10Views 0Comments
How early to get to the airport really? The experts weigh in
How early should you get to the airport with children?
Travelling with children adds a whole new dimension to the airport experience. Nappy changes, tantrums, you name it – there’s a whole new set of processes to factor in. We asked two Travellers how early they get to the airport with kids in mind.
Sarah Bannerman, Conde Nast Traveller’s commerce editor and mother to twins, says, “I’ve always been pretty relaxed about getting to the airport, and regardless of how far away I was travelling, I used to stick to the 90-minute pre-take-off rule. But then I met my husband, and he would rather arrive 7 hours early than 10 minutes late, so we’ve compromised. It has, however, done me a favour since having children, as literally everything takes twice as long, and factoring in extra snack, toilet, and dawdling time is essential. Now, I’ve made my peace with a two and a half hour airport stop, and funnily enough, it does make everything a little less stressful.”
Senior commerce writer Lauren Burvill, who has two children under five, says, “I used to get major airport anxiety and make sure to arrive three hours before our flight. I was also the loser who would constantly be checking the screens for boarding times. But then my husband has Priority Pass lounge access through his American Express, and it’s been such a game-changer. I’m a lot more relaxed when flying now. We’ve flown long haul a few times with both our little ones and we’ve got it down to a fine art. My baby is in the super-quick-to-collapse Yoyo pram, my four-year-old rides his snazzy scooter suitcase and we can wheel through airport security to the lounge pretty quickly now, so I tend to arrive two hours before a flight.”
How can I save time at the airport?
“For frequent fliers and savvy travellers looking to arrive at the airport a little closer to their flight time, there are a few travel hacks you can consider,” says Laura Lindsay, Skyscanner’s senior communications director. “If you have hand luggage only, you can skip the luggage check-in queues and arrive at the airport a bit later. You can also check in online, pack light and print your boarding pass at home or use a mobile boarding pass. If you have hold luggage, you can also check whether your airline has a luggage drop-off kiosk for online check-in, which will also save you time.
