How early do you arrive to McCarran for your flight back home?

Oh it definitely is... Such a great deal with all the time it’s saved!

 

We are at least 3 hours.... then again, we go to the Amex lounge for a light meal and lots of drinks first. We usually fly WN (southwest) and have to take the shuttle to the D concourse and back, but well worth the 10 minutes each way.

 

90 minutes,pre Covid and now. I'm always waiting a long time from the time I get there and through TSA. But I take a cab, and Im always going home on a Friday afternoon,evening. Everyone else is coming in, not going out.

 

Usually 2-3 hours before the flight. Always hit up the Centurion lounge for a bit

 

Based on years of riding the El Cortez shuttle (which leaves every hour and takes just under 30 minutes), if I’ll arrive at the airport with 90 minutes until departure I’m good. If the drop off leaves me with under 90 minutes I suck it up and take the earlier shuttle. Even with random disruptions I’ve never spent more than fifteen minutes going through TSA pre at the C gates. I’m fairly conservative, usually alone, and I don’t mind the fifteen dollar pre-flight beer.

 

As a creature of habit, have always stuck with the recommended "get to the airport two hours before your flight." I think Mike in Pensacola mentioned that usually by that last day, there's almost a feeling of wanting to get home, so that almost makes the trip to McCarran something you're looking forward to. I was last there in late October for the Circa opening, but overall just wasn't feeling the covid environment in Vegas. A friend I flew out with had his flight randomly changed to like 3 pm prior to the trip, while my return flight was still at 530 pm. I was so looking forward to leaving that I actually Ubered to the airport with him, getting there four hours prior to my flight. I'd never gotten to an airport that early.

But this thread also made me reflect on old travel habits as well. My first few trips to LV in the 90s were flights that would leave Baltimore at 8 pm and get into Vegas at 10 pm Pacific time. Then I would spend that night and the next night in Vegas, and then my return flight would be a red eye that would leave Vegas at like 11 pm Pacific and get back to Baltimore at like 7 am. I don't think I've done such an itinerary in close to 10 years though. Nowadays I usuallly take a flight that leaves Baltimore mid morning and puts me into Vegas around noon, and I usually take the latest flight I can get coming back, which on Southwest these days is around 5 pm. I don't think I'll ever take a flight that leaves Vegas first thing in the morning!

 

I get a limo from Aria and my host schedules it for 2 hours prior to flight. I hate getting up early, but this time my limo leaves at 5:15 am for a 7:15 a.m. flight, but I like to get to Atlanta fairly early to beat the traffic home. I don't mind getting to the airport early, as I get a cinnabon and play some slots until the last minute!

 

Precovid we would leave our room three and a half hours prior to our flight . First We check out of the casino hotel and if not every night is comped l always ask if I can be comped more nights. That can take anywhere from five minutes to fifteen for a host to check out our play. If comped for the week then easy check out and go. Next return rental car - we have normally don’t have a problem but once in a while the line is extra long and checking the car in takes more time than usual. Sometimes the wait for the shuttle to the airport is long so another possible glitch. One time there was road construction and it took an extra fifteen minutes to the airport. Check In is usually quick and we are TSA. If all go well one hour from when we leave the room to our gate. BUT glitches happen and I would rather be prepared and get there early than go into a panic running to the gate. What people sometimes forget you should be at your gate a half hour before the departure time as they start boarding .

 

I usually get to the airport car rental facility 3 hours before my flight. Then I have to wait/take the shuttle bus back to the airport. Since I'm not TSA pre or GE I usually like to get to the airport early. For me I don't mind waiting at the airport. At least I know that I'm ready to fly and don't have to worry about anything unexpected on the way to the airport or going through the lines at checkin or security. I have my laptop and magazines to go through before I board and before covid I used to like to roam the airport since I will be sitting for over 5 hours on the plane on the way back to Honolulu.

But then I usually spend a little extra time going through the TSA lines. I have a lot of electronics so need a little more time to take everything out and put into the bin (laptop, tablet, camera, battery pack, my frio for my Trulicity pen, etc.). Luckily for vegas I usually like to take the redeyes so I am at the airport when it isn't as busy. In vegas I like the redeye, flight leaves vegas at 2 AM so no TSA Pre anyway but the security line is mostly for the Hawaiian air flight so not busy. In Honolulu I usually wait a bit in the Hawaiian Air lounge and enjoy the soda (not much for food though).

Leaving vegas I usually tire myself out from the gambling and vegas stuff so I am ready to get on the plane and leave. (also played/lost enough so ready to get out of there, lol).

 

A couple of hours before flight time - as we fly transatlantic I'd hate to cut it any finer and risk getting stuck in security. Love to be through with time to spare and sat sipping a preflight beverage, talking over the trip.

 

This is me, exactly. I get in my rental car for the drive to car return 2 hours prior to my flight. It plays out from there. If I'm early I'll grab a bite before the 5.5 hour flight or sit and play games on my phone for a half hour. No big deal and no stress...I'm here to have a good time, not stress.

 

Of course, you never know when you'll be chosen to be taken out of line and literally stripped searched...down to my undies. Yes, this happened to me at PHL on my way to Vegas.

[Edit: Explanation...I had a money belt on under my jeans that just showed up on their monitor as something that needed examination. After moving me to a private room, they told me to just remove the money belt. But the money belt was old and the clip was broken so I sewed it together. Because of the elastic waist strap I was able to step into it and pull it up to my waist. In order to remove the money belt I had to remove my jeans, and so, strip searched.]

 

Me. At the airport:



@EastCoastVegasFan! You will be required to help me put the tent up since you'll be sharing it with me. No arguments. I don't arrive at the airport 5 minutes before my flight like you do. . Also, will this be your first camping experience?

 

Did you pack this yellow tent?!

 

I get to the airport 2 hours before my flight from LV. Gives me a chance to get my usual breakfast of a turkey sub at Port of Subs. I never book a flight home before 8 AM. It's a constant battle (heated marital chat) with DW about when to get to the airport when we fly together. I like to be there super early but DW enjoys the heightened excitement of a nearly missed flight.

 

Presidential usually picks up two hours before flight time. That has always been fine for us. The only difference on trips during the pandemic had been to try and eat BEFORE heading to the airport because they are doing so much work there and eating places that are open are usually extra busy.

 

About 2 hours before for me.

Seriously, though @TiffyChick why so early. You're sleeping over at the airport?? Are you trying to save money on one night's room rate? Why not double up with a friend for the night? Set up your camp in the room instead.

Unless this is something that's over my head. Maybe you're already done it and won't do it again and just having a good laugh about it now.

 

I haven't flown anywhere since the pandemic hit, so pre-pandemic about 2.5 hrs before flight time. Sometimes I allow a bit more time, depending on the time of day due to traffic, since I always have a rental car to return. I have TSA PreCheck, but on a couple of past trips, even the TSA PreCheck line was backed up since they were doing extra screening for some reason and everyone was put through the same routine as the regular line.

 

My wife has a standard 2.5-hour arrival prior to any flights we take (I've flown the past two trips instead of driving). Granted, she lived in Los Angeles proper for a handful of years, so she was used to LAX so that makes sense. I guess.

 

I usually leave the hotel 2 hours before my flight, it doesn’t matter if I’m flying with the hubby and checking bags or flying solo and carrying on. I’m just a creature of habit, I know when I carry on I could leave later. I have a niece that HAS to be at the airport 2 hours before her flight or she gets really anxious.