How early to arrive at the airport for your flight

The basic rule: two or three hours

The most common starting point suggests arriving at least two hours before for a domestic or Schengen flight and at least three hours before for an intercontinental flight. These are reference numbers, not absolute rules: a small airport with few flights requires less time than a large hub with long security lines, and a peak season or holiday always justifies a higher margin.

What extends the necessary margin

Those who have already done online check-in and travel only with carry-on luggage can stay at the lower end of the recommended margin; those who still need to check a suitcase at the counter add instead a phase with less predictable waiting times, especially during peak hours. Also, a document to verify, such as a visa, or an airport never used before deserve a wider margin: those who don't know the layout of the terminals tend to underestimate internal travel times.

Always check your airline's closing time

Many airlines publish on their website the exact closing time for luggage check-in and gate boarding, which varies from carrier to carrier and in some cases also from airport to airport for the same airline; gates, in general, close about 20-30 minutes before departure. Low-cost carriers tend to apply stricter limits compared to traditional carriers, with the concrete risk of being denied boarding even for a few minutes late. To understand when airport check-in is still truly necessary, see this guide.

Always check, before leaving, the exact closing time for baggage check-in and gate indicated by your airline: it is the most reliable information, more than the general rule of two or three hours, especially if you fly with a low-cost carrier.