Airport data, decoded for people who actually fly
We take the TSA wait times, terminal, and arrival data we publish every day and turn it into decisions you can use: when to leave for the airport, which terminal to pick, and how to stop trusting the generic "arrive two hours early" rule.
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internationalSFOHNLFriday Airports and Sunday Airports: Customs by Day
The seven busiest U.S. customs halls all peak on a Sunday. Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands peak on a Friday. Which one is your gateway?
FlyIndex Editorial
securityBNANashville Has One Bad Hour a Week: Friday at 5 AM
BNA's checkpoint hits 33 minutes on Friday at 5 AM and never tops 8 minutes on a Saturday. Here is the only morning at Nashville that needs a real buffer.
FlyIndex Editorial
strategyDENJFKWhat Moving Your Flight One Hour Actually Saves You
At Denver, shifting one hour earlier cuts 30 minutes off the line. At JFK it saves four. The one-hour shift is worth wildly different amounts by airport.
FlyIndex Editorial
diningLAXWhat's Open at LAX Before 5 AM and After Midnight
Urth Caffe opens at 3:30 AM in Terminal 1 and Vino Volo runs to 1:30 AM in Tom Bradley. The full early and late list at LAX, terminal by terminal.
FlyIndex Editorial
internationalSFOJFKAll 107 U.S. Customs Halls Peak Between 2 and 5 PM
Not one of the 107 international gateways in our data peaks outside the 2 to 5 PM window, and 72 of them peak at exactly 4 PM. What that means for arrivals.
FlyIndex Editorial
seasonalIAHDFWLabor Day Weekend: Which Airports Pay a Weekend Penalty
Houston's checkpoint runs 5.6 minutes slower on weekends. Dallas Fort Worth runs slightly faster. The weekend penalty is real, but it is not universal.
FlyIndex Editorial
securitySLCSalt Lake City's TSA Line Peaks at 10 AM, Not Dawn
SLC tops out at 31 minutes on Sunday at 10 AM, and six of seven days peak in that same hour. Here is how to time a Salt Lake departure around it.
FlyIndex Editorial
diningLAXLAX Terminal 8 Has Four Restaurants. Walk to 7.
Terminal 8 lists 4 restaurants and 2 shops in our LAX data. Terminal 7 next door has 10 and 6, and the two are connected airside. Do the walk.
FlyIndex Editorial
internationalMSPMSP Customs Peaks at 53 Minutes on Sunday at 4 PM
Minneapolis-St Paul clears security in minutes and its customs hall in an hour. Every day peaks between 3 and 5 PM, and Sunday is the one to plan around.
FlyIndex Editorial
securityPHXPhoenix TSA Peaks Before 9 AM, Every Single Day
Sky Harbor's checkpoint tops out at 33 minutes, and all seven daily peaks land between 5 and 8 AM. Here's how to time a PHX departure around the morning bank.
FlyIndex Editorial
strategyORDMDWThe Second Airport Isn't Always the Shorter Line
Fort Lauderdale peaks at 69 minutes against Miami’s 46. Ontario beats LAX by 38. Here is when the alternate airport in your city actually saves you time.
FlyIndex Editorial
diningORDWhere to Eat at ORD With 45 Minutes and a Bad Mood
O'Hare has 35 restaurants across 4 terminals. Here's how to eat well in a 45-minute connection, plus the security timing that buys you the minutes.
FlyIndex Editorial