sunshine

Is it really necessary to arrive at airport 3 hrs. before our flight to Maui from San Diego? My husband doesn't think so. He said the airport won't even be open that early. Our flight leaves at 8:30 am next Tuesday. Thanks in advance for any feedback.

matnikstym

depending on how bad the security line is at S.D. I once flew from Oakland to Hilo and got to the airport 3 hours early and took almost that long to get through the security. the next time it took 10 minutes and I had 2.5 hours to kill. you never know, but i always play it safe. print your boarding pass the night before to save time, but you still have to wait to check the bags.

sunshine

Thanks for your advice. I tend to agree with you. It's better to be safe than sorry.

Barbara

The airport will, indeed, be open that early.

Did the airline tell you to be there three hours before flight time? That's a bit longer than usual for a domestic flight in San Diego.

sunshine

Both the Aloha site and the TSA site said to arrive 3 hrs. early.

lcuy

Two hours in advance is plenty for the Maui flight.

sceneisle

I agree with Lcuy; two hours will be plenty early. Have been at this airport many times at 6:00 a.m.; security lines are very light at that time.

here_today_gone2Maui

Last year I flew an early AM flight out of San Diego to Kahului and if I recall correctly, it was a mess. Someone correct me if I am wrong but you check-in upstairs and at the time there was no curbside check-in for Aloha (other airlines had curbside). Every passenger with bags to check had to stand in line, even ones with pre-printed boarding passes. I had checked in online but still had to get in line with everyone else to check my bags.

Oh yes, now I remember, there was an Aloha employee at the end of the line checking the weight of bags. She did this "scientifically" by picking up each bag and then sending people out of line to rearrange their luggage. She would not allow you to do this in line, and it was causing additional havoc and making some people a bit testy. I know I was very frustrated by the tine I made it to the gate, and I also know I just barely made the cut off for checked luggage. I spent a lot of time in line and then even longer in the security line. Maybe it was a fluke, or maybe things have changed, but it pretty much sucked at the time, but if I fly Aloha from SAN again, I'll give myself more time, not less.

trippinkpj

I would plan more than two but less than 3. I think 6 am for an 8:30 flight would work well.

Barbara

Yes, you check in upstairs. We've always flown Hawaiian, so I don't know about Aloha's issues. Hawaiian's always great. The last time my son flew to Honolulu for work, he arrived about half an hour before flight time and he and his baggage got on the same flight.

sunshine, maybe 6am would be a good time, as trippinkpj suggested. Once you get through security, there are several of places to eat and a Starbucks for that all-important-at-the-crack-of-dawn coffee!

sunshine

Thanks everyone. I called Aloha last night to ask and she said to be there 90 minutes before the flight. That's interesting b/c on their website in one place it says 3 hrs. before the flight and in another place it says 2 hrs. lol.