When scheduling a weekend getaway or a holiday away, it can often be a challenge deciding when is best to book your flights and how long you need before you head to the airport. Most people prefer a midday flight so they can be organized before heading to off on their travels. If you are heading somewhere domestically or even internationally there are some key players as to when the flights head out and when you should be leaving the airport.
Best time for a flight ? First thing in the morning. Sure, leaving the house at 4 AM to head to the airport doesn't always seem like the the most desired departure but it does help avoiding delays once you get to the airport. Typically the time spent going through security upon your arrival to the airport will be about half as long early in the morning as it is throughout the rest of the day. Although you may need to wait for security to open, there's much less of a chance of back ups and delays from previous travellers which tend to build up most around midday to the early afternoon. Be able to hop grouch security with some extra time before heading to the gates gives you piece of mind and can give you a chance to pick up any essentials you may have missed for the flight.
Another big bonus is if by chance your flight is either cancelled or delayed you are more in luck than you'd think. If a flight needs to be rescheduled, they will fit travellers in to flights later in the day and your plans are far less likely to be rescheduled for the next day(s) if there are already flights heading out with some extras space on them that day. The likelihood of finding a spot sooner rather than later is much higher when you are taking the first flight out, and you also have a lower chance of cancellations and delays in the early morning because less flights are heading out already.