Airport Lead Time

[AusVIP]

Hey All

Was just wondering, on a Friday night... how much time should I allow to get to the airport and check-in? My flight is at 6pm to LA.

The reason me asking, is I want to try and fit a pool party in on my last day before leaving. I want to go to MDC (as i am staying at cosmo... can leave my bags there, thus maximising my pool party time...

I was thinking i would probably have to leave the pool by say 4:30pm get my bags and go. I plan to get changed in LA as i will have a bit of a wait... but thats cool, because i can shower in the Air NZ international lounge there...

Thoughts?

[maxutilsperusd]

Bold plan that could work, but I'd move leaving toward 3pm.

If you are checking a bag McCarran requires you to do so an hour and half before the flight leaves or it may not be possible, I've heard this has been a problem for those who are used to cutting it close. Since you seem to be doing an international flight they say two hours early. Technically that would depend on if you booked it all as one flight LV - NZ, and not LV - LA and then LA - NZ. I would say 2 hours to be safe anyway though.

So that's two hours early at the airport, but you have to get to the airport, so that should add 30 minutes, and you have to get out of the pool, dry off, pick up your bags from the bag check, and get a taxi. All of those things can take various amounts of time so lets call it 30 minutes?

So yeah you could do MDC for awhile anyway, I'm just not sure how worth it that would be.

[AusVIP]

I have booked my LA to NZ separate... as the LAS to LAX is 1 way first class domestic... so i should have priority checkin.

I was thinking, can i get to LAS airport say 45mins-1hr before and how long from Cosmo will this take me on a friday afternoon? is this peak time?

[ocam]

You must be there at least 1 hour beforehand - 45mins or closer and they won't put your bag on the plane.

I found that out the hard way.

[artedm]

+1
check with airline to confirm but if your checking bags usually have to check them 45 minutes before.
Also helpful to leave a little early in case anything happens not be stressed.

You must be there at least 1 hour beforehand - 45mins or closer and they won't put your bag on the plane.

I found that out the hard way.

[AusVIP]

Thanks guys.

So i think if I leave Cosmo a ~3:30/4pm i should be alright given the flight is as 6pm.

Given last time my bags were late a couple of days due to a Delta stuff up... I really am not super fussed by it...

[ocam]

I would leave at 3.30pm and make sure I had transport pre-booked

[artedm]

the distance to the airport is not far
you might be ok at 445pm for 515pm cut off

[bzl]

I'd say it depends on the airline. Once I was stuck at American Airlines check-in line for 2 HOURS (flying to LA). It was a mess there. Almost missed my flight. Southwest is much quicker. I've never used AA to Vegas again.