What Time Should I Leave for the Airport? — Airport Arrival Time Calculator

How it works

recommended arrival before departure = 2 h domestic with a checked bag, 1 h 30 min domestic carry-on only, 3 h international (+30 min at peak times) · leave home = departure − recommended arrival − traffic buffer − parking/shuttle − travel time · bag drop closes about 45 min (domestic) or 60 min (international) before departure; boarding starts about 40–50 min before; the gate closes about 15 min before

Airlines generally ask passengers to arrive two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international one, which leaves time for check-in, bag drop, security and, abroad, passport control. Bag-drop deadlines are strict: most carriers stop accepting checked bags 45 minutes before a domestic departure and 60 minutes before an international one, and close the gate about 15 minutes before departure. Holiday weekends, early-morning banks of flights and large hub airports call for extra time. Always check your airline's own deadlines and the airport's security wait times.

Worked example

For a 14:30 domestic flight with a checked bag on a normal day, aim to be at the airport by 12:30 (2 hours before). With 45 minutes of driving, 15 minutes to park and take the shuttle and a 15-minute traffic buffer, leave home by 11:15. Bag drop closes at 13:45, boarding starts around 13:50 and the gate closes at 14:15.

Sources: American Airlines — Check-in and arrival times · Delta Air Lines — US domestic check-in requirements

Frequently asked questions