The short answer
As a rule of thumb, arrive two hours before a short-haul or domestic flight and three hours before a long-haul or international one. Add 30 minutes or more with children, a car to park, or a busy holiday weekend. The time that really matters isn't departure: it's when bag drop closes (often 40 to 60 minutes before) and when the gate closes (often 15 to 30 minutes before), so work back from those.
The rule of thumb
| Flight | Arrive at the airport | Add time for |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic or short-haul, hand luggage only | 1½–2 hours before | Early-morning rushes, small airports with one security lane |
| Domestic or short-haul, checked bags | 2 hours before | School holiday weekends |
| International or long-haul | 3 hours before | Document checks, a large hub airport |
| With young children | Add 30–60 minutes | Pushchairs, toilet stops, the queue for the family lane |
These are the figures most airlines and airports publish as guidance. Your own airline's advice for your route, usually in the booking confirmation or app, overrides them.
The deadlines that actually matter
The departure time is when the aircraft leaves the gate. Long before that, two doors close, and missing either means missing the flight:
- Check-in and bag drop close.
Typically 40 to 60 minutes before departure for short-haul and 60 minutes or more for long-haul, depending on the airline and airport. After that, your bag can't travel, even if you could.
- The gate closes.
Typically 15 to 30 minutes before departure. Boarding usually starts before that, and at a large airport the walk from security to a far gate can take 20 minutes on its own.
Find both times for your flight (they're in the booking terms or the airline app), then work back.
Working back from the gate
For a family flying long-haul with checked bags, departing at 11:00:
Departure 11:00 · long-haul
Working back from the deadlines
- 10:30Gate closes
Everyone must be through the gate by now.
- 10:00Head to the gate
Allow 20 minutes to walk, plus toilet stops.
- 9:00Through security
Allow 30–45 minutes at a busy time.
- 8:15Bags dropped
Bag drop for this flight closes at 10:00, but the queue builds early.
- 8:00Arrive at the terminal
Three hours before departure.
Car park shuttle? Leave 20 minutes more
What adds time
- Parking. Long-stay car parks often mean a shuttle bus. Add 20 to 30 minutes, more at peak times.
- The time of day. Early-morning departures stack up: many flights leave between 6am and 8am, so security is busiest then.
- School holiday weekends and public holidays, when queues at every stage are longest.
- Document checks. On some international routes, the airline needs to see your passport or visa at a desk before you can board, even if you checked in online.
- Special help. If anyone needs assistance at the airport, book it in advance and arrive with extra time.
What saves time
- Online check-in as soon as it opens, with boarding passes on your phone. (Do you still need to print them? Usually not.)
- Hand luggage only, which lets you skip bag drop entirely.
- Packing liquids and laptops so they come out quickly at security, if your airport still asks for that.
- Fast-track security or trusted-traveller programmes where they exist.
Can you be too early?
Yes. Bag drop often doesn't open until two to four hours before a flight, so arriving five hours early can mean waiting landside with your cases. If your flight is late in the day, check when your airline's desks open.
For a 6am flight, the hard part isn't the airport, it's the alarm. Lay everything out the night before, book the taxi for a time that gets you there with the full two or three hours, and check the date: a flight at 00:05 on Saturday leaves on Friday night. More on that trap.
Questions people ask
How early should I get to the airport for an international flight?
Three hours before departure is the usual guidance, plus extra with children or on a busy holiday weekend. Check your airline's own advice and when bag drop closes for your flight.
How early should I get to the airport for a domestic flight?
Around two hours before departure with checked bags, or 90 minutes with hand luggage only at a smaller airport. Allow more at busy times.
How early should I arrive at the airport with kids?
Add 30 to 60 minutes to the usual guidance. Pushchairs, toilet stops, snacks and slower queues all add up, and a calm start makes the flight easier.
Is two hours enough for an international flight?
It can be at a small airport with online check-in and no bags, but it's tight. Three hours gives room for a long security queue or a document check at the desk.
How early is too early to get to the airport?
More than about four hours before a flight is usually too early, because bag drop may not be open yet. Check when your airline's desks open.
