Airport data, decoded for people who actually fly
We take the TSA wait times, terminal, and arrival data we publish every day and turn it into decisions you can use: when to leave for the airport, which terminal to pick, and how to stop trusting the generic "arrive two hours early" rule.
Latest posts, page 3
Page 3 of 4
terminalsMIAMIA Terminals: North, Central, and South Explained
Miami's five terminals split into North, Central, and South zones, and each one is a different airport. Here's how to know which you need.
Mara Quinn
diningMIAThe Cuban Food at MIA Is the Reason to Fly Through Miami
Miami has 107 restaurants, and the Cuban food is the reason to actually eat there. Here's where to find the real thing, terminal by terminal.
David Okonkwo
securityFLLMIAFort Lauderdale's Sunday Morning TSA Line Beats Miami's
FLL's TSA waits peak at 69 minutes on Sunday at 11 AM, the longest in Florida and worse than Miami's 46-minute Monday peak. Here's the pattern.
Mara Quinn
seasonalFLLMIAFlorida Airports in Late August: The Wait Data Says Get There Early
August is peak season at Florida airports, and the wait data shows Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Orlando all running hot. Here's the day-by-day picture.
Lena Vasquez
strategyLAXMIAThe Red-Eye Is the Only Flight Without a Line
TSA data across major U.S. airports shows overnight hours are the quietest of the week. Here's what the red-eye actually saves you, hour by hour.
Mara Quinn
internationalSFOSFO's Sunday Afternoon Customs Line Is the Worst in Our Data
SFO's CBP line peaks at 79 minutes on Sunday at 4 PM, the longest immigration wait in FlyIndex's data. Here's the pattern and how to dodge it.
Lena Vasquez
terminalsLAXLAX's Nine Terminals: A Field Guide
LAX has nine terminals and they are not interchangeable. Here's how to figure out which one you need before you leave home, not at the curb.
Mara Quinn
diningORDO'Hare Terminal 5 Has the Best Food in the Airport
Most of O'Hare's best restaurants sit in Terminal 5, the international terminal most locals never see. Here's what to eat there on a connection.
David Okonkwo
securityMIAMiami's Worst TSA Hour Is Monday at Noon
MIA's TSA waits peak at 46 minutes on Monday at noon, with Friday and Saturday nights close behind. Here's the day-by-day pattern and when to fly instead.
Mara Quinn
diningJFKWhere to Eat at JFK When You Have 45 Minutes and a Bad Attitude
JFK has over 80 restaurants across its terminals. Here's where to actually go when you're short on time, hungry, and tired of guessing.
David Okonkwo
internationalMIAClearing Customs at MIA: When the CBP Line Backs Up and When It Doesn't
Miami is a major international gateway, and CBP wait times there swing hard by day and hour. Here's the pattern, from someone who's cleared customs at MIA too many times.
Lena Vasquez
seasonalLAXORDSummer Travel at U.S. Airports: What the Wait-Time Data Actually Shows
Summer is TSA's busiest season. Here's what the historical wait-time data says across major U.S. airports and how to plan around the surge.
Lena Vasquez