Airport Arrival Times: How Early Should You Be There?

What can I do to arrive on time at the airport?

To increase the likelihood that you will definitely be on time at the airport, we recommend some tips and tricks to help you have a relaxed evening before and morning of your departure day.

1. Research the distance to the airport immediately after booking. Why a week? If your airport is several hundred kilometers away from your place of residence, you still have all options for a stress-free journey. You can either book a hotel near the airport and arrive relaxed the evening before, or you can book a train ticket. For both options: start planning early enough to avoid unpleasant surprises, such as a fully booked hotel or an overcrowded train.
2. If the airport is closer to your home and you are travelling by car or taxi, be aware of some risks here as well: avoid rush hours, such as evening traffic, order your taxi early enough, and check parking options on site. Our tip: At most airport parking garages, you can reserve and pay for a parking space in advance, ensuring you get one. Especially during holiday seasons, airport parking garages fill up very quickly. Attention: Make a note of WHERE you parked: parking space number, floor, and which parking garage. Especially at large airports, searching for your car can take a few hours.
3. Prepare all your clothes and documents the evening before so you don’t have to search for anything in the morning and don’t forget important documents.
4. Build in at least a 30-minute buffer for unforeseen events, such as a traffic jam on the highway or a train delay.
5. Plan everything with the motto: better early than late!

How early should I be at the airport for a domestic flight?

For a domestic flight, we recommend being at the airport at least 90 minutes before departure. Depending on whether you check in luggage or not, you can also check in online days before departure. If you are travelling with hand luggage only, you can go directly to the security check with your online check-in and save a lot of time.

How early should I be at the airport for an international flight?

For flights within Europe, it is recommended to be at the airport two hours before departure. For intercontinental flights, about three hours. Here, too, you can check in online beforehand. But since you will most likely be travelling with a larger piece of luggage that you need to check in, it is advisable to allow more time.

How can I make use of my waiting time?

At large airports, you have a wide range of options to use your waiting time meaningfully: for example, go shopping, enjoy some delicious food and drinks. Read a book or watch an episode of your favourite series on your smartphone, tablet, or notebook. Especially fun: write a bucket list of all the things you want to experience on your holiday.

Inform yourself in advance!

Inform yourself in advance about peak times, baggage drop-off, and the departure time of the respective airline/airport online to avoid long waiting times.

Peak times vary at every airport. Check online in advance to see what they are like at your departure airport. You can find this information on the airport’s website.

We recommend searching for your airport along with the term “Peak Time.”

Baggage drop-off

Each airline has time requirements for when you must check in your luggage before departure. Again, the rule applies: inform yourself online in advance!

Arrival at the gate and departure time

The departure time is not the time when the aircraft doors close. Attention: Many airlines finish boarding up to 30 minutes before departure. Tip: Your boarding start time is noted on your flight ticket. So be at the gate on time.