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.
Latest posts, page 4
Page 4 of 11
seasonalMIALAXWhy Miami's Lines Swing 27 Minutes and LA's Don't
MIA's worst hour ranges from 19 to 46 minutes across the week. LAX never leaves a 19-to-25 band. That gap changes how you plan each airport this season.
FlyIndex Editorial
securityJFKWhen to Arrive at JFK to Dodge the Sunday 4 PM Crush
JFK security peaks at 33 minutes on Sundays at 4 PM, and there's no quiet slot all week. Here's the arrival math that keeps you out of the worst line.
FlyIndex Editorial
terminalsLAXLAX Terminals Explained: Which One Do You Actually Need
LAX runs 9 terminals, 97 restaurants and 86 shops. Here's which one your airline uses, how to move between them, and when security is worth 25 minutes.
FlyIndex Editorial
diningMIAMIA North Terminal Shopping: 60 Stores Along the D Gates
Miami's North Terminal has 60 shops including Dior, Kiehl's and four currency exchange counters. Here's what's genuinely useful and what's just there.
FlyIndex Editorial
newsATLIAHSix Months On, TSA Staffing Still Hasn't Fully Recovered
Wait times normalized by late April, but more than 1,000 officers resigned and new ones take up to six months to train. Here's what that means this autumn.
FlyIndex Editorial
securitySYRSyracuse TSA Peaks at 29 Minutes and Never Gets Worse
SYR logs 100 quiet hourly slots and tops out at 29 minutes on Friday morning. Here's the weekly pattern and the arrival buffer that actually makes sense.
FlyIndex Editorial
strategyJFKLAXHow Early to Arrive: A Buffer Table for 20 US Airports
Two hours isn't a rule, it's an average of airports that behave nothing alike. Here's the buffer each one actually needs, built from real hourly data.
FlyIndex Editorial
diningORDO'Hare Terminal 5 Access: Who Can Actually Eat There
Terminal 5 at O'Hare has 16 restaurants including Tortas Frontera, and it doesn't connect airside. Here's who can actually eat there and what to order.
FlyIndex Editorial
newsIAHDFWTSA Warned It Wasn't Ready for the World Cup. Then What?
In March, TSA said new screeners would not be trained in time for the 2026 World Cup. By June it declared the operation a success. Both things can be true.
FlyIndex Editorial
securityCVGCincinnati Has 104 Quiet TSA Hours and One Bad Morning
CVG peaks at 33 minutes on Sunday at 6 AM and is nearly empty the rest of the week. Here's the hourly pattern and the buffer that actually makes sense.
FlyIndex Editorial
strategyTLHMDWThe Small Airport Advantage Is Real, But Not Where You Think
Small airports beat hubs on quiet hours, not on peak waits. Tallahassee peaks at 120 minutes. Here's how to read that tradeoff without getting it backwards.
FlyIndex Editorial
internationalDENDenver Customs Runs 53 Minutes. Security Is the Bigger Risk
DEN clears customs in 53 minutes at peak but its TSA line hits 47 on Saturday at 4 AM. Here's how both numbers shape a realistic Denver connection time.
FlyIndex Editorial