How early before flight to arrive at airport

[Goofy_4_WDW]

We have a limo scheduled to pick us up so we would be at the airport 1 1/2
hrs. before flight. With the new restrictions, Should we now change it and get there earlier? I would hate to miss my flight.
Thanks

 

[Kteacher]

Check with your airline. We're flying Delta in a week, and their website suggested 3 hrs prior for domestic flights when I checked the website on Friday. When I checked yesterday it suggested 2 hrs prior.

 

[seashoreCM]

News reports recently have said (a few of my words interjected here: endeavoring, not just aiming, to step onto the main terminal curb at least) two hours before your flight time.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[DVC Grammy]

Some of the airlines have a site in which specific airports have their "suggested" amounts of time to arrive beforehand. I know that SWA has a list; the amounts of time vary, depending on airport location. If your airline doesn't have that list, just call them and ask about YOUR airport (hint: if you get an "outsourced" person on the other line, ask to be transferred to a US customer service rep; sometimes the folks in other lands are as "geographically challenged" about our country as we are about theirs!).
Good luck.

 

[safetymom]

I would allow at least 2 hours at your airport, especially at MCO. There can be very long security lines and I would rather be sitting at the gate with extra time than running through the airport. I can't tell you how many people I see running to their gates at Orlando. I have seen them pounding on the jetway door because they had closed the door and the plane was ready to depart.

 

[GoldenOldie]

There's just no way to know how long it will take. I flew out of MCO this past Friday (the day after all the news broke). I went through the A side security checkpoint at midday in about 10 minutes total. Fastest I had ever gotten through at any airport in recent years.

But understand that my experience isn't the norm. DME is still saying a three hour pickup window is sufficient and it probably is since you'll get to MCO about 2-2 1/2 hours early.

 

[Boo'sMom]

There's just no way to know how long it will take. I flew out of MCO this past Friday (the day after all the news broke). I went through the A side security checkpoint at midday in about 10 minutes total. Fastest I had ever gotten through at any airport in recent years.

we flew out of MCO yesterday afternoon. We arrived 4 hours in advance (as was suggested when we called SWA Friday night), we were through security in 5 minutes...no lines, no waiting.....
As a side note, know that airlines (SWA in this case) will only allow you to check your luggage 4 hours prior to flight.
We spent a lot of unnecessary time in the airport yesterday





as a side note....we found the security at MCO to be a JOKE! Our photo ID was only checked once, at a screening station before security check points, and the TSA agent didn't once look up at my DH or I when she compared the names on my boarding pass with the name on my license.
Bags were only Xrayed at MCO, TSA in the area we went through were NOT opening any bags that came through.

Comparitively, the bag check at WDW after Thursday's news was noticably more secure. I wished the WDW security officers were working at MCO.


I'm not trying to bust on the TSAs at MCO, just passing along my observations.