Some travelers prefer to arrive at the airport with plenty of time to spare so they don’t feel stressed getting through security and can settle into an airport lounge or restaurant with plenty of time to enjoy a pre-flight drink or meal.
On the opposite end of the spectrum are travelers who want to spend as little time as possible lollygagging at the airport. But a TikTok’s travel trend, which is called “airport theory,” takes things to the extreme by challenging people to arrive at the airport 15 minutes prior to the gates closing—a bold experiment that you definitely shouldn’t try during busy travel periods.
Picking up on the trend, TSA chimed in with a cheeky warning early on warning against trying out the TikTok trend:
Ahead find out more about airport theory, why people are pushing it so close and what experts think about the trend.
What is the ‘Airport Theory’ trend?
TikTok is rife with travel advice and challenges, from skiplagging to going without any inflight food or entertainment, which TikTok users referred to as “rawdogging” flights.
The “airport theory” trend that some users are trying out (with varying degrees of luck) is the latest one to circulate on social media, and it challenges travelers to get from the airport’s entrance to the departure gate in 15 minutes or less.
One TikTok user, @momlifewithtiffrecommended against it after nearly missing her flight and having to ask people in security to cut to the front of the line.
Another TikTok user, @jenny_kurtzzadvised against trying it out, showing a video of herself arriving at a gate that had been closed.
But @itslexismith apparently mastered airport theory, starting in the LAX security line 4 minutes after the scheduled boarding time of her flight and making it onto the plane with ample time.
Is It Possible To Master ‘Airport Theory?’
Whether it’s possible to zip through the airport in 15 minutes is dependent on so many variables.
Could you do it at a small regional airport in the middle of the week without a checked bag and with TSA PreCheck? Maybe, provided there are no hiccups. But trying airport theory out at some of the busiest airports in the United States—ones like Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Los Angeles or Chicago (ORD)—would likely make it more difficult to pull off since you can expect longer lines at security, plus further walks with shuttle connections at these bigger airports.
Denver International Airport, the sixth-busiest airport in the world, is the top-trending search relating to “airport theory,” Google says. For most traveling through Denver’s airport, a 15-minute door-to-gate journey would require a lot of things to go right, especially when you consider the busy B Concourse is 1.45 miles long.
No matter where you’re flying out of, you could easily spend more than 15 minutes in line to drop a checked bag, especially if you don’t have priority status with an airline, which gives you access to shorter lines.
Airport theory dares passengers to cut it close to their departure time, but the result can be a missed flight that could cost you money and much more time at the airport.
(Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock)Both CLEAR and TSA PreCheck can also help expedite security lines, but even still, a random security check or forgetting a water bottle in your backpack could slow you down and put you at risk of missing your flight.
“There are a lot of great tips to come from social media, however, ‘airport theory,’ is one hack you can happily skip over,” says Katy Nastro, travel expert at the Going travel app. “This concept is born from most people’s desire to spend as little time in the airport as possible before their flight departs. And look, we get it. Airports these days can be crowded and feel like they can cost you an arm and a leg each time you step inside one.”
TSA just broke a record for the busiest travel day on record on Nov. 30 (the Sunday after Thanksgiving), so if that’s any indication of how the holiday season will go, consider this your sign that December is not the time to test out the viral airport theory.
How early should you get to the airport vs. airport theory rules?
The general rule of thumb is that you should be at the airport two hours ahead of a domestic flight and three hours ahead of an international flight. During busy travel weeks like the holidays or Fourth of July, airports often recommend arriving even earlier—like two hours before the boarding time versus departure time of a domestic flight.
You might be able to cut it a little closer in some instances, like if you’re only carrying on your luggage, you have TSA PreCheck or you’re flying Tuesday or Wednesday, which are typically considered the least busy days of the week at the airport.
“Even despite airport arrival times being suggested figures, they aim to give travelers ample time to get a bag checked (if needed), navigate through security and then find their gates,” Nastro says. “Some airports require a healthy 15-to-20-minute walk or tram ride just to get to the correct terminal area.”
Nastro’s stance? The 15-minute airport theory guidance is cutting it way too close for comfort. Just as a bus or train departs, regardless if you are on the platform with a ticket, a plane is not going to wait for you.
Should you try airport theory?
If you miss your flight, you run the risk of having to pay for a new itinerary altogether if the airline doesn’t assist in getting you on the next flight out, Nastro says.
Luckily, most airlines have some sort of “flat-tire” rule allowing you to be rebooked on the next available flight; just always be proactive and ask nicely, she suggests. (This rule accounts for things that are out of your control on the way to the airport, like a flat tire—and a TikTok challenge likely won’t gain you any empathy from the airlines).
“If you’re looking to make a connecting flight on the other hand, you’re complicating the matter even further and may face an outright cancellation of your entire itinerary when you are counted as a ‘no-show,'” she says. “This could be a very costly mistake as you then may be faced with paying for a new, same-day ticket altogether, which is likely not cheap.”
The bottom line: The severity of consequences of failing the airport theory challenge depend on the airline and your itinerary. Best-case scenario, if you miss your flight for running late, there’s another one that goes out within the next couple of hours and the airline rebooks you free of charge or for a small fee. But if you’re flying a route that only has one flight out each day or a few trips each week, your trip could be cut short—especially if the next scheduled flight is already booked. Airlines may also charge you for the new itinerary.
The takeaway: By trying to cut it close on a travel day, airport theory could end up costing you more time and money and inconvenience other travelers as you try to rush through the airport and cut through security lines.
Source: creators.yahoo.com
