Here are my recommendations: · For domestic flights at a major airport, if you have bags to check, get there two hours early; if you have no bags to check, make it 90 minutes. · For smaller regional airports—something like, say Bozeman, MT—shave it to 90 and 60.· On busy days, like the day before Thanksgiving, you might want to add an hour.nless you like taking risks, it’s still better to get to the airport ahead of time. In this week’s column, Traveler’s Omnbudsman debunks three myths about airport arrival timing.