Please help. I haven't flown since before 9/11 so I'm not sure about getting through all the security. Ihave a flight out of Washington DC/Reagan in May at 9:00 PM (US Air). I will have a veru difficult time getting there real early. What do you think is the latest possile time I could arrive at the airport/go thru security and make the flight? Do I really need to get there 2 hours ahead of time?Thanks so much

gosh -- that's a Sunday night -- I think it's a toss up. You probably can get there 90 minutes before, if you don't have luggage to check, but no later than that.

I think 1 1/2 hours is probably being safe, but I find DCA is rarely that crowded. I often go only an hour ahead and have never had a problem

Are you seeing a recommendation from your carrier to arrive two hours before flight time. I don't think I've ever done that, but it's true that I never check baggage.

At some airports, you'd better get there two hours ahead, luggage to check or no luggage to check. Esp. at LAX. I've had it take an hour to an hour and a half to get through security lines there, even without checking luggage.
But at DCA you will likely be ok on a Sunday night to get there an hour and a half ahead of time. You will probably still have quite a bit of time to get a magazine or something to eat. I agree w/Mike TR about DCA not being that crowded usually and security lines go fast. I flew out of DCA last a week ago Sat., thinking it would be very busy as the Cherry Blossom festival was going on, and it was first day of spring break in Fairfax Co. schools. We got there an hour and a half early, checked in at the curbside check-in for US AIR and never went through lines inside for that, then got straight through the security lines, and had time to get food and eat before boarding.
If you are running late and don't get there til an hour before, I wouldn't freak out, you will probably still make your flight if you can do electronic check-in or curbside check-in. If lines are long at the counter and you have to go that route, you can approach someone who works for the airline and tell them that you have a flight in X minutes and I usually get good response and help at that point to get through the process. They want you to make your flight too.
But if you try getting there a half hour before your flight (heart attack time), even if you make it through check-in, you may be subjected to additonal security due to checking in so late. I have gotten searched very thoroughly twice at DCA when I've checked in that late. I'm not sure how they indicate it on your ticket, but I think they must because the two most rigorous searches (and I mean they went through every crevice of my purse and carryon and emptied everything out) were when I checked in that late.

I hate to sit in airports so I often cut it close. There are cut-off times for flights now, and if you have not received your ticket by 20-30 minutes before a flight, you will not get on. Ditto if you have not checked your bags because you can not travel without your bag, nor your bag without you. But you can speed up the time before you tromp through security by using one of the self-service kiosk's to check in. Requirements for self-service check-in are different for each carrier but I believe US Air requires only a credit card that has the same name as the one you used to book your flight. With most carriers, you can use your frequent flyer number to check in but you will need to know it (so you'll need to register for one before you depart on-line if you don't have one with US Air). If you have an e-ticket, it's often listed on it.

If you arrive at the airport a little more than an hour before your flight, use the self-service kiosk to get your ticket and to check your bags, then you should have no trouble getting through security and onto your plane, IMHO. Remember that you can only take one carry-on sized bag for the overhead and one other bag that will fit under the seat -- any more than this and you'll have to head back to the ticket counter to check your bag, something that will cost you precious time.

At DCA, 60-75 minutes ... if you do curbside check-in and get your boarding pass at a kiosk. If you have to stand in the airline line inside, give yourself another 20 minutes during rush hour times. Security downstairs will take you 10-20 miniutes at the most. Lines are lombnre now, and it takes more time, but they are efficient. You do not need to get there 2 hours early. Once you pass security, it's 60 seconds to your gate. Very Important that you know which terminal and concourse you need. Some airlines (such as NW and Delta-NW code share) still use the old terminal.

I agree. I use DCA all the time, and the most time it has ever taken me to walk and get to the gate (through security, and the check in line), is about 35 minutes. And yes, I have traveled on busy travel days - like around Christmas and Friday evenings etc.

I wouldn't show up 20 minutes before you flight, but you don't need to be there 2 hours ahead either. The 60-75 minute suggestion is a good one.

Karen

I second kaudrey. I fly out of DCA all the time, and never get there more than an hour in advance unless the security alert level has been heightened. A word of warning about the x-ray at security: any amount of metal in your shoe will set it off. If it's set off, you wind up with the full pull-aside search. Therefore, it's fastest to just take your shoes off before going through and put them in a bin to go through the x-ray.