Theairportisn’t the most relaxing place to be , with the stress of crowd , luggage check , and the TSA . A late TikTok trend name “ Airport Theory ” propose lean into the topsy-turvydom of aviation travel . People who swear by it claim you only need to arrive 15 or 20 minutes before departure to get through security and find your gate before the flight takes off . It may vocalise tempting , but experts warn that subscribing to Airport Theory is simply a bad idea .
Even under the well circumstances , 20 minutes is seldom enough sentence to get through most airports . The interior average hold time for security was a minuscule over 27 proceedings in 2024 , perWIRED . It ’s likely to be long at some of thebusiest airportsin the world , like Hartsfield - Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Dallas / Fort Worth International Airport . Some masses might get lucky enough to see their flight using Airport Theory , but if one affair goes wrong , you ’re in fuss . The scheme does n’t only add pressure to your architectural plan , it also inconveniences others . Cory Bengtzen , chief operating officer and pilot at SkyShare , toldTODAYthat if you miss your flight of steps , it becomes the job of over - work gate agents to find another one for you .
It ’s generallyrecommendedto arrive at the airport at least two hour before a domesticated flight and three hours before an international trajectory departs . A rider with TSA PreCheck and no bag to check going to a smaller airport may have more wriggle room .

It may seem obvious to many masses that Airport Theory is a recipe for disaster , so why did it go viral ? Eric Napoli , chief sound officer of AirHelp , told TODAY that traveller are desperate to avoid waiting around the aerodrome for hours and reduce their total travel time . However , severalTikToksof people missing their flight show how easy the tip backfires .
Instead of put yourself on a clock time crunch , consider more fair ways tostreamlineyour metre at the drome . For example , theseeight products — including a toiletry bag and a change of location wallet — can get you through drome security system faster . you’re able to evenreservea free blot in a TSA lineage at certain airports .
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