Just Curious About Checking In

It’s an airline thing. If you have a very early flight sometimes the check in is not even open yet. If you can be on a domestic flight with 2 hrs ahead why would you need an extra hour for foreign travel? Makes no sense to me.
There are PLENTY of people who will be way inside a 2 or even 3 hour window and they manage to get on the plane. So if you are there 2 hours ahead of time, does the airline say anything? Nope. If too near the departure perhaps you run the risk of a check bag not making it to the plane, but that is usually said to be 45 minutes. Also going through security could be a delay.
Suppose every passenger showed up at that same 3 hour time. 200+ people lined up. I am thinking the last people checked in are now well within the 2 hr timeframe.
Basically it is a big nothing.

We usually go by the suggestions of our local airport, which is small and easy to traverse. You might check with your airport - probably there's a website - and see what the airport suggests for domestic flights. Three hours is probably not necessary.

Agree--a big nothing. I show up at a time based on traffic, TSA lines (you can get estimates online if you are not familiar with the airport), time of year, and whether I am checking a bag. I also typically check in online and have my boarding pass on an app and have pre-check.
I do the same thing overseas, mostly depending on the airport.

When flying back to Paris from Tulsa, I never adhere to the three-hour advice. I know the Tulsa airport and what it's like; I have TSA pre-check; and basically, I just know that three hours is overkill. Even though I know that at Tulsa they have to take a few extra seconds to verify that I have the right documents for the French to let me in.

If my departure airport was the same one from which my international flight originated, I would get there earlier.

And from Paris back to the States, I always allow myself three hours --- even more -- but of course, that IS an international flight.

Yes, this is a domestic flight followed by an international flight, and frankly the procedure is exactly the same! There is no immigration exiting the US, you go through security regardless. There will be a camera to take your ID photo at the gate, same as on the domestic flight I just took.

The real reason is to make sure you're on time so you don't inconvenience the airline. I NEVER get to the airport 3 hours ahead, 2 hours is very reasonable. Consider getting TSA pre, your wait will be a lot quicker getting through security. AND you may well have to exit security & re-enter at your connecting US airport (I've done this in Chicago, never again) so get close to your connecting gate before slowing dow! GOOD LUCK!

When I can, I aim to get to the airport way early. There are so many stressors that come with travel, and if I can take away the gnawing anxiety of being late to the gate, I do it. This way, a traffic accident on the way or an unexpectedly long line at TSA doesn't bother me at all. If I'm at the gate two hours early and can dive into my book, or able to sit in a restaurant near the gate and enjoy my coffee, all the better. You do you!

For years I flew almost weekly.... almost every week I see someone hysterically begging to go to the front of the line because "we played cut it close"

Last time I checked in for international it turned out that when Delta changed my schedule the ticket didn't "reticket". So it looked all right but we spent half an hour on the phone with ticketing getting it fixed (it was actually the return on a partner that was messed up) but... I had plenty of time. On the way home there were LOTS of people at CDG in FULL panic because they were going to miss their plane and the staff was saying "too bad stay in line, you cannot cut to the front" Since it took all of 2 hours to get checked in and through immigration/security I'd say they probably thought "two hours" is plenty (And I was in the business class lines.. I don't even want to think about how long the other lines were)

Plus for international I like to eat before I get on the plane (no, that reheated two day old TV dinner is not appealing IMHO)

When taking a flight similar to your example I get to the airport within an hour of that domestic flight . What’s very important to me is to desk checkin at that first airport using my passport so that it can be verified by the airline. Yes, you’ll probably be asked for it again later for your international boarding.

If on the other hand the first flight is an international departure I arrive for checkin two hours early. It may not seem necessary but it is relaxing for me.

We’re Canadian, so we do what we are told, and get to every airport three hours or more before a flight. 🐑🐏😉

Joking aside, I’ve too have always wondered about the three hour advice for domestic flights from small airports .

When leaving from our local airport, we could be fine getting there 1/2 hour early. But we go about 1 hour. Even though we're a city of almost 500,000 people, our airport only has a couple of flights per day with a full size planes. And there are relatively few people (in comparison) flying small and medium size commuter jets. The terminal is so quiet and restful, and TSA guys are so nice to us.

To Europe, we'd be routed thru Charlotte usually. Sometimes we're routed thru Atlanta--a 1/2 hour flight.

Often we go 100 miles north to fly out of Nashville (BNA). That's a different matter because the city is such a happening place. The airport's pretty fast moving. But we refuse those 7:00 am flights to anywhere--going later in the day.

The 2 & 3 hour early rule are just times that the FAA made up for everyone--so they can be assured of leaving on time. And obviously the TSA process is more efficient in some cities than others.

I think it is mostly personal choice and habit (within reason) I have a friend who boasts that he likes to arrive just as they are closing the door. Claims to have never missed a plane --- don't believe that or that he is arriving when the door is closing. But it is his story.

I drive the family nuts because I would rather be an hour early than five minutes late. We are always early and look for a nice place for breakfast, or lunch or the airport lounges. I refused to be rushed. Life is too short.

My main airport is Seattle and because of the traffic, I like to build in enough time not to be stressed in case there is an accident on I-5. Now if I fly out of Paine Field (Everett) which is close to my house, then I don't arrive as early since it's such a small airport. That timing is based on whoever I get to drop me off and their availability to take me there. I like to get a nice cup of coffee and relax, reading a book before my flight. So much preferable then being in a panic if I arrive late. Too much money is lost if I miss a flight. So this is one area where I build a good buffer.

The extra time to allow is due to not always being able to check in on-line for your flights. If I am flying Spokane to Seattle to Boston, I can just check in on-line 24 hours before the flight and go straight to the TSA line when I arrive at the airport. But, if there’s an international leg in the trip, i.e. Spokane to Seattle to Amsterdam, I am unable to check in on-line. So, even though I never check luggage, I am standing in the line snaking up to the airline desks to check my passport and make it official.

@Gail, I LOVE the Paine Field airport! It feels so relaxing and comfortable in their beautiful cozy airport with the fireplace, leather chairs and wood end tables. We used to live in Mill Creek.

To a degree, it is not just a domestic flight, you likely will need to check in at the counter (or at least the last few years I have not been able to complete check-in online) and they will need to do a document check. All said, probably not an hours worth of extra stuff. at my regional airport we normally leave an hour for a domestic flight, but as a first leg of international, we add on a half hour out of caution. If we were to check bags, maybe a bit more. If we had to battle a line at check-in and one at security, then it might be more.

Our rule (which has never let us down) is to be physically in the airport 90 minutes before a Schengen flight but add 30 minutes if your travel day involves a European observed holiday. And then, two hours before a transatlantic flight, adding at least 30 minutes if your departure airport is CDG.