Any frequent traveler knows that it’s important to arrive at the airport with plenty of time ahead of your flight to allow you to get through security, find your gate, and board your plane.
Most airlines advise that travelers arrive at least two hours before their scheduled departure for domestic flights, and at least three hours before their scheduled departure for international flights.
However, as some unfortunate travelers found out this week, there is something else that travelers need to consider when planning out their timelines on travel days.
TSA Security Checkpoints Have Hours, Too
Something you might not consider when planning your airport arrival time is that most TSA Checkpoints do not remain open 24 hours. While most security checkpoints at most airports will stay open until the final departure of the day – especially at larger airports – that is not always the case, as some unlucky travelers found out recently.
“TSA waits for no one, not even delayed flights.”
85-year-old traveler who missed her flight.
In a recent article, Beat of Hawaii, an outlet that covers Hawai’i travel news, shared the story of a pair of 85-year-old travelers flying from Hawaii to Vancouver for a prepaid road trip through the Canadian Rockies.
However, with their flight delayed by well over two hours, the elderly travelers arrived at the airport only to find that the TSA security checkpoint had already closed for the night, and they were not able to get to their gate to catch their flight.
“Please make this knowledge public. TSA waits for no one, not even delayed flights,” the travelers told Beat of Hawaiiin an email.
Don’t Let This Happen to You
While this is undoubtedly an unfortunate situation for the two travelers involved, it offers everyone else a chance to learn from their experience. Here are some best practices to make sure you don’t find yourself in a similar situation.
Check Your Local Airport’s Security Hours
TSA security hours can vary drastically from airport to airport and even day to day, depending on the flight schedule. Before you fly, it’s worth checking with your airport to confirm the current hours, especially if you’re taking a late-night flight or your flight has been delayed.
It’s worth noting, however, that this did not help the two unfortunate travelers who missed their flight out of Hawaii since the hours listed online were not exactly accurate or consistent.
“Trying to confirm Maui’s TSA hours seems almost impossible, as we said at the beginning. The Hawaii Airports website said the checkpoint closes at 11:00 p.m., while the MyTSA app hints it might be open until midnight. Other government pages show 11:30 p.m. Yet our readers reported finding the doors closed earlier, even though their delayed flight did not depart until after 1:00 a.m.,” Beat of Hawaiiwrote.
Still, it’s best to stay informed with the most up-to-date information.
Call Ahead to Confirm
Since TSA security hours can be inconsistent and unclear, it’s often best to call the airport directly if there is any question or lack of clarity. This is especially true when your flight is taking off at a different time than previously scheduled.
While the posted hours could give you a good idea of when the TSA checkpoint might be open, those hours can change at any time, as was the case with the travelers who missed their flight.
Calling the airport directly to confirm the latest TSA hours would ensure you have the most up-to-date information.
Arrive at the Gate at Your Original Departure Time
When your flight is delayed before you even leave for the airport, it might be tempting to wait before heading to the airport. After all, who wants to wait for their flight at the airport for hours when they could do it from the comfort of their own home?
However, it’s generally best to arrive at your gate before your originally scheduled departure time and wait for any potential delay at the gate. This would help ensure that you make it through the TSA security checkpoint before it closes, but there are several other reasons, too.
As travel expert Summer Hull of The Points Guy writes, all delayed flights are subject to change. So even if your flight shows that it has been delayed for hours, there is always a chance that it could take off much sooner with little to no warning.
“Even if your flight shows as delayed in the app, that status is subject to change. So, in most cases, it’s best to be at the airport ready to go at the originally scheduled time. We’ve certainly heard stories where a flight is delayed only for it to depart sooner than expected, leaving some passengers behind,” Hull wrote for The Points Guy.
This is especially true when your flight has been delayed due to inclement weather.
“Bad weather can sometimes cause a temporary ground stop at the airport. As soon as the weather improves and the stop lifts, airlines will try to get their flights off the ground ASAP. So, it’s best to be close by should things change on short notice,” Hull writes.
I’ve experienced this firsthand during a recent flight from Columbus, Ohio, to Denver. Before I left for the airport, the app was showing that it had been delayed by about an hour. I went to the airport in time for the original departure time anyway, and the plane ultimately took off on time. Had I waited, I might have missed my flight.
Additionally, arriving at the airport earlier gives you the best chance to be first in line for assistance with things like rebooking flights or receiving vouchers for giving up your seat to other customers, which are typically done on a first-come, first-served basis.
