I am wondering if Dublin airport presents any peculiar issues for travelers. We are departing from terminal 2 on a US Air flight midweek on a 9:30 a.m. plane. The airline's website shows that the ticket counter doesn't open until 7:30 a.m. I assume there will be a long line at the ticket counter at opening as the plane is an airbus 330. Thereafter, we need to deal with security and US customs prior to boarding.
We will be arriving at the airport by taxi from the Ballsbridge section of Dublin.
Given all this, does anyone have suggestions when to get to the airport to minimize the inevitable delays and attendant aggravation? Any other thoughts would also be appreciated.
Thanks
Dublin airport departure question
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Actually the ticket counter opens at 7:55a.m.
Can you check in and get your boarding pass online 24 hours prior? Even if you don't have a laptop with you, your hotel probably has a computer for guests' use for checking in. While I haven't done this in Dublin, I have done it in London, Paris, Madrid -- all from hotel computers. Saves lots of time.
Dublin is one of the airports where US homeland security screens passengers before takeoff, rather than at the US destination. http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/preclear_locations.xml Surely US Air takes this into consideration?
Check-in counters at Dublin Airport for US-bound flights open at least 3 hours before departure, and that's when you should be at the airport. Then you do preclearance for US immigration and customs at Terminal 2 before departure.
There is a handy video about what happens at Dublin Airport for US-bound passengers at http://www.dublinairport.com/gns/at-the-airport/US-Preclearance.aspx
When ae you going? I depart Dublin May 3. Is that too late for you for first hand information?
That's a nice offer, thank you!
My email is on my profile; I leave Ireland on May 22nd.
Thanks to all who replied with suggestions. I will definitively do my best to check in the day before. What is of concern is the US air website, they don't open the counter until 90 minutes prior to the departure time. Everything I had read suggested arriving 3 hours before your flight.
There is no way you can do US Immigration as well as check in, security and everything else in 1.5 hours. I have been through both Dublin and Shannon several times and you really need to be there 3 hours early. Know nothing about US Air - is it possible for that flight Immigration is in the US?
There is no way I would not turn up 3 hours in advance.
I just wrote to USAir, unfortunately the initial response is they have 7-10 days to get back to me. I would try calling them if you want to put your mind at ease ASAP. I'll write when we return and let you know anyway.
Hi, As the other posters have said - I would def show up at Terminal 2 at least 3 hrs before flight time. Go directly to the US Air counter - my guess is that there will be someone there to check in your bags, even if the counter is not "open" yet.