Suggested is two hours. Adding an additional thirty minutes if you are returning a car in San Diego (off-site but the bus ride is five minutes to my terminal and they have scanners when you pull in to return the car).

I've cut it to two hours total, but I know one day the security line is going to screw me. I keep it at two +car parking or +rental return if I have to check luggage.

Sometimes I get through lines and security easy, but I know it's not a sure thing.

two fucking hours?

OMG. Kill me now.

I usually get there an hour before and haven't had issues.

I'm curious, an hour before flight time or an hour before boarding time? Because I used to play it crazy loose but in those days, I could fly with shampoo and a bottle of water.

Heh. I live dangerously--I usually shoot for an hour, maybe a few minutes more if the rental car facility is far away.

But I am always checked in ahead of time, don't check a bag, and usually can go through a shorter security line.

Getting to the airport 35 minutes before my flight the other week was a bit much...though I did make the flight. Luckily the line was very short. And the flight was very slow to board, yet empty enough there was still room for my bag.

They won't close the doors until 10 minutes before the flight time, if you're not on. However, there might not be any room for your stuff at that point.

OMG. Kill me now.

Pretty much.

Two hours gives me time to check luggage, go through security, buy a bottle of water (or dink) and about half an hour to kill before boarding. It's not a fast process. It's just faster than driving. And I see mountains from overhead. Which is so damn cool.

I'm curious, an hour before flight time or an hour before boarding time?

Hour before flight time. That's been my target for years.

Maybe I am some kind of freak, but I kind of like getting there early. If stuff is open, I walk around the airport and windowshop. I usually go to the duty-free shop and put on some kind of expensive sample sunblock for the flight and slather on equally expensive hand cream. Then I people-watch. I usually have a good book to read until the flight, so I am fine.

and usually can go through a shorter security line.

Hate. You.

In the way that means I really envy you. I love going through a shorter line. I honestly believe that there should be lines based on how well/often you travel - pro, have kids (but know what you are doing, kinda) and hasn't flown in years. They'd be cosseted and I wouldn't feel like a bitch for internally loathing them for not having their bags ready to throw on the conveyor, shoes off and liquids out with no coats or metal on them.

I've lived much more dangerously leaving PDX than San Diego. The staff is just way better and I can get through security faster. I live, when traveling, in a constant state of juggling the limited hours I can put the cat in the cattery, traffic and the airport. Coming back it's a state of getting luggage, traffic and when I can get the cat out of the cattery.

There are/were lines like that, but everyone seems to think they belong in the experienced traveler lines.

I plan for an hour before flight time more or less (usually less). But I'm traveling alone, so.

I get there ridic early, always. But that's how I am. Plus, I made a volunteer miss her flight at the tiny Flagstaff airport because I forgot the front checkin person would also be the gate checkin pesron and therefore there was no one on our side of security when we dawdled in.