Despite the trend toward high-tech security scanners and online check-in, there are a million things that can cause congestion at the airport.
Anxiety about missing your flight can be very real, leading to many of us arriving at the airport hours before the plane is due to take-off.
Heathrow Airport was forced to remind people of the correct times to come to its terminals to avoid “unnecessary congestion”. It took to X and said: “Passengers are reminded to arrive at the airport two hours before a European flight and three hours before a long haul flight. We ask passengers not to arrive earlier than these times as this may cause unnecessary congestion in the airport.”
But with security queues being sporadic, and peak season nearly upon us, it can be easy to arrive early and wait around until check-in and bag drops officially open. But, some travel influencers even argue that arriving at the tail-end of the boarding process is a hack to ensure you can pick your own seat without paying extra fees.
But airlines are holding firm on their recommendation to arrive well-before boarding, and for good reason. In addition to potential queues at security checkpoints or baggage drop-off, flight delays and system errors can cause unforeseen delays.
Heathrow
If there is any airport that can make a strong case for passengers to arrive early, it’s Heathrow. The sheer size of the airport alone may requires travellers to factor in walking time, though all departure gates are located in the main terminal (Terminal 2). But while all “A” gates in this terminal are only 200 metres (approximately a five-minute walk) from the security checkpoints, Heathrow’s satellite terminal for all “B” gates is about a 20-minute walk from security.
Heathrow recommends passengers arrive two hours before any flight within Europe and at least three hours before any longer haul flights.
Gatwick
Similarly to Heathrow, Gatwick airport recommends passengers arrive at least two hours before their scheduled departure time. It’s also worth keeping in mind that Gatwick airport does not broadcast flight calls, being a self-branded silent airport, so passengers should stay close to a screen to check boarding times and gate numbers.
Here is a breakdown of when check-in desks opens at Gatwick for each type of flight:
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Long-haul flights: check-in opens around three hours before your scheduled departure
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European flights: check-in three hours before your scheduled departure
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UK and Ireland flights: check-in two hours before your scheduled departure
Stansted
Unsurprisingly, Stansted maintains that passengers should arrive at least two hours before flight departure as a general rule. This increases to three hours for anyone taking a long-haul flight. Jet2 provides a slightly different window, however, advising that passengers travelling with only hand baggage should arrive at least 90 minutes prior to departure if flying from London.
Luton
Despite implementing the new CT scanner technology in all security lanes last July—an initiative designed to hasten security checks—Luton has not reduced the its recommended arrival time. Passengers are required to arrive at least two hours before scheduled flight departures. It is worth noting that, for all London airports, anyone travelling with pets are advised to arrive early. This is to ensure that all necessary paperwork is complete and on-hand and that any additional health checks can be conducted.
