How early should I leave for the airport?
Live flight + live traffic from your postcode.
When should you leave home?
Try or .
Don’t have the flight?
We’ll give you a leave time. We don’t send a car.
At 23 of the 35 airports we cover, the planner allows at least 2 hours for a short-haul flight, going by the airport’s own website; at 5 we found no time on its website.
Read on each airport’s own website, 6 to 27 Oct 2026.
Work backwards from the departure time
Start with the scheduled departure, not the estimated one. Check-in and bag drop usually close on the scheduled time even when the flight is late.
Take off the arrival window. As guidance, not a promise: around 2 hours for a UK or European flight and around 3 hours for long-haul. Our planner starts from 90 minutes for a short-haul flight with cabin bags only, 120 with a checked bag, and 150 or 180 for long-haul. Where the airport’s own website asks for longer, it uses the airport’s figure: at 23 of the 35 airports we cover, that is at least 2 hours for a short-haul flight (each airport’s own words). It also checks that you are inside before bag drop usually closes. Your airline’s own cut-off always wins.
Take off a few minutes to drop off or park and walk in. Most airports now charge at the door and offer a free option further out; the free option costs time.
Take off your live drive time from your postcode. That is the part nobody can do in their head, and the reason the planner exists.
What is left is your leave time. We can’t see today’s security queue — nobody outside the airport can — so if it matters, leave earlier.
How early each airport says to arrive
The time our planner aims to have you inside the terminal at each airport, and the airport’s own words it comes from. Where an airport asks for longer than our usual allowance, the planner uses the airport’s figure; where its pages give different times, the longest. A range such as 2 to 3 hours counts as 2 hours. Where its advice depends on where you’re flying or who you’re flying with, the planner reads that from your flight where the flight data says; where it doesn’t, the result tells you what to check. Your airline’s own check-in deadline still comes first.
| Airport | Planner, short-haul | Planner, long-haul | What the airport says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heathrow | 2 hours within the UK and Europe, 3 hours beyond Europe | 3 hours | “We advise arriving at Heathrow two hours before a short-haul flight, and three hours ahead of a long-haul flight.” Heathrow heathrow meet and greet parking pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 “We recommend getting to the airport three hours before your flight if you're travelling internationally, or two hours if you're travelling domestically or to Europe.” Heathrow checking in pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 |
| Gatwick | 2 hours | 4 hours | “aim to check in at least two hours before a domestic or short-haul flight, and four hours before a long-haul flight” Gatwick all FAQs pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 |
| Manchester | 2 hours (2 hours 20 min with a checked bag) | 3 hours | “For short-haul flights, plan to arrive at the airport at least two hours before your departure.” “flying long haul or with airlines like Jet2, TUI, or Thomas Cook, give yourself three hours to spare” Manchester first time flyers pagechecked 7 Oct 2026 “make sure you have checked in and are prepared to pass through security at least 2 hours before your flight's departure time.” Manchester checking in pagechecked 7 Oct 2026 On Jet2 and TUI: 3 hours, however long the flight. Its 2 hours is to security, already checked in, so with a checked bag we add 20 minutes to drop it. |
| Stansted | 2 hours (2 hours 20 min with a checked bag) | 3 hours | “Get to the airport at least two hours before a short haul and three hours before a long haul flight.” Stansted first time flyers pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 “we recommend validating your boarding pass at security at least two hours before your flight's scheduled departure time.” Stansted checking in pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 Its 2 hours is to security, already checked in, so with a checked bag we add 20 minutes to drop it. |
| Luton | 2 hours | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “We recommend you always arrive at the airport as advised by your airline - typically 2-3 hours before your flight.” Luton complete guide to LLA pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 |
| Birmingham | 90 min (2 hours with a checked bag) | 2½ hours (4 hours with a checked bag) | “Make sure you arrive when your check-in opens, this can be found on your booking information.” “Check-in services usually open about 4 hours before departure for long haul flights and about 2 hours before departure for short haul flights” Birmingham before you travel pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 |
| Edinburgh | 90 min (2 hours with a checked bag) | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “if you're checking-in luggage on the day of your flight you should ensure you arrive at the airport for your check-in desk opening.” Edinburgh drop-off bags the night before… pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 With a checked bag, Edinburgh Airport asks you to arrive when your airline’s check-in desk opens, which its own table puts at up to 4 hours before departure. The planner uses your airline’s time from that table. |
| Glasgow | 2 hours within the UK, 3 hours outside the UK | 4 hours | “As a general rule you should be at the airport 2 hours before your flight for a domestic flight (within the UK)” “You should arrive at the airport two to three hours before your flight departs” “3 hours before your flight for European flights and 4 hours before your flight for long haul flights” Glasgow FAQschecked 6 Oct 2026 |
| Bristol | 2 hours | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “We recommend you arrive in the terminal at least two hours ahead of the scheduled time of departure.” Bristol check-in pagechecked 7 Oct 2026 |
| Belfast International | 2 hours | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “We generally advise passengers to arrive 2 hours prior departure however some airlines may advise you to arrive earlier than this.” Belfast International FAQschecked 27 Oct 2026 |
| Liverpool | 2 hours | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “Liverpool John Lennon Airport recommends passengers arrive at least two hours before the scheduled departure time of their flight.” Liverpool before you arrive pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 |
| Newcastle | 2 hours | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “Passengers are advised to check in at the airport at least three hours before a charter flight and two hours before a scheduled flight.” Newcastle check-in and baggage advice pagechecked 7 Oct 2026 On a charter flight Newcastle Airport asks for 3 hours. Our flight data can’t tell us whether a flight is a charter, so the planner uses its 2 hours for scheduled flights. |
| London City | 2 hours | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “there’s no need to arrive any earlier than the required two hours before your flight time.” London City gates and boarding pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 |
| Leeds Bradford | 2 hours (2 hours 20 min with a checked bag) | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “We recommend that all customers arrive at security at least 2 hours before their scheduled flight departure time.” Leeds Bradford security pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 “it's recommended that you are checked in and ready to pass through passenger security at least 2 hours before your flight departure time.” Leeds Bradford check-in and baggage pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 Its 2 hours is to security, already checked in, so with a checked bag we add 20 minutes to drop it. |
| East Midlands | 2 hours | 3 hours | “You must aim to be at the airport at least two hours before a short haul flight.” “You’ll need to arrive three hours before a long haul flight, or for flights with Jet2 / TUI” East Midlands first time flyers pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 On Jet2 and TUI: 3 hours, however long the flight. |
| Cardiff | 90 min (2 hours with a checked bag) | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | We found no time to arrive on its own website. The planner uses its usual allowance. |
| Aberdeen | 2 hours | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “You should arrive at the airport two or three hours before your flight departs and allow enough time for your journey to the airport.” Aberdeen FAQschecked 6 Oct 2026 “International flights: Please allow at least two hours before your scheduled departure time.” Aberdeen checking in pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 |
| Southampton | 90 min (2 hours with a checked bag) | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | Its general advice is to arrive in good time, with no number. Its one and two hours are for passengers requesting assistance only. The planner uses its usual allowance. |
| Belfast City | 90 min (2 hours with a checked bag) | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | Its website gives no time to arrive: its 2 hours is when check-in opens for most airlines. The planner uses its usual allowance. |
| Exeter | 90 min (2 hours with a checked bag) | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | Its website gives no time to arrive: its 30 minutes is being ready to board, its 15-45 minutes the security queue. The planner uses its usual allowance. |
| Bournemouth | 2 hours | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “Bournemouth Airport recommends arriving at the terminal at least 2 hours before departure, even if you are using online check in.” Bournemouth passenger information pagechecked 7 Oct 2026 |
| Inverness | 90 min (2 hours with a checked bag) within the UK, 2 hours outside the UK | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “For domestic flights, we would normally recommend arriving at the airport at least an hour and a half before your flight departure time.” “We recommend at least two hours for international flights.” Inverness airport information 8 pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 |
| Humberside | 2 hours | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “passengers are advised to check-in at the airport at least 2-3 hours before a charter flight and 2 hours before a scheduled flight.” Humberside FAQschecked 6 Oct 2026 |
| Teesside | 2 hours | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “We recommend you arrive at the airport no later than 2 hours before your flight” Teesside check-in pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 |
| Norwich | 2 hours | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “Passengers are strongly advised to check-in at the airport at least 2 hours before their flight.” Norwich passenger information pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 |
| Prestwick | 3 hours | 3 hours | “For all flights we recommend you arrive at least three hours before the flight departure time.” Prestwick check-in bag drop pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 |
| Southend | 2½ hours | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “Arrive at least two and a half hours before your scheduled time of departure” Southend check-in preparation pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 |
| Newquay | 90 min (2 hours with a checked bag) | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | We found no time to arrive on its own website. The planner uses its usual allowance. |
| City of Derry | 2 hours | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “City of Derry Airport recommends that passengers arrive at the airport no later than 2 hours prior to departure.” City of Derry security measures pagechecked 6 Oct 2026 |
| Kirkwall | 90 min (2 hours with a checked bag) within the UK, 2 hours outside the UK | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “For domestic flights, we would normally recommend arriving at the airport at least one hour before your flight departure time” “(at least two hours for international flights)” Kirkwall airport information 10 pagechecked 22 Oct 2026 |
| Sumburgh | 90 min (2 hours with a checked bag) within the UK, 2 hours outside the UK | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “we would normally recommend arriving at the airport at least one hour before your flight departure time” “(at least two hours for international flights)” Sumburgh airport information 13 pagechecked 22 Oct 2026 |
| Stornoway | 90 min (2 hours with a checked bag) within the UK, 2 hours outside the UK | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “we would normally recommend arriving at the airport at least one hour before your flight departure time” “(at least two hours for international flights)” Stornoway airport information 12 pagechecked 22 Oct 2026 |
| Jersey | 2 hours | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “Please continue to arrive 2 hours before departure for your flight or 1 hour 30 minutes before red-eye flights.” Jersey twilight bag drop pagechecked 22 Oct 2026 “Customers should continue to arrive at the airport at least two hours before departure, or 90 minutes before red eye flights” Jersey media centre articlechecked 22 Oct 2026 Jersey Airport also says 1 hour 30 minutes before a red-eye flight; the planner uses its 2 hours for every flight. |
| Guernsey | 90 min (2 hours with a checked bag) | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “We recommend you arrive at least 90 minutes before your flight is scheduled to depart.” Guernsey check-in pagechecked 22 Oct 2026 “We recommend arriving at least 90 minutes prior to departure for all flights, allowing sufficient time to complete security screening.” Guernsey security pagechecked 22 Oct 2026 |
| Isle of Man | 2 hours | 2½ hours (3 hours with a checked bag) | “aim to arrive at the airport at least two hours before your flight” Isle of Man top tips for a stress free… pagechecked 22 Oct 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
How early should I get to the airport?
As guidance, not a promise: around 2 hours before a UK or European flight, and around 3 hours before long-haul. Our planner is a little more precise. It starts from 90 minutes inside the terminal for a short-haul flight with cabin bags only, 120 with a checked bag, and 150 or 180 for long-haul, and where the airport's own website asks for longer, it uses the airport's figure instead: at 23 of the 35 airports we cover, that means at least 2 hours for a short-haul flight. It also checks you are there before bag drop usually closes. Your airline's own cut-off is the one that counts. Where we have read an airport's own advice on its website, its page shows it with a link to where it says so.
So what time should I actually leave the house?
Work backwards. Take the scheduled departure, subtract the arrival window for your kind of flight, then subtract a few minutes to drop off or park and walk in, then subtract the live drive time from your postcode. What is left is your leave time. The planner does exactly that, with live traffic, and gives you a time to share.
Does a delay mean I can leave later?
No, and we will not tell you to. Check-in and bag drop usually close on the scheduled time even when the flight is running late, so we build your leave time from the schedule and show the delay separately.
Does the planner know how long security will take today?
No, and we do not pretend to. There is no live security-queue feed here. The arrival window is a realistic allowance for the kind of flight, not a reading of the queue. If you know your airport is busy that day, or you are travelling with young children or a wheelchair, leave earlier.
Drop-off or park and walk in — which should I plan for?
Most UK airports now charge for the forecourt drop-off and offer a free or cheaper option further out with a walk or a shuttle. The free option costs time, which the planner does not know about unless you add it, so decide before you set off. Each airport page shows that airport's own rule, with the date we read it and a link to the airport's page.