How Early Should I Get To The Airport? A Detailed Guide

There are two types of fliers – one who arrive way too early and others who barely make it in time. Which one are you?

Updated On: September 02, 2024
8 min, Read

If you have ever taken a flight to reach your destination, we are sure that you must have asked this question yourself – How Early Should I Get To The Airport? Fret not, even the pros (read frequent fliers) have also faced this dilemma of when is the right time to arrive at the airport. You’ll find a standard answer that the rule is to arrive 2 hours before your departure time if you are flying domestically. In case of an international flight, you must arrive 3 hours early. However, in reality, the answer is not that simple. Several factors come into play that will make you question – How Early Should I Get To The Airport?

We know everyone has their approach to taking their flight, but, if you do not want to miss your flight, here are a few factors you need to keep in mind that can help you answer the question – How Early Should I Get To The Airport?

Domestic or International

One of the first points to consider on what time to arrive at the airport is if you are taking an international flight or a domestic one. Unlike domestic flights, international flights usually have additional steps like passport verification, and immigration, which can take up additional time. Hence, going with the 3-hour rule is the best. Also, boarding on international flights starts earlier than domestic flights. However, if you feel your documents are incomplete, or you have scheduled a last-minute task to be done at the airport like shopping for friends or family then you should break the 3-hour rule and arrive even earlier.

What airport are you travelling out of

Answering this question will make your life very easy. Depending on the city you are flying out of, you can decide when to arrive at the airport. If it is a smaller, less busy airport, then you can do away with the ‘2-hour’ / ‘3-hour’ rule. The queues in smaller airports will be shorter and you can ideally breeze through the mandatory processes in no time. But, if it is a bigger airport, like Mumbai Airport, then you need to stick to the rule. Some other factors are…

Risk appetite: When to arrive at the airport for you flight mostly depends on your risk appetite. Usually, there are two types of fliers – one who arrives way too early and then there are some who barely make it in time. And you know who you are. So, if your risk appetite is low, then sticking to the 2-hour rule for the domestic flight 3-hour rule is ideal. But if you like to live on the edge, and making it just in time is your thing, then you can do away with the timing rule and risk of missing your flight.
Time of the year: The time of the year you board your flight is a major factor that can seriously make you alter your arrival time at the airport. If your flight is scheduled during the festive season or summer holidays, make sure you arrive early to avoid the additional rush.
Time of the day: Another factor to keep in mind is the time of the day you are boarding your flight. Even if most airports are almost full 24x7x365, you have to take into account the traffic conditions before reaching the airport. If you have a morning flight or day flight, then you must take into account of morning rush hour. For an 11 am flight in a metro city like Delhi, you must aim to reach the airport by 9 am which is a peak office rush hour.
Weather conditions: Given how unpredictable the weather patterns are in the current state of the world, it is always best to check with your airlines if there are any last-minute changes concerning your flight timings. From heavy showers to airport accidents to unwanted flooding on the runway, rains have been infamously known to have created issues with scheduled flights. So, if it is raining where you are flying out from, make sure to connect with the airlines before you leave for the airport.
Solo traveller or group: Travelling solo or with family with make you question how soon you should arrive at the airport. If you are travelling all alone, you will be able to navigate the airport much more quickly. But if you are a part of a larger group, especially if your group has senior citizens, or differently abled, children, then things can slow down very easily. In such a scenario, you must break the 2-hour/3-hour rule and arrive earlier.
Bonus Tip!: One of the ways you can save time at the airport is by opting for DigiYatra. This app is designed to make your life at the airport. It uses face scanning technology to make terminal entry & security clearance seamless, hassle-free, and paperless. All you have to do is install the app in your smartphone, log-in and upload your boarding before you arrive at the airport. At every check-point at the airport, you can breeze past everyone as DigiYatra users have a separate queue, which is usually less crowded.

Plan smartly

Make the most of Airport Lounge: Have an early morning flight booked? Consider reaching late at night the day before your flight and take advantage of the airport lounge. There are a magnitude of lounge memberships available online like Priority Pass that can help you access the lounge and provide you with a relaxing time.
Duty-Free: As mentioned earlier, if you have a last-minute purchase planned at the airport, try reaching out early. On this front, international fliers can enjoy discounts at the Duty-Free stores at the airport. You can get great deals if you choose Adani One and shop on the platform.

Final thoughts

Even though the gold standard is to reach 2 hours/3 hours early for your domestic/international flight, but it does not apply to all. So, make yourself flexible as per the factors mentioned above and plan accordingly. One way to look at it is you consider each trip case by case and alter it according to the factors mentioned in this article. Happy travelling!  