to get to lounge, grab a coffee/snack and then head to the gate.

I would not do the same in States due to unforeseen factors. Last month I was waiting 20min at precheck line at SFO. Add to this potential traffic problem and if you need to drop off rental car, add to this required time as well. I stay 45 min from SFO in South Bay but I usually leave 2.5h before the flight just to be on the safe side.

I would certainly change my routine if I had to buy F tickets on new flights every week, but we're talking about a TEN YEAR time span here (i.e. I can justify amortizing the financial hit across this period when it happens).