When to arrive at LGA for a 6:30 AM flight with 2 children ? and Hertz question...

[pooh2001]

Our trip to WDW will begin on a Friday morning.
Our flight is Delta at 6:30 AM from LGA to MCO.

This will be the first time my DS (10) and DD (1 day till 7) will have flown.

I have read LONG lines for baggage check ins.
Arrive 2 hours early ? 4:30 AM ?

How do I keep my kids awake at 4:30 AM ?

I also heard the employees do not get to Delta to check anyone in
till 4:20 AM. So we may be on a line which winds out to the street/sidewalk.
Another bad move for my kids.

If I got on line at 5 AM - would I still be able to make my 6:30 AM flight ?

We will have driven down (leaving our house at 3 AM) in a Hertz rental.
Is the Hertz rental car open at 4:30 AM to drop off the car ?
Is Hertz near Delta ?
How to get to Delta from Hertz at LGA ?

we are so confused

 

[CarolA]

Do you have your paper tickets or e-ticket confirmation? If so, I would skycap check your luggage and go on to the gate to get your boarding passes. This is generally faster.

According to the Delta website, the ticket counter and skycap open at 4 am. They estimate between 10 min and 30 min for skycap check in, 15 min and 1 hour for counter check in, and 15 min and 1 hour for security. (The high times are peak hours which they say start at 5 am on M-F)

I can't respond to the Hertz question. Did you tell them you were turning the car in at 4:30 when you reserved the car? Usually they tell you if they won't be open. However, at most of the major airports, you can self return the car. (ie pull the car into the spaces, fill out the info on the rental agreement folder, drop the agreement and the keys in the indicated little box and they mail you a receipt)

If it was me, I would get to the airport at 4:30 drop off the rental car and go to skycap check in.

Good Luck

 

[safetymom]

If the Hertz counter isn't open, you will have a card that is attached to your rental that allows express return. You just enter the mileage, how full the gas tank is, and the time you returned it. They have a drop box that you put the card and your keys in.

As far as what time to get to the airport, do curb side check in. Then return the car. I prefer to know that I am in the building and past security with time to spare. You can never tell how the crowds are going to be. Our last trip we stayed near the airport just because I knew that my kids don't like to get up early. They are teenagers.

 

[ducklite]

Hertz is not at the airport terminal! You have to take a shuttle from the Hertz lot to the terminal, like you would do for Hertz in Orlando. It's about two miles or so from LGA. It's open 24/7.

LGA is pretty notorious for having some of the longest check-in and security lines in the country. As the other poster said, hopefully you'll have e-tickets and can curb check your bags, then proceed to the gate for boarding passes. I would get there a full two hours before your flight time. That does not mean pulling into the Hertz lot two hours ahead, that means arriving at the airport ready to cehck in a full two hours ahead.

As far as the kids go, tell them they'll just have to deal with it if they want to see Mickey.

Anne