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How Early Should You Arrive For Your Flight?

WinniWoman

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I don't know how much you'd have to fly to make it worth while. We resisted for a bit since we seemed to be randomly selected for PreCheck on most flights. Then we weren't. Or worse yet, one of us would get it and the other wouldn't. We decided to go ahead and get Global Entry (only $15 more for the 5 years than just PreCheck) in case we did any travel out of the country. Turns out to be a very good thing as our younger daughter is attending grad school in Vancouver BC and we've already been up a few times.

Lets put it this way, the last time we flew anywhere was in 2012.
 

Talent312

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With an 8AM departure from MCO (Orlando) to LAX on the horizon, this is my plan:

1. Spend the night b4 at an airport-hotel.
2. Depart hotel by 6:15 AM.
3. Drop rental car at terminal by 6:30 AM (90 min to go).
4. Allow 1 hr. for baggage check, TSA & transit to gate.
5. Arrive at gate ~7:30AM.
.
 

MULTIZ321

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With an 8AM departure from MCO (Orlando) to LAX on the horizon, this is my plan:

1. Spend the night b4 at an airport-hotel.
2. Depart hotel by 6:15 AM.
3. Drop rental car at terminal by 6:30 AM (90 min to go).
4. Allow 1 hr. for baggage check, TSA & transit to gate.
5. Arrive at gate ~7:30AM.
.
Hi Talent312,

Have you ensured that the car rental will be open at 6:30am?

Have a great trip.

Richard
 

Luanne

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Hi Talent312,

Have you ensured that the car rental will be open at 6:30am?

Have a great trip.

Richard
Even if the car rental isn't open at 6:30 a.m. most have an option for early drop off.
 

MULTIZ321

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Even if the car rental isn't open at 6:30 a.m. most have an option for early drop off.
Yes, you just reminded me I had to use that feature when I returned a rental car at the Jackson, WY airport before a very early flight home. I took pictures of the car before I departed because I was not entirely confident that I would be hit with a bogus claim.

Richard
 
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Talent312

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... I took pictures of the car before I departed because I was not entirely confident that I would be hit with a bogus claim.

Thrifty in LV tried that, but I had a copy of the scratch+dent list I gave them at the start.
Eventually, corporate apologized for their franchisee.

At MCO, most on-site agencies are open 24 hours, as is mine (Budget)
... Payless apparently closes from 1AM-6AM.

.
 
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#1 Cowboys Fan

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With an 8AM departure from MCO (Orlando) to LAX on the horizon, this is my plan:

1. Spend the night b4 at an airport-hotel.
2. Depart hotel by 6:15 AM.
3. Drop rental car at terminal by 6:30 AM (90 min to go).
4. Allow 1 hr. for baggage check, TSA & transit to gate.
5. Arrive at gate ~7:30AM.
.

I find MCO daunting, especially the more luggage you have. Returning the vehicle, you then have a LONG walk ahead of you. As I remember, it is perhaps more than a 1/2 mile, includes elevators, etc. (We now fly to Sanford, FL instead.)

My wife and I usually have 6 total bags---thus making that long walk I mentioned more cumbersome.

Pat
 

Talent312

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I find MCO daunting, especially the more luggage you have. Returning the vehicle, you then have a LONG walk ahead of you. As I remember, it is perhaps more than a 1/2 mile, includes elevators, etc.

Yeah, it's a stretch, but we've done MCO before, and we only have two bags to check.
I read that they now offer airline check-in at the "R-1" garage level. Have not seen it.

.
 

Luanne

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I find MCO daunting, especially the more luggage you have. Returning the vehicle, you then have a LONG walk ahead of you. As I remember, it is perhaps more than a 1/2 mile, includes elevators, etc. (We now fly to Sanford, FL instead.)

My wife and I usually have 6 total bags---thus making that long walk I mentioned more cumbersome.

Pat
So, why don't you drop your wife off, with the luggage, then return the rental car?
 

artringwald

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Luanne

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Get Nexus. It is $50 for 5 years, and it includes Global Entry. If you get a standalone Global Entry (without Nexus), then it's $100 instead of $50 and you lose Canada benefits.
Since I have Global Entry, not Nexus, could you explain what Canada benefits you lose?
 

Talent312

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So, why don't you drop your wife off, with the luggage, then return the rental car?

I typically do that when I'm parking at a budget lot a fair distance from the airport.
The trick is to have enuff time to get back to the airport.

Its MCO's elevators+escalators that makes hauling luggage difficult, more so than the distance.
 

echino

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Since I have Global Entry, not Nexus, could you explain what Canada benefits you lose?

Expedited entry to Canada (similar to Global Entry kiosks when entering the states), Nexus lanes at land borders, and Nexus fast track departing Canadian airports (even domestic). Nexus is $50 and includes Global Entry, but as was noted above, you need to get to one of their enrollment centers, which may not be convenient.
 

MuranoJo

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Before 9/11 and with my frequent business travel status, I'd probably be one of the last ones to arrive & board a plane.
Today is a completely different picture.
 

Talent312

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Before 9/11 and with my frequent business travel status, I'd probably be one of the last ones to arrive & board a plane. Today is a completely different picture.

I remember when you just needed to be at the gate with 10-minutes to go.
But if you missed it, no worries, no change fee... just show for the next one.


.
 

jehb2

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We try so hard. Really we do. But by the time we get to our gate group 1 is boarding. However we have never missed a flight.
 

Talent312

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Resurrecting this thread to see if anyone has advice for LGA...
Our flight leaves at 4PM on a Saturday, and we are checking bags.
I may be overly cautious, but I'm thinking:
-- 1 hr by taxi from midtown-Manhattan to LGA (1:30-2:30).
-- 1 hr for bag drop to gate (2:30-3:30).
Seem reasonable?
.
 

MuranoJo

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Flying to a location in the US or overseas? Am guessing US, so IMO you should be fine--I'd probably build in an extra half hour. Problem is, we never know what the line at check-in will be, and you are headed out in the afternoon.
 

Talent312

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VegasBella

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So obviously it matters if you need time to
- park and walk
- check bags
- go through long security lines (more likely at large airports)

But it also matters what airline you're flying. For example, if you're lying Southwest and you miss your flight they are really nice about getting you on to the next flight as standby. They don't charge you extra and they don't berate you. But other airlines are not as friendly. So... you don't want to miss your flight but sometimes it's a bigger deal to miss it than other times.
 

Talent312

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So... you don't want to miss your flight but sometimes it's a bigger deal to miss it than other times.

In nearly 40 years of flying, I only missed one, and it was in the olden days when airlines said, "Not a problem. We'll just find another one."

My rule of thumb for domestic flights: (1) 15 min to park & shuttle. (2) 30 min to drop bags and go to TSA. (3) 30 min to pass TSA and go to gate. (4) 30 min at gate.
.
 
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mbh

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Resurrecting this thread to see if anyone has advice for LGA...
Our flight leaves at 4PM on a Saturday, and we are checking bags.
I may be overly cautious, but I'm thinking:
-- 1 hr by taxi from midtown-Manhattan to LGA (1:30-2:30).
-- 1 hr for bag drop to gate (2:30-3:30).
Seem reasonable?
.
Your time frame is just right. With all the construction at LGA, you never know how long it will take. If you have pre-check, it will be shorter as the pre-check lines are shorter than the regular lines, especially on a Saturday.
 

WinniWoman

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Flying to a location in the US or overseas? Am guessing US, so IMO you should be fine--I'd probably build in an extra half hour. Problem is, we never know what the line at check-in will be, and you are headed out in the afternoon.

Can't you just check in on line the night before?
 

Talent312

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MuranoJo: "Problem is, we never know what the line at check-in will be, and you are headed out in the afternoon."

mpumilia: "Can't you just check in on line the night before?"

==============
I always check in online and bag-drop's usually a snap. But I've found that allowing 60 min from terminal door to gate builds works well.

OTOH, articles about LGA's construction suggests that, while driving to the airport is unaffected, traffic congestion at the airport can significantly delay getting to the departure door. In an abundance of caution, I'm thinking about allotting 90 minutes for the drive from Manhattan.

.
 
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