When to be at the airport?

itsanne

Sorry for the stupid question, but how much before the flight do we need to be when there's an internal flight before a transatlantic one (BA, online check in)? Am I right in assuming it's just the amount of time for a domestic flight?

Barny1979

It should say on your booking info, but I would give a bit longer as you need to check in baggage rather than hand luggage for the internal flight for the baggage to get to the next airport, for my own peace of mind, I would check in 2 hours before to then be able to relax before the internal flight.

itsanne

Barny1979 wrote: »

It should say on your booking info, but I would give a bit longer as you need to check in baggage rather than hand luggage for the internal flight for the baggage to get to the next airport, for my own peace of mind, I would check in 2 hours before to then be able to relax before the internal flight.

Thanks. I've just found the info for if you don't check in online. In that case the check in opens 90 minutes beforehand, so it is just domestic flight times. (We'll be early! )

pollypenny

You don't say which airport, itsanne.

We always used to roll up at Manchester, terminal 3, two hours before thE BA shuttle to Gatwick.

However, terminal three has become very busy at weekends, owing to US airways flying from there now.

photome

Better to be too early rather than too late.
You dont say if travelling is involved.

I always aim to be in the terminal building at least 2 hours before the flight and always build in a buffer when adding travelling time on

SW17

Check in time for the domestic flight is fine, aim to be there at least 30 mins before checkin closes in case of delays. You're checking in online, so it's just bag drop if you have hold luggage, plus any transfer info you need for LHR/LGW.

If you're delayed travelling to the airport and in danger of missing the check-in deadline, just tell the staff at check-in area and they'll take you to the front of any queue. The connecting flight doesn't matter much at that stage, once your bag is tagged to final destination it just needs to get on the first flight...

photome

SW17 wrote: »

Check in time for the domestic flight is fine, aim to be there at least 30 mins before checkin closes in case of delays. You're checking in online, so it's just bag drop if you have hold luggage, plus any transfer info you need for LHR/LGW.

If you're delayed travelling to the airport and in danger of missing the check-in deadline, just tell the staff at check-in area and they'll take you to the front of any queue. The connecting flight doesn't matter much at that stage, once your bag is tagged to final destination it just needs to get on the first flight...

All of the above, IMO is a recipe for missing your flight

But each to their own.

SW17

photome wrote: »

All of the above, IMO is a recipe for missing your flight

But each to their own.

I take over 50 flights a year long and short haul, works for me. OP was asking about whether they need to use long haul check-in time, the answer was no.

Barny1979

Maybe if you are an experienced traveller and I presume you are travelling as part of work you can leave more to chance. But personally if it was a connecting flight and obviously depending on journey time to the airport, I wouldn't leave anything to chance for a holiday just for the sake of an extra 30mins in bed.

Doshwaster

I always say it's better to be there too early and have to spend more time in the bar rather than be a minute late or have the stress of being stuck in traffic.

For long haul, especially Heathrow, I would always allow at least 3 hours but I do like hanging around airports as I find them fascinating places. Sometimes I'm actually quite disappointed to be boarding a plane as I'm having such a good time in the terminal.

callum9999

photome wrote: »

All of the above, IMO is a recipe for missing your flight

But each to their own.

That purely depends on how they'd be getting to the airport. It's incredibly unlikely that they'd miss the flight by getting to the airport an hour before take-off (unless they had a risky route to the airport) - though I'd personally make it 90 mins.

My record has been 15 minutes before take off, I'd certainly not recommend that! (Obviously couldn't check anything that late so got some funny looks from people as I was boarding the plane with a full-sized suitcase as hand luggage!)