What time to be at the Buffalo airport?

[The House of Mouse]

I am flying out of Buffalo at 11:00 am tomorrow. Given that it is March Break, what time do you think I should schedule my shuttle to the airport? 2 years ago I flew out on the Saturday of March Break early in the morning and it was crazy busy, do you think the later departure time will make it easier?

 

[petbren]

I am flying out of Buffalo at 11:00 am tomorrow. Given that it is March Break, what time do you think I should schedule my shuttle to the airport? 2 years ago I flew out on the Saturday of March Break early in the morning and it was crazy busy, do you think the later departure time will make it easier?

We are here, in Beautiful Buffalo at the Millenium hotel and are getting their shuttel over, leaving hotel at 9.Our flight goes at 10:50. Should be there by 9:15. Given your experience last year, hope we have given ourselves enough time

 

[dancin Disney style]

I'm in similar quandry. We fly on Tuesday and I've been told by someone in Fort Erie that uses BUF monthly that we should be at the airport 3 hours ahead. What I'm wondering is that since our flight is later into MB and it's a 2pm departure would we still need to allow the extra time?

We are driving from Oakville in the morning and would normally leave at 10am(for a 2pm flight) we have sort of decided to leave at 9:30. Hopefully, that will be enough time. I think I will watch the border crossing site on Monday to see what it's looking like.

 

[DaniB]

Last year we were told to be there 1 1/2 hours before our flight. But that was during September which I'm sure was a fairly low-key time.

Maybe give yourself 3 hours to be on the safe side?

 

[A&CsMom]

I would leave on the early side. Last time we flew out of BUF, our flight was at 7 am and we arrived at the airport at 5 am, thinking we would have lots of time. It was a Friday morning in February. Two of the security lines were closed because the scanning equipment wasn't working so the rest of the lines were huge. Lets just say they were calling our flight by the time we got to the gate, and I was freaking out! From now on we are arriving 3 hours ahead to be on the safe side because I never want to go through that again.

 

[MedicGoofy]

You should only need to be at the Buffalo Airport an 1 1/2 ahead of your flight. It's not like Toronto or some other large airports that can take an hour to get through security. It's quick. I know the PP said there was a technical difficulty BUT that doesn't always happen and they should pull people from lines when that does happen. You don't need 3 hours for Buffalo. You'll be bored out of your mind there!!

Just an FYI....IF you are driving there and leaving your car. You park in a lot. And walk to a spot where a shuttle picks you up. You then have to wait for the shuttle. It can be a bit of a wait. And then the shuttle has to go around to the other spots to pick people up. Sometimes you might be the last picked up, you might be the first. Depending in what lot you park, depends on if you take the shuttle.

 

[networktek]

we usually get there 2 hours in advance except if it is an early morning flight than we get there a little earlier cause the air port security does get busy

 

[Moonies]

we usually get there 2 hours in advance except if it is an early morning flight than we get there a little earlier cause the air port security does get busy

Our flight is at 6:20am in the morning on a Sunday in early May. Do you find it's flights that early that are busy or is early more like 8 or 9 and stuff that early at Buffalo is practically a walk on?

I have Pearson woes and even though people say Buffalo is completely different I'm sure it comes with it's own time challenges.

 

[Goofy's apprentice]

Buffalo is heaven compared to Pearson! (I am speaking about the airport only, not the City!)

For the early morning flight you could check to see when the specific airline counter opens to take your checked luggage. WE arrived really early one time for the early flight only to have to wait half an hour for the southwest counter to open.

The last few years Buffalo has made major improvements to the security area and the lines are much shorter and move much quicker. That, coupled with the cheap airfares means we never even check for Canadian flights anymore. Plus, you pass through customs in your car, arrival at MCO is a domestic flight....so much quicker to getting you to your hotel....the pool....drinks.....

 

[Moonies]

Buffalo is heaven compared to Pearson! (I am speaking about the airport only, not the City!)

For the early morning flight you could check to see when the specific airline counter opens to take your checked luggage. WE arrived really early one time for the early flight only to have to wait half an hour for the southwest counter to open.

The last few years Buffalo has made major improvements to the security area and the lines are much shorter and move much quicker. That, coupled with the cheap airfares means we never even check for Canadian flights anymore. Plus, you pass through customs in your car, arrival at MCO is a domestic flight....so much quicker to getting you to your hotel....the pool....drinks.....

Delta doesn't have any info on the airline counter being open and when, but all the other ones in the "area" are open at 4 or 4:30am, so I guess that's when we'll be there

Not like anyone's going to be sleepy anyways!

Moonie #2 Reporting in: WHO NEEDS SLEEP?

Moonie #5 here: I flew out of Buffalo just recently to Newark, and for our 8:25 flight we were there at 7:30 and we got in there fine, even with problems with our tickets. The security really didn't take very long =) and you can sleep when you're dead XD

 

[Mickey1Fan]

The Southwest Air site recommends arriving at the Buffalo airport 1.5 hours before flight.