About Airport Math
Redoing the same departure-time math before every flight got old, so I built a tool that does it once.
Hi, I’m Carolyn. I live in Los Angeles, but my partner and I are both transplants, so we spend a decent amount of time flying between LAX, Newark, and O’Hare to visit family. Before every trip, I would start with the flight time and work backward, then do it again because I had forgotten traffic, parking, a checked bag, or the possibility that an airport shuttle might simply drive past me at 2 a.m. Airport Math came out of that habit. I wanted one place to account for all the little pieces and give me a reasonable estimate for when to leave, without pretending airports are known for consistency.
How the tool helps
Airport Math works backward from your flight time and considers things like driving, parking or shuttle time, checked bags, TSA PreCheck, CLEAR, and how early you like to board. The result is an estimate, not a guarantee, because traffic and security lines are going to do what they want.
About the guides
I also write airport-timing guides using information from airlines, airports, TSA, and other official sources. If I have personal experience with something, I’ll say so. If a guide is based on research, I’ll say that too. I have not personally inspected the security line at all 530 airports. If you want a place to start, I have guides on how early to arrive at the airport and international flights.
The basics
Airport Math is free, does not require an account, and has no plans to email you. It gives you a suggested time to leave so you can stop redoing the math and get back to packing.
Ready to stop guessing?
Enter your flight details and get the exact time to leave home.
Calculate my departure time