You've booked your holiday, packed your case, now all that's left is for you to do is to get to the airport. However, with queues and chaos reported at a number of airports across the country recently, just how early should you arrive for your flight?
While some airlines are saying "leave extra time" as social distancing measures could mean that it takes longer to get through airport security checks, getting to the airport too early can cause other problems. We've seen long queues at airport baggage check-in desks as travellers arrive early for their trips.
On the subject, Tui recently issued a statement offering advice to passengers. The firm said: "We’d like to remind customers not to arrive at the airport too far in advance of their flight, as this can contribute to terminal queueing delays. Standard check-in opens at least two and a half hours before departure time for short and mid-haul flights, and at least three and a half hours before departure for long-haul flights." Adding: "At some airports, we are able to offer day before bag drop and self-service bag drop."
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Some airlines offer online check-in but, if you have bags that need to go into the hold, you'll still need to hand these over early. As airline's differ in their approach on a number of topics, we've rounded up advice from some of the most popular operators about what time to arrive at the airport. Here's what they have to say.
Jet2
Jet2 says: "Our check-in desks generally open at least 2 hours 30 minutes before scheduled departure times." However, it does add that passengers should see the check-in opening times at their individual airport. At East Midlands airport and Birmingham Airport, two of the closest UK airports to Nottingham that are used by Jet2, the check in desk will open 3 hours before departure.
It also warns that there is only a certain window of time by which to check in. "Please arrive at the airport in good time, as our check-in desks will close 40 minutes before your scheduled departure time. By this point, you must have completed the check-in process."
Adding: "At some UK airports we offer our handy Twilight Check-in™ service, meaning you can drop your bags off at the airport the evening before your departure if your flight’s scheduled before noon."
TUI
According to TUI's advice page on its website: "At UK airports, Bag Drop desks open two to three hours before your departure time. If you're taking a long haul flight, we recommend you drop off your bags three hours before your flight leaves".
It also adds that your whole party won't need to queue to drop off the bags as long as certain criteria applies. It says: "Only one person from your party is required to drop off the bags, provided all passengers are travelling on the same booking reference. Just one of you needs to bring all printed boarding passes, passports and luggage to the Bag Drop desk, and then you can all go straight to the departure gates together with your tickets and boarding passes."
EasyJet
EasyJet is another of the airlines that offers online check-in so you can check in between 30 days and two hours before your flight departs. However, you still need to get to the airport to drop your bags off and that needs to be done in plenty of time. It depend upon where you are travelling to as to how early you need to be at the airport to check in your luggage.
The airline provides a helpful table of times for travellers.
| At the airport | Bag drop opens | Bag drop closes | Gate closes |
| Flights from Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Serbia, Milan Malpensa | 3 hrs before departure | 40 mins before departure | 30 mins before departure |
| Flights from Geneva and London Luton | 3 hrs before departure | 40 mins before departure | 30 mins before departure |
| Flights from Paris Charles De Gaulle and London Gatwick | 2.5 hrs before departure | 60 mins before departure | 30 mins before departure |
| Flights to Israel | 3 hrs before departure | 60 mins before departure | 30 mins before departure |
| All other flights | 2 hrs before departure | 40 mins before departure | 30 mins before departure |
Ryanair
Ryanair dedicates a page of its website to airport timeframes. It's advice is clear.
The airline says: "We recommend that you check-in baggage as early as possible, the Bag Drop desks open two hours prior to the scheduled flight departure time."
It adds that the bag drop desk closes "strictly" 40 minutes before the scheduled time of departure. Passengers should be aware that "If you miss this deadline your booking could be cancelled without refund and you could be prevented from boarding the plane."
Adding further useful information, Ryanair says that it is important that passengers make it to the boarding gate "at least 30 minutes before your flight departure time". It says: "Boarding closes 20 minutes before departure".
- If you have any top tips to share with travellers, pop them in the comments below.
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