How much time to give yourself airport check in?

[RuthieT]

We will be flying out from Portland Oregon into SNA. How long should we give ourselves for check in?

 

[garate55]

The airlines say 2hrs, but it all depends on the day of the week on how busy the airport is during the time you are flying out. I usually try to plan about 1hr-15min to 1hr-30min. To get your bags checked, get through security and get to your gate that should be enough time if you print out your boarding pass at home.

 

[garate55]

The airlines say 2hrs, but it all depends on the day of the week on how busy the airport is during the time you are flying out. I usually try to plan about 1hr-15min to 1hr-30min.
To get your bags checked, get through security and get to your gate that should be enough time if you print out your boarding pass at home.
Looks like you will be flying out on a Tuesday? You should be ok with an 1hr-30min. unless you are really paranoid then give yourself the full 2hrs. I just don't like sitting in the airport for too long.

Sorry for the double post I hit the button and nothing happened, so I wrote more, then both popped up.

 

[kelmac284]

I always figure on 2 hours because you just never know. Plus we usually like to have time to get a snack or dinner depending on when we fly and have time to relax a bit. For example the last time we flew and again when we fly next week we need to eat dinner so our plane leaves at 7. Therefore we are planning to get to the airport at 5. We are printing boarding passes at home but since we are flying southwest you just never know how long the line will be to check luggage even WITH boarding passes already. Then the security line can take forever. Then we have to allow time to eat and by the time we are done with that we like to get in the ABC line. There are 6 of us and even though we have a boarding pass it still doesn't guarantee us sitting together so we like to get in line. I know it sounds like a pain but it is just easier. That is the only bad thing about not having a seat assignment. If I was flying on an airline where I had an actual assigned seat I probably wouldn't feel the need to get there as early either but with southwest you need to plan accordingly.

 

[RuthieT]

we are flying alaska airlines and have assigned seating we fly out on a Tuesday AM and come back on a Monday PM.

 

[garate55]

Tuesday morning shouldn't be too busy, it's usually the weekends when you get more of the mobs of people flying out or in the evenings.
Only been to PDX once and that was for a layover so I wouldn't know how hard it is to get there, but if you have somebody drop you off it shouldn't be too bad. It's when you have to park that takes a little time so leave time for your situation.

 

[WA Kay]

This was taken directly from alaskaairlines.com. Hope it helps. Have a great trip.

Portland International Airport (PDX)

When to Arrive at the Airport
With bags: 2 hours prior to scheduled departure
Without bags: 90 minutes prior to scheduled departure

 

[tinkerbelt]

I just flew out of PDX on Tuesday morning, and I got there about 90 minutes before my flight and had time to check my bags, go through security, drag a bunch of carryons and a 4 year old through the airport, and I made it to my gate with easily 20 minutes to spare before boarding. This was with Tuesday morning Thanksgiving crowds.

When we flew to PDX a week before, we got stuck in traffic and made it to the airport 40 minutes before our flight, and checked bags and got to the gate with time to spare.