How early to get to Newark airport?

Has anyone been to Newark Airport this holiday season?  If so, recommendations for a 9am flight?  


We flew at 9am on 12/12- so not holiday rush yet 

We got there before 7:30 am.  No issues 


I did a dropoff on 12/21 at 4ish.  It was really backed up.  Fortunately, I needed to do the dropoff at Terminal B - C was a bit worse.  So, it's hard to say for sure.  Be safe - leave early.  


To be safe, two hours before departure.  If you are parking at the airport and using the monorail, leave extra time. The monorail is a cluster f#ck right now due to construction. 


Check the MyTSA app for updates on the TSA wait times.  But you may want to add some extra time, especially if you don't have TSA-pre or Clear.  United has been telling people to allow 3 hours (both at Thanksgiving and last week when we flew.)  In both cases, three hours was way too much, but I would allow at least two hours.  (In the past, I would leave home - Maplewood - two hours ahead of flight time and usually have time to spare, but those three hour advisements got me nervous.)


A Newark airport tip to remember if needed, -look ahead as you approach your terminal. If you are being dropped off, your driver may want to duck down the ramp to the "Arrivals" level at whatever terminal you are using. It is then a short escalator ride up to the departure section for you. 

I discovered this one while dropping folks off and saw that the "Departure" area was IMPOSSIBLY backed-up and that if I attempted to use it, I would be trapped in that mess and my passengers were going to miss their flight. I had to make a quick decision to go to the lower floor and it worked out great.


jeffl said:

Has anyone been to Newark Airport this holiday season?  If so, recommendations for a 9am flight?  

Domestic or international? I'd say at least 2 hours for domestic without precheck, 3 hours for international.


steel said:

A Newark airport tip to remember if needed, -look ahead as you approach your terminal. If you are being dropped off, your driver may want to duck down the ramp to the "Arrivals" level at whatever terminal you are using. It is then a short escalator ride up to the departure section for you. 

I discovered this one while dropping folks off and saw that the "Departure" area was IMPOSSIBLY backed-up and that if I attempted to use it, I would be trapped in that mess and my passengers were going to miss their flight. I had to make a quick decision to go to the lower floor and it worked out great.

I suppose it depends on the time of day, but we usually find the opposite to be true, at least at Terminal C.  When we are picking people up there, especially if they have no checked baggage, we tell them to go to the upper departure area.



In order to add a comment – you must Join this community – Click here to do so.