Flight delays, mechanical failures and crashes have dominated recent headlines, but a new viral trend is shaking up air travel for a different reason—passengers are purposely arriving at the airport just 15 minutes before takeoff in participation of a viral TikTok trend called “airport theory.”
Air travel experts and airlines have discouraged the trend, with Clint Henderson, managing editor of The Points Guy, telling Newsweek it’s a “recipe for stress and for disasters.”
Newsweek has reached out to airlines and several airline experts for comment via email on Wednesday.
Why It Matters
The trend, which shows ticketed passengers filming themselves arriving at the airport just minutes before their flight, then going through security and reaching their gate, has amassed tens of millions of views on TikTok.
What To Know
The trend has gained popularity in recent weeks, with many users suggesting it limits passengers’ wasted time by streamlining the airport experience. But some have documented missing their flights due to the trend.
Most airlines recommend allowing plenty of time to pass through security and arrive at the gate before boarding, suggesting around 90 minutes or more.
United Airlines writes on its website that passengers without checked luggage must check in “at least 30 minutes before departure” and that the airline has the “right to deny service” to those who do not meet check-in requirements. It also said: “You must be on board your flight 15 minutes before departure time.”
American Airlines, like many others, closes boarding 15 minutes before departure. “If you’re not on board, we may reassign your seat to another passenger. You will not be allowed to board once the doors close,” the airline writes on its website.
Henderson said he is “horrified” by the trend, telling Newsweek that “15 minutes is never enough time to safely get through security and get to your gate.” He added that “even if you have TSA PreCheck or CLEAR, that’s not enough time,” referring to security programs that typically allow travelers to move through checkpoints more quickly.
“It’s also disrespectful to other travelers who have to deal with your stress in the lines and potentially you asking them to cut. It adds unnecessary stress to the entire process,” Henderson added.
Seth Miller, editor of PaxEx.Aero, echoed similar sentiments, telling Newsweek that the trend is “terrible advice for travelers.”
“While the commonly recommended two or three hours prior to departure time is likely more time than most travelers need, being there just 15 minutes prior almost certainly means not making it on the booked flight.” He noted that many airlines close their gates at that time.
TikTok Screengrabs
Several people have missed their flight due to the trend. User Jenny Kurtz posted a video on the social media platform February 5, documenting her flopped airport journey.
She wrote in text across a video of her going through the airport: “for those of you thinking about testing out the airport theory…don’t do it,” then panned to her closed American Airlines gate.
She concluded, “missed my flight…rip.”
The trend appears to be dependent on checked luggage, queues, airports and airlines, among other factors.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which is a federal agency under the Department of Homeland Security, “has no information on the number of flights missed because passengers followed the TikTok trend,” a TSA spokesperson told Newsweek.
Starting tomorrow, the agency is “expecting high passenger volumes during the peak spring break travel period running from March 6 to March 24, when air travel numbers are anticipated to increase by more than 5%,” according to a Wednesday press release.
What People Are Saying
Adam Stahl, TSA senior official performing the duties of administrator, said in a news release on Wednesday: “Spring break is one of the busiest travel times of the year. While we are focused on spring break, which is quickly approaching, TSA is also closely tracking and preparing for the summer travel season.”
