Do we have enough time?

Question

Please help!
We are having the reception in Stamford, CT on Saturday start at 11:30am. My fiance' insisted that if we leave the reception between 4pm to 4:15pm, we can catch the 5:45pm flight at LaGuardia airport (LGA) - New york.
Can anyone who knows the traffic to the airport help me to let me know if we have enough time for the reception (11:30 - 4pm)? Do we have enough time to be onboard the flight? Thank you very much! Tina

Answer 1

The trip from CT to the airport is 37 minutes alone - with no traffic. Depending on where your flight is heading, you should be there at least an hour or two early for luggage check-in and security lines. If you're going out of the country, I would suggest getting there more than 2 hours early. If you can change your flight, you should look at a later one or something the next morning so you aren't rushing.

Answer 2

You will most likely miss your flight if you do that. You need to be AT the airport checking your bags and getting your boarding passes at 4:15pm in order to catch a 5:45pm flight...otherwise you will probably get stuck there all night until they can fit you on standby the next morning. If you have a rental car you need to return you will need to be at the airport by 4pm. to allow enough time to return the car and get to the ticket counter.

Mapquest the directions from the reception site to the airport, add in an extra 30 mins to whatever thier time estimate is for getting gas and traffic, unexpected things like that.

I suggest you book your flight for either the next day or find a "red eye" flight that leaves in the middle of the night. If not you are going to only get to spend an hour or two at the reception and your guests are going to feel short-changed....kinda like "OK thanks for bring us a present. See you later bye!" You will also regret not taking time to really enjoy your wedding day and rushing through everything like that.

Answer 3

Never been to where you're talking about, but I worked in the airline industry, and I would say no, that's not enough time. If you're not leaving the country for your honeymoon, you still need to be checked in by 4:30 - 4:45 to give your self enough time to get checked in, get through security, get to your gate, etc.

That would leave you with 30 minutes or less to get from your reception to the airport. Seeing as how it sounds like you've not driven through there recently or at all, then you need to allow yourself not only time to get through, but also extra time in case you get lost, can't find a place to park, or there's construction.

I would suggest either taking a later flight, or leaving the reception by 3:30. Actually, no, my suggestion is to leave earlier, because depending on what airline you're flying, there will be a $50 per ticket fine to change your flight, and there may be no seats left on the later flight by now.

Congratulations and good luck!

Answer 4

You probably won't make it. First the traffic into LaGuardia and around the airport will take most of your 1.5 hours between the flight and the reception.

Plus, once you get to the airport you need to go through security. You need to check your bags and such.

It's recommended that you arrive at the airport 2 hours before the boarding of the plane to insure you have enough time.

Even if you could make it, that idea only looks good on paper. What happens if there is an accident on the way there and the highway is closed.

What happens if security is taking longer then usual

For me, you are cutting it WAY to close.

Reschedule your flight for the next day.

Answer 5

Nope. Not enough time. Leave sooner.

Not only that, but you will not allow yourself enough time for ANYTHING unexpected... like you get there and find out your name is spelled wrong in the system. They HAVE to correct it before they let you on board. Or perhaps you are randomly selected to be searched. Or maybe something you can't figure out keeps beeping through security and they won't let you go past until they frisk you. Or there is no place to park. Or the elevator is slow. There's a problem at the baggage check. Or a million other things that can happen at the airport. Has your fiance EVER flown?

Answer 6

No way! Getting through security at LGA on a Saturday is going to be a challenge in itself. I would leave by the LATEST of 3:30. Congrats and good luck making that flight!

Answer 7

No you need to be at the airport by 4-4:15, to give yourself time to get through security. Do a dry run and find out how long it takes you to get to the airport from the reception site.

Also you do realize that you can edit your original question, right? You didn't need to post a whole new question to give more info just edit or update your original one.

Answer 8

Don't put that much stress on yourselves... you need way more time than that to get to the airport. You have to check in at least 30 minutes prior to departure or they won't let you board, it's new airline security rules. Just make a later flight and enjoy your reception.

Answer 9

Whoa, that sounds like absolute suicide. All manner of things could go wrong, like traffic! Or all your aunties wanting to give you one last hug. And generally its good to be there at least two hours before your flight. Book a later flight.

Answer 10

you should check with your airline to see when they require check in. You will really regret rushing thru your reception .....and spending your wedding night on standby (waiting for the next plane if you miss yours ) is hardly romantic... I