How to Prepare for Your First Time at the Airport in 2024

bro is definitely from jersey

It’s hard to imagine but I usually reserve a middle seat. My wife needs an aisle seat because of her knees and I then sit in the middle (for three-across seating) because I know I’m going to get up to go to the bathroom during any flight over two hours long. For two-across seating, I sit next to the window so I can see what is happening, especially during takeoff and landing. My wife recently suggested that we should sit in the middle on a two-aisle airplane but I don’t want to do that because I really need to see out the window—don’t ask me why. We follow the airline suggestion about arriving at the airport after, on two occasions, getting to the gate took a lot longer than we expected because of circumstances the airline considered. Expect the unexpected.

Yes I love traveling 🎉

Thank u, im in americia going to albania i need to learn how to act on. Aplanr cuz tis my first flight..

Very helpful

i like being bye the window

Go 4-5 hours early so you can go to a lounge.


Once you go first you never go back

Thanks so much this is my first flight ever😊

I haven't flown in almost 20 years so I'm kinda new to the online ticket check-in/ seat selection process as I'm still learning to use my smartphone, Can I still check in in person and select my seat then?

Do I have to print out my boarding pass

Well done

Would recommend aeither checking weather or email prior to arrival at airport. My airline sent me notification to arrive earlier due to congestistion at airport. Since i normally fly International always be there like 2.5/ 3 hrs before

Window love to look out window especially if i going somewhere new

Can I bring cologne when traveling?

Okay so my first flight is tomorrow, I'm not sure if I'll get answers by then, but does your carry on have a max weight? And if my layover in between airports is only 45 minutes, how do I be sure I get to my area in time?

I'm used to traveling with my parents so i used to just follow them and do what it's need to be done. Now that i'm flying completely alone i'm scared that i might end up lost

This is my first time flying ever and I am so nervous Im not sure why I don’t want to mess it up or keep people waiting :(

I like to people watch so the extra time waiting doesn't bother me.

I will be taking my 1st flight in 15 years this was helpful

I dont even need ur tips im just hyped cuz im going on vacatoin in 2 weels

I personally prefer window seat on the right side. You are right. Getting to the airport two hours early for a domestic flight is ideal. I didn’t have to do that when I was living in a small town in West Texas because the airport was rarely busy and I usually get to the airport an hour and half before my flight but I live in Austin now so I’ll have to be at the airport 2 and a half hours early

Ugh this is so complicated

I guess I'm goin to prefer window seat

Hi Megan, I'm a window seat girl. I love to see the views from above.
Are writing pens allowed or restricted to carry in my personal bag/purse?

This will be my husband and my first time flying and you provided some helpful tips. I mentioned to my husband I wanted to be at the airport at least 2-3 hrs before watching your video. Thanks for this video.

She looks like a cat..her eyes.

Just very curious would Florida be an international flight also what are other places that are considered international? Never flown or been on a cruise but it sounds so amazing!!!!! I want to learn all I can so if I do someday get to do these things I'll know what to do ahead of time :)

I picked a window seat this will be my first time flying

Should I be worried if one of my connecting flights only has a layover of 56 minutes?

I'll be taking my first flight since the 1980's. I bet there will be all kinds of surprises.

3 1/2 hours is usually an overkill in most cases but this will depend on your situation. If you live more than an hour away and there's a major traffic accident that blocks all lanes, that could delay your arrival at the airport substantially. Same thing with unexpected snow storm. If you spent a night near the airport and the hotel shuttle gets you to the airport, maybe it isn't a huge concern to arrive 1 1/2 hour before the flight. Never understood why they want a full extra hour just because you have a international flight over a domestic flight. It doesn't take that long to verify your passport, Visa, and maybe COVID requirements. The recommendation seems to be more from people thinking if they are at the airport garage, they are at the airport already. Ditto for those people whom underestimate the realistic time to get to the airport. Still another reason is that airport is a business too and the longer you spend there, the more likely you'll spend money at their shops and restaurants. So yes, they want you to arrive extra early. There are many ways to cut time to get to the departure gate and the more hacks that you know, the less time you'll need.

I actually try to get to the airport at least 2 hours early for domestic and 3 hours for international flights. I am willing to arrive even earlier if I have the time. If I want to change my seats I check in at the first chance usually. I have access to the Priority Club via my Ritz Card and United Clubs via my United Club Card. Both of these cards do have annual fees but these fees are offset by significant travel savings and both help pay for things like TSA Pre and/or seat upgrades, wifi costs and with the Ritz Card, one free night at a nice Marriott hotel. With the United Club Card I also get pre-boarding priviledges which is nice. I agree with full flights these days. There are still flights that are not full, but they tend to go to smaller market airports or they are flights at incovenient times or red-eyes. I hate those. I was a frequent flyier and have just under 700,000 actual flight miles on United. I prefer the window seat. I never have to get up to let someone head to the potty and I have one guaranteed armrest and can rest my head against the side bulkhead.

The bigger/ busier the airport, the earlier you should arrive. It is rarely about check-in, and more about getting through security. I've spent ten minutes in check-in and two hours in the security line. Airports are a lesson in patience, good humor, and a certain sense of inevitability. For international flights, add Murphy's Law just to be safe!

I Fly Southwest Mostly,And On Southwest You Can Set Where You Want.

I assume most people are commenting from the States? It really seems to depend a lot on airport and country. To me these airport arrival times seem very long. I arrive 1.5-2 hours before for Africa-Europe flight with checked baggage and it's plenty of time. For recent EU flights with only carry on 30 mins before gate open would have been just fine, but I was there 1 hour before 😅

In a about 7 weeks I’m going to be traveling with my arthritis medication-needs to be refrigerated. Also, I don’t look like a recent college graduate and I’ll be traveling solo. Any advice?

Can't we just do Early Check-In Online and then take advantage of the Curb-Side Checked Baggage Services, so we can then head straight thru TSA & directly to the gate (or perhaps even a nice meal first in the gate area before flight time), in order to avoid having to wait in the Check-in Line just because we have a checked bag, despite our Pre-Check-In Online? As I recall, this has worked to be of great benefit to me in the past (albeit, years ago). Seems that this strategy worked quite well, at least for Domestic flights, but never tried it and so not sure about International flights. Thanks! 🙂

Thanks for the info. Your Quebec accent is no longer as strong.

I say it all depends on the size of the airport in the country of departure, the time of day and how many flights are departing that day. I'm from a small island, so lines aren't very long, so I can get away with 2-2.5 hrs for an international flight and 1-1.5 hrs domestic.

I like aisle seat.

I prefer a window on international and aisle on domestic

It used to be, if you travel with someone. One would take a window and an aisle. Hopefully no one seats in the middle.

I have arrived at the gate at TPA less than 1 hour before boarding with no problem, especially for super early flights such as 5:30am. I have TSA Precheck, so I usually get through security in 2 min. I download the mobile boarding pass 24hr prior, and I don't do checked bags. International flights out of Miami are really no different than Domestic. Just you need to briefly show the gate agent your Passport as you board. I recently flew to Martinique (France).

Can you tell me how I would go by flying to Dubai and then back to Texas. Anything to help it more earlier for me.Thanks so much.

window seat, right side
I usually do 3 hrs international if it's one of the first flights in the morning. Plus an additional 30 minutes to visit Immigration as I have to go there first (as a resident) in Mexico before flying out of the country. 4 hrs if it's an afternoon flight and the airport is busy.

Size of airport matters in terms of how early to arrive. Tucson is small and three and a half hours is really overkill.

I can never pre checkin, per airline rules. I’ve never seen a checkin open before 3 hours as I prefer to arrive 3.5 x 4 hours but it never makes a difference.

I now have a sling on my arm. Figuring out whether a window has more space for my arm is annoying. I prefer aisle especially for long hauls but the sling is becoming an additional concern.

I agree with you 100% about giving yourself extra time. I would much rather have to spend time puttering around the airport than to run and risk missing my flight. I'm also team Aisle. If I'm in Y, then I can at least stretch 1 leg out. Plus I won't have to inconvenience anyone if I need to use the washroom.