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 7
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diningLAXLAX Terminal 1 Food, Ranked by What's Actually Worth It
Southwest's LAX terminal has 13 different places to eat. I ranked all of them by what you should order with 20 minutes, an hour, or a long delay ahead.
FlyIndex Editorial
securityONTOntario Airport's Worst TSA Hour Is Saturday at 5 AM
ONT security peaks at 63 minutes on Saturday at 5 AM, the single worst hour of the week. Here's the full hourly pattern and when you should actually arrive.
FlyIndex Editorial
strategyLGASANPeak Hour vs. Busy Day: Which One Actually Ruins Trips
Everyone plans around the busy travel day. The data says the busy hour matters far more, and the two rarely land on the same part of the travel calendar.
FlyIndex Editorial
diningMIAMIA South Terminal Food: A Gate-by-Gate Eating Guide
Miami's South Terminal has 21 places to eat across the H and J gates. Here's what sits near your gate, what's worth the walk, and what to skip entirely.
FlyIndex Editorial
internationalDTWDetroit's Customs Hall Ties Friday and Sunday at 53 Minutes
DTW peaks at 53 minutes at 4 PM on both Friday and Sunday. Here's why the tie matters, which midweek days clear fast, and what you should book around it.
FlyIndex Editorial
securityHNLHonolulu's Worst TSA Hour Is Friday at 10 AM: 46 Minutes
HNL peaks at 46 minutes Friday mid-morning, then again at 44 on Thursday at 5 AM. Two different crowds, two different problems, one very busy checkpoint.
FlyIndex Editorial
diningORDO'Hare Terminal 5 Shopping: 9 Stores, Four of Them Hudson
ORD Terminal 5 has 16 restaurants and only 9 shops, four of which are Hudson. Here's what's actually worth buying before a long international departure.
FlyIndex Editorial
internationalBOSBoston Is Easy to Leave and Hard to Enter: 52 Min at CBP
Logan's TSA peaks at just 19 minutes but its customs hall hits 52 on Sunday at 3 PM. The two sides of BOS behave like two completely different airports.
FlyIndex Editorial
securitySANSan Diego Has Nine Quiet TSA Hours in the Entire Week
SAN peaks at only 34 minutes but logs just nine hourly slots under five. It's the most consistently busy mid-size checkpoint anywhere in the data set.
FlyIndex Editorial
securityINDIndianapolis Friday at 6 AM Is a 63-Minute Problem
IND's checkpoint hits 63 minutes on Friday at 6 AM, nearly triple the airport's midweek ceiling. Here's the hourly pattern and an arrival plan by day.
FlyIndex Editorial
strategyCLTDFWHow to Pick a Connecting Hub Using Real Wait-Time Data
Charlotte, Dallas and Atlanta connect to most of the same places. Their checkpoint and customs numbers are wildly different. Here's how to pick between them.
FlyIndex Editorial
terminalsMIAMIA's Central Terminal: The E, F, and G Gates Explained
Miami's Central Terminal holds the E, F and G concourses, 32 restaurants and the airport hotel. Here's how it connects and what's actually worth your time.
FlyIndex Editorial