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Is it worth the risk of a longer airport wait if you have a higher chance of missing your flight?
Some travelers think so, based on the "airport theory" trend circulating on social media—even though many miss their trips and despite the advice of experts who say it's not worth the risk. The trend is a popular one on TikTok. It involves a gamble that you can play with security times and other variables, and arrive just in time to board.
Videos on TikTok show that people are aiming to arrive at the airport in 15 minutes instead of the recommended multi-hour cushion. One TikTok-user reported success, despite being randomly selected to undergo extra screening. "Airport theory is true, what can I say?" said Lexi Smith, who had time to stop for M&M's.
"Unfortunately I will never be this chill," wrote a commenter on another traveler's TikTok post. "Why would I want to waste precious time sitting in an airport?" Another writer wrote.
'I Would Not Recommend'
Should you follow this example? "Arriving to an airport 15 minutes prior to your flight departure time will more than likely start your trip off on the wrong foot," said Dan Velez, a Transportation Security Administration spokesperson. "TSA, as well as most airports, recommends that passengers arrive at the airport two hours before their flight to ensure they have enough time to handle all the necessary steps before boarding."
Those steps—including stuff like checking in, checking bags, and getting through the security line, but also possible personal necessities like refilling a water bottle, getting a bite to eat, and even figuring out where to go—can all complicate things for travelers, whether they're rushing or not.
It can also depend on the time of day, the size of the airport and the distance from the security to the gate. And there's no guarantee that airport workers or other travelers will be able or inclined to help you move through long lines quickly. Anika Robertson, assistant director of communications and media affairs at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, advises checking her airport's website for security wait times.
Some travelers prefer to rush. Some even argue that services like CLEAR and TSA PreCheck invalidate challenges. Michael DiCostanzo of TikTok, who has chronicled the experience testing this theory at various airports said that in Atlanta where he had TSA PreCheck, and traveled without a bag checked, it took him less than 15 minutes to get from door-to-door.
Jenny Kurtz was less fortunate. She documented her own failed attempt at zipping into a flight at 5 a.m. that she missed. "I would not recommend," she said.
