<p>The only reasonable flight that I could get for my D has a 6am return flight on 11/29. How early does she need to be at the airport to make her flight in time? It’s a medium sized airport. </p>
<p>TIA</p>
<p>I would say by 5am.</p>
<p>is she checking any bags? i might allow a few extra minutes if she is! that will be one of the busiest travel days of the year…i’d probably say 1 1/2 hours, but that’s just how i am. i am happiest when i’m at the airport early, through security, and sitting at the gate with time to spare. being late or feeling pressed for time makes me miserable!</p>
<p>I have been a travel agent since 1981.</p>
<p>The current rule of thumb is about 1.5 hours. Frequently even that is not enough. You should be fine with 1.5 hours at that time of day though. But so much these days involves things you can’t control. Luckily, there shouldn’t be much traffic to the airport. I’ve personally left home 3 hours before a flight when I had a 20 minute drive…and BARELY made the flight (parking in the garage, RUNNING through the airport)…and this was pre 9-11. You’d think I’d know better. But we’re always all trying to fit SO much into each hour of our day. But if you wait that extra half hour … beware that traffic on the roads and especially at the aiport will increase exponentially because flights start getting heaving beginning at 6am into 7am and by that time the 7am people are arriving. Don’t risk it. Planning for an hour is NOT enough. Maybe you’re driving her and want to wait with her so you have to park…takes 15 minutes just to get a shuttle, etc. Time just slips away and panic sets in. And there is nothing you can do. </p>
<p>Know that the ticket counters probably won’t even be open at 4:30am. That’s OK, you be first in line anyway. The Sunday after Thanksgiving is arguably THE busiest travel day of the year. Once you’re at the airport, both she and you will grumble “Why did we come so early, the coffee place isn’t even open, this is ridiculous, we could have slept”, etc. </p>
<p>OR…you can choose to chill knowing how many people are swearing at the car in front of them “C’mon…MOVE…I have to catch a flight!” The same thing is happening at the ticket counter “Oh my gosh will this line EVER move?”, or the TSA “What are they doing…swapping war stories with every single person!”</p>
<p>You can know that you “wasted” an hour by reading a book in an uncomfortable chair at the airport, stress free. </p>
<p>Be glad you got ANYTHING at this time of year. Just for fun…what’s TIA? I looked it up, thinking it might be an airport code…and it’s Tirana, ALbania!</p>
<p>TIA is thanks in advance! LOL…former TA would think it was an airport code.
Agree with above. Leave early. There are fewer flights now and that is the busiest day of the year. Last year my sibling missed a flight because they shut down one of the security lines at LAX. It took her another 36 hours to get home.<br>
By the way, let your D know if you are running late and are in a line for security or ticketing, speak up! Alert someone that you are on a flight. In some medium or smaller airports they will pull you ahead in the line.</p>
<p>TIA = thanks in advance…I agree, I would rather be early than have to run through an airport.</p>
<p>I’m not “former”…I’m still in this (horrid) biz. And I’m old enough to call it "O.J. ing? through an airport. Anyone remember the Hertz commercial (long BEFORE the glove didn’t fit?)</p>
<p>If she prints out her boarding pass the night before and is not checking any bags then she only needs to get through security - at 5 am there won’t be any lines at a medium sized airport. The security gates may not even open until then.
Of course, she has to factor in transportation to the airport - is she being dropped at the terminal? If she then she can check her bag curbside (tell her not to forget to tip her skycap $1/bag) and even that should be a breeze. If she is parking then she needs to consider time to park, shuttle to the gate etc.</p>
<p>Given all of that - I agree with our travel agent above - stuff happens en route.
I always tell my kids to be there 1.5-2 hours early. I would encourage you to have her target 4 - 4:30 am as her arrival time, especially if she is not used to flying.
There is great comfort in being at the gate and having time to just relax before boarding.</p>
<p>Sorry about the TIA. Should have thought that someone would have thought it was an airport code. LOL!</p>
<p>Thanks. I have never had a 6am flight and wondered when security and the gates would open. I’m asking because we moved to a new area and the nearest airport is 1 1/2 hours away. I do think that she will thank me later that she has such an early flight. She will be back at school and will miss much of the craziness of that day. She’s only flown a couple of times by herself and never the week of Thanksgiving.</p>
<p>I don’t know if she will have any checked bags. I think that she forgot to pack any suitcases when she went to school. I sort of remember her yelling at me not to pack her towels in a suitcase, that it would easier to put them in a box! I’m going to let her figure that out on her own. I think that she might have a bag to check so that she can get her stuff home for the longer winter break.</p>
<p>But we will drop her off right at the terminal and I’ll have her check her bag in at curbside if anyone is there.</p>
<p>Check when the terminal opens. Most airports have a web site now. You don’t want her standing on the curb or outside the security gates unnecessarily. With a lot of airports now there is not much to do or places to sit with a cup of coffee anymore. With pre-printed boarding pass and limited bag issues 5 AM should be fine. Thanksgiving travel is not the time to travel with a lot of bags. Travel light.</p>
<p>I think it likely the OP can find definitive info on this on the airlines’ website, or by calling the airline. If the flier used a travel agent, they too, could give advice.</p>
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<p>If she’s checking a bag for the way home because she’s bringing home stuff for the longer winter break, can she switch out suitcases once she’s home and take one of your carry-ons so that she doesn’t need to check bags at the airport? Or will she need the same suitcase for coming home for winter (meaning, is she flying home for winter break, too?) Another option would be to ship home a box of stuff prior to leaving campus in December so that she need not check a bag at Thanksgiving. </p>
<p>I just returned from visiting D2 in London who is studying abroad this semester. She was only allowed two suitcases when she traveled over there, so they were both packed to the hilt. She has done a bit of shopping since being there, so I brought home a few things in my bag when I returned so she’d have more room for the things she’s bought. What has saved us is the space bags that don’t require a vacuum to use. We actually went out and bought some in London so I could squeeze more into my suitcases (OK, I did a bit of shopping, too, and needed more room in my suitcase). They can be reused over and over again. Just a thought.</p>
<p>teriwtt - we have the bags that you vacuum but I’ve never heard of the kind of space bags you mentioned. What are they called and where did you get them?</p>
<p>Just be careful with the spacesaver bags; your luggage might end up weighing too much if you stuff too much in! I always weigh our luggage at home before leaving to make sure we don’t get charged for an overweight bag.</p>
<p>You can get the spacesaver bags at Bed, Bath and Beyond and most luggage stores, like Mori’s.</p>
<p>Here is one set at BB&B, but you can buy just one size also: [Bed</a> Bath & Beyond - Space Bag® 8-Piece Travel Bag Set](<a href=“Bed Bath & Beyond | The Best Deals Online: Furniture, Bedding, Rugs, Kitchen Essentials & Moree”>Bed Bath & Beyond | The Best Deals Online: Furniture, Bedding, Rugs, Kitchen Essentials & Moree)</p>
<p>Deb922: encourage your D to get used to just bringing carry-on luggage when coming home from college for just a weekend, especially the Thanksgiving weekend. That is such a crazy-busy time to travel, no need to complicate things checking a bag. My D always brought her backpack and a large purse. She had basic clothes at home and a full set of makeup and hair stuff so none of that needed to be transported back and forth.</p>
<p>I would say that it really depends on the airport. Since it is your local airport, there should be people around familiar with it, if you are not.
Our airport is not small, but I would say that if you are not checking any bags 45 minutes is plenty of time for a domestic flight.</p>
<p>I remember OJ-ing it on more than one occasion. I came close just last week when my nephew who works for a limo company forgot to book me a ride to the airport…luckily I was able to get a bus ( that made several stops on the way to Logan ) I figured the worst case scenario would be an unscheduled visit with my daughter and a next day flight, but luckily it was timed just right</p>
<p>R124678, sorry I misread your post…glad to see you are still in the business…I definitely remembering OJing it. My DH loves to OJ it and I love to be at the airport an hour early with my book. Last time I flew we had a flat tire on the way to the airport. We made the flight but just barely…
OP: if your D is checking a bag to come home make sure she has some money. DS flew with no money and overweight bags his first flight home freshman year. He told me “I made my puppy dog eyes at the female ticket counter agent and told me I was going to see my Mom for the first time in months. She let me through…” LOL. Not sure what he would have done if it had been a male!</p>
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<p>The airports know the gig. They know when to open security and gates for early morning flights. Don’t sweat it!</p>
<p>We’re in the same boat…DS has a 6 a.m flight on the 28th. There are a LOT of 6 a.m departures from our airport, for some reason. He will be checking bags and has to get through security. We’ll be getting him there at 4:30.</p>