What time to leave for airport?

[gappedout]

We are staying at the Fairfield Inn Anaheim and flying out of SNA. Our flight is at 6:45am on a Friday. I have been communicating with Lansky on what time to be picked up. Our quoted price is for a 5am pick up which he says will put us at SNA around 5:25am. If we are picked up prior to 5:00am, there is an additional $25 surcharge.

Thoughts on what time we should be leaving the hotel by? Flying domestic (Southwest) and will have checked luggage.

 

[motherof5]

I don't know where that is but depends on how far it is from you, how many passengers and if you have kids. I usually get to the airport 1 1/2 hour before my flight and have 5 kids. By the time we go through security and check bags I usually only have 30 minutes left before my flight. A friend of ours goes 1 hour before flight, but no kids and seems to go through quicker.

 

[OKW Lover]

SNA is an easy airport to get to from the DL area. Its also a very small airport so getting checked in and to the gate won't be long. Still, if you're concerned about being rushed, $25 is a small price to pay for peace of mind.

 

[Albort]

SNA is an easy airport to get to from the DL area. Its also a very small airport so getting checked in and to the gate won't be long. Still, if you're concerned about being rushed, $25 is a small price to pay for peace of mind.

YMMV. i took a friend to catch a flight at 6am, the check in line and security were packed for some odd reason.
OP: arriving at 5:25am should be good though.

 

[figment_jii]

I agree that $25 isn't that much for peace of mind, but as others have said, SNA is usually a pretty easy airport to navigate. I had an early flight out and I caught Lyft around 5:15 am and got to SNA around 5:30 am (about a 15 minute ride). There really weren't very many other people at security so I got through with a minimal wait. While I'm sure it varies by day, I was flying out on a Thursday, so it was a lot of business travelers at that time (so not much in the way of luggage or even carry on).

 

[DizneyMommy]

SNA has curfew from 10pm-7am, no flights can depart during that time. They do not even open for the morning until 5:30am.
There will not be a backlog of line ahead of You at security and getting there before 5:30 is not necessary, that is probably why they gave you that time.

(Your flight may say 6:45 but that’s the time the gate closes - 15 minutes prior to take off.)

 

[DizneyMommy]

Oh, and leaving Fairfield at 5am, you’ll probably be at SNA in 20 minutes. There’s no traffic at that hour!

 

[ParkHopper1]

drive time door to door is 17 min...baggage check is super easy with Southwest...even with a security rush you have Plenty if time IMO. I wound bit sweat it. You can leave earlier...but you will just be sitting in the terminal longer

 

[DizneyMommy]

drive time door to door is 17 min...baggage check is super easy with Southwest...even with a security rush you have Plenty if time IMO. I wound bit sweat it. You can leave earlier...but you will just be sitting in the terminal longer

You’ll be sitting OUTSIDE the terminal. It doesn’t even open until 5:30am ;-)