‘Airport Dads’, be gone – UK airport security wait times aren’t half as bad as you think they are

We’re all too familiar with the notion of the ‘Airport Dad’. The travellers who hyper-prepare, organise like no other and panic at the thought of arriving at the gleaming security gates a second after their schedule.

Whether it’s a father figure sweating profusely as the train to Gatwick announces delays in excess of two minutes or a friend seemingly determined to spend three whole hours in one of Heathrow’s restaurants from 6am, there’s always a traveller with an opposing, more relaxed mentality.

Thanks to new study results from Transfeero, an online platform that streamlines airport transfer bookings globally, the stressier jetsetters are often fretting over nothing.

We all know the deal. Arrive at the airport two hours before short-haul flights and three hours ahead of long-haul journeys. Factoring in a bite to eat, a wander around the shops and a walk to a gate that’s always longer than you expect it to be, these timings seem fair enough.

However, Transfeero’s travel expert, Andrea Platania, notes that it’s the security queues travellers fear the most, often factoring in way more time than necessary.

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“Security is often viewed as the most time-consuming part of air travel, but our research shows that many UK airports are far more efficient than travellers assume. In London, while Stansted and Luton may still require a slightly earlier arrival, Heathrow, Gatwick, and London City offer remarkably fast processing times, even at peak periods. Regional airports like Bristol and Birmingham are also manageable, with average waits under 15 minutes,” says Andrea.

She continues, “The airport theory highlights that travellers frequently overcompensate for perceived risk, arriving hours before boarding. Using data-backed insights and preparing documents, liquids, and electronics ahead of time can dramatically reduce stress. Fast track services and live queue apps are excellent tools for ensuring you arrive just in time.”