andigrl

How long before departure would you recommend we should arrive at the airport bound for London? Two or three hours?

flanneruk

What does your airline say? And will you have checked in online beforehand?

If you've checked in online with a British airline, I really can't see the point of getting to the baggage drop more than 75 minutes before takeoff. Different airlines have different requiremnts, though, and they also vary by airport.

Vague generalisations on forums like this are unhelful: your airline is the only authority on what's right for it at the airport you're using.

AAFrequentFlyer

Airport, airline, class of service is needed to make an educated guess.

andigrl

We'll be checking in online and according to British Airways they suggested we get to JFK 2 hours before our flight. Now we just have to coordinate with the limo service and allow enough time in case there is a traffic jam. Even two hours seems like a long wait.

The online checking does save some time though.

AAFrequentFlyer

If you're checked in then 1 hour should be sufficient to get through security.

btw, BA online checkin doesn't always work as advertised. Recently I had problems checking in for 3 BA flights.

Had to do it at the airports but luckily I was flying business class so the lines are much shorter.

nytraveler

It depends on which class of service (length of lines differ both for check in and security), if you are checking luggage - and how fast you move through the airport.

I have a thing about never being late for a plane - so I always go early - when the lines are shortest and then just go relax in the lounge until they call the flight.

For an international flight - if you're checking luggage - would always give myself at least 2 hours.

carioca4ed

In an earlier post I spoke about a situation that I had never really thought about.....Here it is again...The flight,(to Heathrow), was early in the morning...well before the subway line started...At least, before that line started...I would have had to have paid for a taxi from central London.As I am not an oil sheikh,or anything,I decided to stay up all night in Heathrow...I wrote an essay that needed to be handed in,and was being watched by a bemused man who was taking swigs out of his bottle,(I think he was homeless)....It was something that I had not considered before...That the subways don't always run really early in the morning..

AAFrequentFlyer

ok:

1. your flight <b>to</b> London was early

2. the subway was not running

3. You didn't have enough money to catch a taxi <b>from</b> central London

4. You decided to stay overnight in Heathrow

something is missing...


btw, the OP is flying <b>to</b> London.

Dukey

BOTTOM LINE..GET THERE two hours early or at least PLAN to..that way you don't have to worry about the traffic jams, getting delayed in a securityu line, or having to write any essays about how bad it was and so forth.

Yes, it is a long time to wait (have you FLOWN lately?) and I suggest you get used to it because these days that's the way it is and I hope your flight departs on time..if it does, you are one of the lucky ones.

AAFrequentFlyer

I'll say it again...

If the OP has BPs, there really is no need to be there 2 hours before. 1-1.5 hours is sufficient.

I don't have BPs (AA still does not allow online check in on int itn) and I show up about 1.25 hour before. Never had a problem.

travleler

I'll be in Ireland from June 4-14 and then over to Poland and Lithuania. I see on Ryan air a $16 airfare to London's Gatwick airport vs. $190 into Heathrow. I'd like to spend a day in England. Can you tell me if there's anything to do around Gatwick? I'll be leaving from Luton to Krakow the next day.

rogeruktm

If the airline states that you should be there 2 hours before the flight why question what they recommend?

AAFrequentFlyer

<b>travleler</b>,

I hope you realize that Gatwick is almost touching the south coast of UK and it's a good 1/2 hour by train south of London.

Luton is about good 45-60 minutes north of London.

Whatever savings you thought you had will be eaten up by you travels and an overnight in London or surrounding areas.

Perhaps there are trains that may take you directly from Gatwick to Luton. Others will have to chime in but in the mean time,

1. If your flight leaves very early from Luton, you may want to get there the evening before as the transportation is very limited in the morning. Not much to do around Luton.

2. If your flight leaves later morning, early afternoon then I would suggest staying in London.


<b>rogeruktm</b>,

because it's ONLY a recommendation, not a rule....

If you feel like sitting around the airport for an hour or so, be my guest. I love airports but not that much. I want to check in, go through security, have 1 drink before boarding starts. I have found that 1.25 hour is perfect for me. YMMV.

The OP will not have to check in, as s/he will do OLCI, so all they have to do is go through security.

rogeruktm

AAFrequentFlyer, Of course it is a recommendation, but I am of the old school...better early than late. If I have to hang out for awhile, so be it. More time to read and relax. If you only want to get to the airport to do something really special with that extra hour,I don't have a problem with it, however, I would not want others to get into a situation where they just may miss their flight. It takes me a minimum of 5 hours to get to the airport and lots of things can and often so wrong.

travleler

Thanks AA Frequent flyer. I decided to go to Liverpool for the day instead of Gatwick and then the next morning to Poland.