How long before a flight should I leave?

The holiday season is upon us and that means nearly everyone is traveling. Getting from campus to home can be an absolute nightmare if you've got to go through an airport to get there. There's the never-ending debate over how early you've got to get to the airport for your flight. We've got some things to keep in mind when you ask yourself, "when should I leave for the airport?."

The general rule

It's commonly believed that you should get to the airport two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight. That rule of thumb defintely gets more complicated once the holidays roll around. We'd expect large crowds and slow secruity lines in the days leading up to Thanksgiving so give yourself a cushion in case of delays.

What airport are you going to?

Where you're flying out of will definitely play a role in how far in advance you should arrive. The larger the airport, the more time you're going to need. If you're flying out of a major city like JFK or LAX, we'd add on extra time to get to terminal. Traffic around the departures area will be absolutely bananas. You've still got to drop off any checked luggage, go through secruity, and find your gate through the masses. That could easily be a 45 minute treck.

How far are you from the airport?

Do some research into how long it would normally take to get to the airport. Then, remember it's Thanksgiving and there will be more cars on the roads. Expect traffic on the highways even if you're traveling through a fairly unpopulated area.

Time savers

If you're trying to find ways to leave later because you can't stand airports, check in online. Most airlines will let you log in the day before your flight and check into your flight. You can often print out your bordering pass at home too. You're also going home just for Thanksgiving. It's only around five days so you really don't need more than a carry-on. Save yourself the agony of checking a bag and then waiting for it at bagagge claim when you get there.