Summary
- Finding the right balance between arriving at the airport and passing through security is crucial to avoid unnecessary waiting or missing a flight.
- Airport security opening times vary around the world, with some airports open 24/7 and others opening as early as 02:30.
- Factors to consider when deciding how early to arrive at security include airport size, time of day, special assistance needs, and access to airport facilities like lounges. Airlines generally recommend arriving two to three hours before departure.
Passing through airport security can be stressful for passengers. With long lines at busy airports and the extent to which passengers and their belongings are checked at airports can be daunting. Air travelers are generally recommended to arrive at the airport at least three hours before an international flight and 90–120 minutes before a domestic flight. Travelers must time their arrival at the airport and how early or late they must pass the security checkpoint to avoid missing their flight.
While airport check-in and security durations greatly vary based on the airport and the time of the year, travelers would ideally like to time their arrival so that they are not too early and unnecessarily waiting at their departure gate, or too late to jeopardize their flight. Simple Flying digs deeper into finding the right balance between arriving at the airport and passing through the security, particularly at busy airports and during peak travel season.
Airport security opening times - examples
Here are some examples of airport security opening times from around the world:
Airport |
Security Opening Time |
Sydney (SYD) |
02:30 |
San Francisco (SFO) |
04:30 |
Tokyo (NRT) |
05:00 |
Dublin (DUB) |
Terminal 1 - 0400, Terminal 2 - open 24/7 |
Miami (MIA) |
Checkpoints 2 and 9 - open 24/7, others vary between 04:00 and 05:00 |
How much time to allow
When deciding what time to arrive at security, there are a number of factors to consider. Passengers may wish to arrive earlier to make use of the airport facilities, particularly those with access to an airport lounge. Passengers requiring special assistance on their journey through the airport will also need to arrive earlier, and are often told by airlines to arrive at least three hours prior to departure.
Security waiting times vary greatly depending on the time of day and time of year. First thing in the morning, when the airport’s based aircraft all depart in quick succession, often within minutes of each other, tend to be busier, as do peak holiday travel dates. Many hub airports experience significant peaks and troughs in passenger numbers throughout the day, depending on the banks of flight departures – Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Istanbul Airport (IST), home to Emirates and Turkish Airlines, respectively, are prime examples.
However, airports are aware of expected passenger numbers in advance, and will usually make allowances for these busier times by having more security staff on shift. Therefore, although the line may be longer, it could move quicker than at quieter times of day.
The size of the airport is also something to consider – the length of time needed once through security to reach a departure gate at major hubs like London Heathrow Airport (LHR), for example, is likely to be longer than at regional airports such as Liverpool Airport (LPL).
In the US, passengers with TSA PreCheck can use dedicated security lines, often saving time. PreCheck is available to purchase at $78 for five years.
What do the airlines recommend?
Recommendations differ across airlines, although most tend to advise passengers to arrive at the airport two to three hours before departure, which should allow enough time to check in, if needed, and pass through security.
American Airlines, for example, says on its website that passengers should arrive at the airport at least three hours before their international flight, with check-in closing 60 minutes prior to departure. For the carrier’s domestic flights, check-in closes 45 minutes before departure. Similarly, Air France recommends two hours before domestic and European flights, and three hours before intercontinental flights.
One airline to give rather more specific instructions is British Airways. The oneworld alliance member states that security will close 35 minutes before departure, presumably owing to the size of its home at London Heathrow’s Terminal 5 and the time needed to access the gates, especially those located on satellites B and C.
The role of external factors
A number of issues have impacted the length of time needed to pass through the airport over recent years. Throughout the pandemic, travel restrictions and extra documentation checks meant that the time needed to process each passenger increased significantly. The well-documented staffing issues faced by the industry last summer, particularly at security, only exacerbated the problem.
However, now that COVID-related restrictions have mostly been lifted, and airports and airlines alike find themselves better prepared for peak travel seasons from a staffing perspective, the airport experience in 2023 will largely feel more normal.
This leaves passengers facing the same dilemma – arrive too early and end up waiting around for hours, or risk missing your flight by arriving too late. As a general rule, getting to the airport three hours before international flights and two hours before domestic departures seems to provide a healthy balance. However, for those who like to live on the edge, it may still be possible to pass through security much later than that.
How long before your flight do you normally arrive at the airport? Do you have any tips for making the airport experience less stressful? Let us know in the comments below.