any Experience With Philly Airport on a Friday Morning

[antree]

Hope some one can help me. We are flying out of Philly on Nov 1st which is a Friday. We have never flew on a Friday, so I am wondering how is the airport on a Friday early morning? Will security be long? Are the crowds big?

Our flight is 8:10 am first flight to Tampa, Then drive to Disney
Anyway, I want to be at the airport by 5, my family is looking at me like I am crazy.
By being at the airport by 5am means we need to be up by 3 am, I have to get the dog to my brothers and I just don't want to run out on her. Bringing her the day before is not an option we want to keep her until we have to leave.
We also have to take our car to the parking lot, unload our car and then get into a van to the airport.

My father always has problems with security because of his knees, he will be pulled aside and scanned, which always take time.
I have to check in with a Peanut Dust Allergy so I always want to get there early enough to remind them.
The kids always want to eat before we board, so I need to feed them and then get settled before we board. I feel like there is never enough time.

I am worried that a Friday can be very busy at the airport.

Is it? Can you give me some insight how the Airport will be?

TIA

 

[winthropf]

Are you trying to get to parking by 5am or actually to the terminal building? 5am is probably too early to be at the terminal building, many services and food locations will probably not be open yet. Security lines will not start to build significantly until after 6-6:30. Friday should not be much different than most other days (Saturday and Monday are probably the worst).

It may also depend on which airline you are flying as many terminals have their own security and you cannot get from one terminal to another without going outside security.

 

[antree]

Are you trying to get to parking by 5am or actually to the terminal building? 5am is probably too early to be at the terminal building, many services and food locations will probably not be open yet. Security lines will not start to build significantly until after 6-6:30. Friday should not be much different than most other days (Saturday and Monday are probably the worst).

It may also depend on which airline you are flying as many terminals have their own security and you cannot get from one terminal to another without going outside security.

I was thinking I should be at the airport by 5am. We are flying SWA. So, I should be safe if we leave the house by 5? It takes us 20 mins to get to airport. The parking is 5 mins from airport. So I should be at the airport by 5:45, the latest.
This is our first time parking the car and leaving on a friday, so I am just unsure with time. We usually get dropped off at the airport.

Thank you for your information.

 

[winthropf]

That should be fine. I usually leave between 5-5:15 for a 6:50 flight and am about 20 minutes as well. But I don't have the security and allergy issues to slow down and also can use preferred level frequent flyer lines.

 

[mieuxmew]

A month ago I flew out of Philly to Las Vegas on Southwest. It was a Friday 6:55am flight. There was ONLY one security line and it was VERY LONG!!! It was backed up ALL the way down the hall and around the corner where the people mover belts are! Took more than 40 mintues to get thru security. We got to the terminal at 4:45am and the line up for boarding was being called. I would allow extra time.

 

[joxer1014]

It may also depend on which airline you are flying as many terminals have their own security and you cannot get from one terminal to another without going outside security.

I'm sorry but I have to clarify this. Once you go through security at terminal A, B, C, D or E you can go back and forth between then without being re-screened. I am not sure about terminal F since I have never flown out of there and that is for commuter flights but I have flown out of Philly all my life and with the current set up you can walk from A to E on the secured side with no problems.

I have never seen airlines with "their own security" ever.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

Just flew out of PHL on a Friday morning two weeks ago on an 8am flight (AirTran).

DH dropped my off in front at 6:45am. Line for security was down the hall & around the corner. That said, it only took about 25 minutes to get through.

As much as I hate to admit it, the security setup at PHL in the Terminal D/E area is actually very efficient & very well organized (US Airways/Terminal B/C is a nightmare).

 

[mb187143]

I'm sorry but I have to clarify this. Once you go through security at terminal A, B, C, D or E you can go back and forth between then without being re-screened. I am not sure about terminal F since I have never flown out of there and that is for commuter flights but I have flown out of Philly all my life and with the current set up you can walk from A to E on the secured side with no problems. I have never seen airlines with "their own security" ever.

I think what the above poster means is that at PHL, if you're flying USAir, you're going to most likely use the check point at B/C. SW and AirTran fly out of D/E. Terminal F is usually USAir commuter jets like to NYC. And terminal A is usually international flights.

So no, the airlines don't have their own security, but the new checkpoint between D/E is huge, much bigger than B/C. They have about 20 lanes that open continuously as the morning goes on to meet demand. The checkpoint at B/C is small and pretty limited with space. I have often waited on the bridge between the terminal and baggage claim going through security at B/C (for a USAir flight). I haven't flown out of terminal B or C in almost a year now though. Not sure if that area has been "improved" yet.

 

[ncc1701]

Both B and C have their own TSA however we have had a few times where one was closed early in the morning but not in the last 3 years.In those cases we went thru the open one and walked over to the other terminal.It isn't a big walk to go between B & C . We usually stop at the food court between the 2 for breakfast before our trips.

 

[Gillian]

we're on your flight!

SW is terminal E, right? We're getting a ride, but I didn't figure out what time yet.

 

[antree]

we're on your flight!

SW is terminal E, right? We're getting a ride, but I didn't figure out what time yet.

Yup, terminal E will be SWA, flying in to Tampa. Driving to Disney from there You headed to Disney?
We will be the reason they announce the Peanut Allergy on the flight, I will also be the one carrying the pillow, and all carry on's, since no one else knows how to.
This is our first time flying in to Tampa.
Hope all goes well.

 

[Gillian]

Tampa airport is very nice.
We're visiting family so no Disney this time