Waiting at gate for BOS flight. Getting here 3 hours early is not crazy. Security was a breeze at 8:30 am. Then you need to wait in line for exit passport check. There is another passport check line to get in the boarding area. Now almost in line for boarding. Each line was not very long, there was just a lot of lines.
Which airport in Portugal?
Guess Lisbon (as OP me too s Boston)
3 hour is recommended tine any way
Americans are not used to "emigration" (exit passport checks) step and Lisbon's unusually long lines for it and not uncommon to find stragglers huffing and puffing to the US flights.
If you notice, US bound flights have artificially early boarding time (as much as an hour before flight time)
That would be helpful. LIS. I didn't want to get to the airport 3 hours early if I didn't have to ... but I did. Based on the maze, they were prepared for at least 3 times the crowd. At 8:30 am, purchasing Fast Track would not have been worth it, but if leaving later, might be something to look into.