When should I be at the airport?
General guideline
As a general guideline, we recommend that passengers flying elsewhere in Europe should arrive at the airport 2-2.5 hours before their departure. It is recommended that passengers flying outside Europe be at the airport 3-3.5 hours before their departure.
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Passengers are always responsible for making sure about what applies for their particular flight through their airline and for keeping informed through updates.
When you should be at the airport depends on a number of factors:
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- Â whether you are flying with or without checked-in baggage
- whether your airline offers check-in using automatic machines where you can also print your bag tag yourself or whether the airline has manual check-in at a check-in counter
- whether documentation is required that will be checked for your destination
- whether you need to show a passport and go through border control or not. Â
The time of day is also important. In the morning, we generally have more traffic. Longer waiting times can also occur temporarily during other parts of the day.
Tool for recommended time
Our tool gives you a customised recommendation for when to get to the airport based on when your flight departs
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