Folks have been instructed to disregard the ‘absolute nonsense’ of arriving on the airport too early to beat the queues
The brand new system may trigger delays for individuals travelling overseas (Picture: Getty)
Folks can keep away from ‘pointless’ time-wasting this spring and summer time by understanding precisely when to reach at European airports with sufficient time to finish the additional EES checks. Getting this excellent could assist calm passengers from worrying about lacking their flights in the event that they get caught in queues.
Journey specialist Kate Donnelly (@Thedonnellyedit) mentioned: “There’s lots of combined info on the market, and a few persons are saying that it is advisable get to the airport 4 to 5 hours earlier than your departure. That is absolute nonsense. You want to be on the airport a minimal of three hours earlier than your flight.
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“Firstly, the bag drop in most European airports solely opens two hours earlier than departure, in some instances it might be three hours. [So] getting there 4 to 5 hours earlier than your flight simply means you are going to be sitting ready for the check-in desks to open.”
Kate added that, when you’re via safety and duty-free, most airports ought to have a couple of border management level. She mentioned: “You want to wait in your gate to be introduced in an effort to know which one it’s important to move via.
“[Even] if you have not needed to wait to test a bag (you are travelling with simply hand baggage) and you’ve got gone straight via, you’re nonetheless going to be sitting in the primary airport ready in your gate to be known as. Because of this getting there hours forward of time is pointless.”
How a lot time ought to I give myself?
Relying in your chosen airline, some open their check-in desks a number of hours earlier than the flight. Getting your timing excellent offers you essentially the most time to get via the airport, even with any potential EES delays.
Most airways have comparable guidelines, however that is typically route-dependent. For instance, airways are inclined to open the check-in desk for long-haul flights a lot sooner than for shorter journeys as a result of they want extra time for safety and doc checks, corresponding to visa checks.
It’s best to double-check with the airline working the service you booked, or you might be suggested what to do a number of days earlier than departure. Beneath, are some common recommendation for a number of the extra widespread airways on when workers will begin to test passengers in:
- British Airways: Two to 3 hours earlier than the flight
- easyJet: Two hours earlier than the flight
- Jet2: Three hours earlier than the flight
- Ryanair: Two to 3 hours earlier than the flight (airport dependent)
- TUI: 2.5 hours earlier than (short-haul) / 3.5 hours earlier than (long-haul)
- Virgin Atlantic: 4 hours earlier than the flight
@thedonnellyedit
How early you really want to reach with EES, plus a prime tip to keep away from pointless delay ️ #ees #travelupdate #schengen #europetravel
unique sound – Kate Donnelly
What’s the new EES system?
The European Union’s (EU) Entry/Exit System (EES) began on October 12, 2025. It is a new digital border system that has modified the necessities for British residents travelling to the Schengen space, with international locations that embrace:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
The UK, the Republic of Eire, and Cyprus aren’t a part of the Schengen space. EES just isn’t relevant when travelling to any of those international locations.
If you’re travelling to a rustic within the Schengen space for a brief keep utilizing a UK passport, you might be required to register your biometric particulars, corresponding to fingerprints and a photograph, while you arrive. You don’t want to take any motion earlier than you arrive on the border, and there’s no value for EES registration.
EES registration is changing the present system of manually stamping passports upon arrival within the EU. EES could take every passenger further time to finish, so be ready to attend longer than ordinary on the border.
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