Scenario

I'm picking someone up from the airport: when should I leave?

By Joel Hanson, who builds Wheels Up · October 27, 2026

Electronic arrivals boards in an airport terminal — Photo: Markus Spiske on Pexels

Short answer: aim to reach the curb about 30 minutes after a domestic flight lands, or 60 to 120 minutes after an international one. Add time if they've checked bags or land at a busy hour.

Base it on when the plane actually lands, not the scheduled time. Wait in the free cell phone lot until they're outside.

Get it wrong one way and you're circling the terminal while airport police wave you on. Get it wrong the other way and they're standing on the curb with their bags. Here's how to time it, in the order you'd do it.

1Get the flight number, not just the time

"I land at 6" isn't enough. Ask for the airline and flight number (for example, UA 1542) and the arrival airport, especially in cities with more than one. With the flight number you can follow the real flight instead of guessing from the schedule.

If it's a connecting trip, you want the last flight. A delay on the first leg can mean they miss the connection and arrive on a completely different flight.

2Know what "arrival time" really means

The arrival time on a ticket is when the plane is due at the gate, not when it touches down. In the US, a flight counts as on time if it reaches the gate less than 15 minutes after its scheduled time. So a plane can touch down well before its arrival time and still be "on time", or land early.

After touching down, the plane still has to taxi to the gate. That takes a few minutes at a small airport and 10 minutes or more at the biggest hubs, such as JFK and Atlanta.

3Work out how long they'll take inside

From the moment the plane stops at the gate, they still have to get off, walk to baggage claim and, on an international flight, get through passport control and customs. These are rough planning numbers that airport transfer companies use; your airport and time of day will move them.

Who's arriving	Be at the curb about
Domestic, carry-on only	20 to 30 min after landing
Domestic, checked bags	30 to 45 min after landing
International, carry-on only	45 to 75 min after landing
International, checked bags	60 to 120 min, longest at peak times

28 minaverage wait at US passport control for visitors, against 13 minutes for US citizens, in a 2017 federal audit. Someone visiting on a foreign passport will usually be the last one out.

4Leave so you're nearby when it lands, then wait in the cell phone lot

Plan to arrive near the airport around the time the plane lands, then wait in the cell phone lot: a free car park a few minutes from the terminals, made for exactly this. Most large airports don't let you wait at the arrivals curb at all; you're expected to pull up, load and go. San Francisco, for example, says vehicles can't wait at the curb, and JFK's cell phone lot is under five minutes from every terminal.

Look up your airport's cell phone lot before you leave and put it in your maps app, so you're not hunting for it on airport roads.

5Drive to the curb when they say "I'm outside"

Ask them to message you when they've got their bags, or when they're through customs on an international flight. Then drive round. Agree on a door or pillar number (most arrivals curbs have them) so you're not both looking for each other.

Before you leave home

Flight number and arrival airport, for the last flight of the trip
Checked the live status, not the scheduled time
Know if it's domestic or international, and whether they checked bags
Cell phone lot saved in your maps app
Agreed they'll message you once they have their bags

These times are rough guides, not promises. Passport control queues, baggage delays and airport roadworks can all add time, so let them tell you when they're outside.

Questions people ask

How long after landing do international passengers come out?

Usually somewhere between 45 minutes and two hours, depending on the queue at passport control, whether they checked bags, and how many other flights landed at the same time. Have them message you once they're through customs with their bags.

Can I wait at the curb outside arrivals?

At most big airports, no. Curbs are for loading only and are often patrolled. Wait in the airport's free cell phone lot, or park in short-term parking if you want to meet them inside.

What if the flight lands early?

It happens. That's why it's worth tracking the flight live instead of planning around the scheduled time: an early landing just means you leave the cell phone lot sooner.

Should I park or wait in the cell phone lot?

If they have help with bags or kids to wrangle, or you're meeting someone who's never flown alone, park and meet them inside. Otherwise the cell phone lot is free, and the pickup takes two minutes once they're on the curb.