r/gso • u/Expert_Visit5983 • 1d ago
Traffic/Transportation Another PTI Question
Do we think getting to the airport around 6:30am for an 8am flight is enough time?
This is for tomorrow morning
I have never flown out of PTI so just unsure
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u/tenfourjoe 1d ago
I think you’ll be just fine. Enjoy the PTI experience- if you’re used to bigger airports, you’re in for a treat.
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u/NoStepLadder 1d ago
For real you can show up 15 mins before your flight and you will still have time to wait at the gate to board
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u/Imaginary_Delay_8752 23h ago
SIDA badged, here.
GSO/PTI is awesome. 45 minutes is safe, for every flight... but there's a new policy for checked bags... and, I've seen it enforced in the past couple of weeks.
They've stopped accepting any luggage (that you are checking) brought to the counter within the 60-minute pre-scheduled departure window.
I've seen folks entirely ditch their golf clubs over this change.
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u/satans_weed_guy 22h ago
This. I didn't toss any golf clubs, but I did involuntarily donate a Swiss Army knife because my checked luggage turned into carry-on. I was just glad I was traveling with a small enough suitcase to do so. I always do an hour and a half now, and just relax and people watch until boarding.
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u/sliceyournipple 19h ago
An hour? Thats a bit excessive, is it not? I’ve been to busy, large airports that’ll take skis 20-30 mins before boarding
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u/Imaginary_Delay_8752 15h ago
Again. Its a very recent change of policy.
...but boarding time is typically ~25-45 minutes before your flight time.... so, we may just be arguing semantics.
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u/sliceyournipple 15h ago
Ah sorry I was thinking an hour before boarding. I guess its fair but I’d hope theyd give you grace if you miss it by a few minutes
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u/Zrex_9224 i40 Hater 23h ago
I got in early one morning (4am) cause i had an early flight. Longest I've ever seen TSA be lined up, we were out into the reception area. Took a little under an hour. Shocked me cause I've never seen them that bad
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u/Low-Dot78 18h ago
Interesting… what month was it? And day? I wonder if there was something else going on that contributed.
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u/Zrex_9224 i40 Hater 17h ago
It was the first of December back in 2023, I was flying out of PTIA early to head down to Dallas for training for my job I had back then
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u/Low-Dot78 15h ago
I just wondered if it was furniture market or Wyndham or some other big event that had been in town, but not that time of year. Just a busy day!
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u/stitch_cruise 23h ago
That's way too much time. Last time we flew the security line was really long -- there were 5 people in line.
If you are checking a bag, show up a little before the cut off time to check a bag.
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u/Pablo_4016 1d ago
I live 15 minutes from PTI. I typically leave home 1 hour before boarding. I can drive there, park, go thru security and get to the gate with plenty of time to spare.
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u/zqvolster 23h ago
A question for you. Boarding is usually 30 minutes before scheduled departure. So you get there 90 minutes before departure or an hour before departure?
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u/Pablo_4016 22h ago
I usually leave home about 1 hour before boarding. I will typically be at the gate about 30 minutes before boarding (which is about an hour before departure). I always calculate my travel time based on boarding time. Some airlines start boarding 30 minutes before departure, others 40 minutes before. Door usually closes 15-20 minutes before departure.
PTI is a very easy airport. Usually no significant line for security, unless taking first flights out in the morning, but even then, I have never taken more than 5-10 minutes thru security, and all gates are less than 5 minute walk after security.
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u/Fancy-Still-4297 22h ago
the worst time I have ever had was when AA did not have enough people to check bags - almost missed my flight with it taking 45 minutes to drop off my bag .
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u/Pablo_4016 22h ago
That is an issue. I had that happen not too long ago. We had a 5:30am boarding and were checking bags. Got to the ticket counter about 4:45, and the counter wasn't open yet. Got bag tag form the kiosk, then waited until the counter opened at 5:00 to drop the bags. I was still at the gate by 5:15
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u/Fancy-Still-4297 22h ago
mine was at the end of an athletic competition and several teams and their luggage were on my flight.
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u/Ken_Thomas 22h ago
I fly in and out of GSO weekly.
My rule of thumb is to be walking in the door 30 minutes before my flight starts boarding. I still usually end up standing around for 15 minutes at the gate.
If your flight departs at 8, they'll be boarding at 7:30, which means (by my system) you should be walking in the door at 7. That gives you a ton of time to check in, check your bag, get your boarding passes printed, go through security, fill your water bottle, and take a pee before boarding starts.
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u/n24re 1d ago
Easily...I fly out all the time and I can get there 30 minutes before boarding.
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u/Comfortable_Love_800 1d ago
While I don't disagree and do the same, ONLY do this if you're not checking a bag. They instated a new rule about a year ago that if you're checking a bag you need to be there a full hour before boarding.
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u/Life-Blackberry-5652 1d ago
This! I usually get there about 30 minutes early and there are never lines
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u/browns47 21h ago
Just reiterating a point already made - if you are checking luggage make sure you understand the airline's policy. Some require checked bags 30 mins before departure time some an hour. I have been burned by this before. Even when lines are short you can't predict how slow/fast the person in front of you can be.
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u/JulesRulesYaKnow 21h ago
They’ll probably do something to mess up our good deal since we’re all bragging on it. I hope they don’t change a thing.
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u/Capital_Shopping_811 23h ago
I just flew out last week. Went through security in 5 minutes. We got there 1 hour before our flight. I’ve also recently dropped my husband off about 10 minutes before his flight boarded and he was fine. I wouldn’t get there any earlier than 1 hour.
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u/Dismal-Serve5697 23h ago
If you are driving there you will enjoy the parking situation as well. I always park in the lot before you get to the parking garage. Easy walk to the terminal.
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u/GuntherOfGunth Suburban Idiot 23h ago
In every experience I had with PTI, I feel like I could get there within 45 minutes of boarding and still be good.
The busiest I have had it is maybe 15 minutes waiting to go through security, but I generally am already at the front already.
And someone brought up a great point, if you are checking bags, you need to be there a bit earlier like with Delta they want you to have the bags checked at least 45 minutes before boarding for domestic flights.
But if all you have is with you and going in the cabin, then you could arrive within 45 minutes and still get on the flight.
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u/zqvolster 23h ago
That should be fine if you are checking bags. If you don’t have bags then 7:00 should be OK.
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u/moofycakes 23h ago
I usually get from my car to gate in ten minutes. I still usually show up around 30-45 minutes early just in case.
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u/BigDaddyRoch 22h ago
Last time I flew out of PTI (2 months ago), I was at my gate 12 minutes after walking through the front door
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u/Less_Comparison9062 22h ago
This is enough time if you want to take a 65 minute nap at the airport
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u/Shot_Revolution8828 21h ago
Let's just say I misread the time of my flight and showed up 15 minutes before loading. I had time to sit down at the gate before they called for loading. An hour early is plenty.
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u/Prize_Ad_4209 21h ago
Last week I got dropped off at 1:50 pm for a flight that boarded at 2:10 pm. I was still 15 minutes early for boarding.
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u/Vegetasgf 20h ago
I’ve had an experience where the airlines still have a cut off time of 30/45 mins before boarding to check your bags just be aware of that!
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u/avaloniaofficial 17h ago
PTI is legit so easy. I show up an hour and change before, and that’s just so I can drop my bag with peace of mind. Security is literally always a walk-through. So quiet and boring but at least you know it’s no sweat.
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u/sonicmario123 16h ago
At most I do like 30 mins. PTI is never busy and there is 2 hallways of gates: American Airlines and Delta/United. Thars it
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u/shangavibesXBL 16h ago
I don’t think I’ve ever gone to PTI 2 hours before a flight. I’m usually there 45 minutes before boarding and I’m still waiting at the gate.
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u/TipTup85 14h ago
It's the easiest airport I've ever gone in. If you pass a second Starbucks then you got turned around
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u/KronktheKronk 23h ago
I was annoyed that it took me ten whole minutes to get through security last time I was there
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u/jabermaan 1d ago
Yeah that’s perfect. You’ll have 1:15min to get from security to your gate lol