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blmzd t1_ix8eeub wrote

Everyone loves to hate on EWR (they keep ranking it as “worst large airport” or whatever) but it’s honestly not that bad. Personally, I’ve never had major issues flying in or out of EWR. Some of my worst experiences returning to the country have actually been flying into MIA & JFK.

EWR is busy but I think arriving 5 hours early is excessive, even considering that you’ll be traveling around thanksgiving. You’ll be fine arriving 3 hours early, but if you wanted to hit up any airline lounges then I’d say arrive 5 hours early. Wait times have been really poor lately with long lines and strict capacity limits.

Depending on your departure time EWR isn’t the worst airport to wait around in. There’s even a nice new terminal - I hope your flight departs from that one!

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jsuispeach t1_ix99cjp wrote

Agreed. Lots of shit talk but I've not a problem in years. Even with the occasional long lines at security I've walked onto my (domestic) flights within 45 minutes of arriving to the airport. Flown at least a dozen times this year.

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breakplans t1_ix9diwu wrote

I don’t fly that often but agreed, Newark is a busy airport and therefore it’s better than many others! I think because it’s so busy, TSA has their shit together and they move the line quickly and efficiently. It’s smaller airports like Tampa where I’ve had issues, or even tinier ones like Trenton or AC, while speedy, are disorganized and the staff can be rude. EWR ain’t nobody got time for that.

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WhichSpirit t1_ixcim9n wrote

Same. Even when I have had a problem the staff are always like "I got this" and sort it out. If you're not a dick to them, the EWR staff are the coolest airport staff I've encountered. But if you are a dick to them, they'll make you suffer.

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KneeDeepInTheDead t1_ixdqriq wrote

Ive been going to EWR almost every year for the past 20 years, the only issue i had was maybe 2 years ago with an asshole agent at the customs border when I was returning from a trip abroad.

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AggressiveSoup01 t1_ix9sshe wrote

I took it as Op being sarcastic with 5 hours. I would arrive 2.5 hours MAX for international. Who wants to spend the day in the airport.

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soneg t1_ixbag1d wrote

Unless you're flying United Polaris. I have gone to the airport with a planned 3 hr stay in the Polaris lounge. It's quite nice.

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Mysticpoisen t1_ixbzpia wrote

>they keep ranking it as “worst large airport”

And said rankings are always opinion polling. EWR has one of the most efficient TSA lines in the country. Nobody clears more passengers faster than EWR. The one valid piece of criticism is simply that there are too many flights for too few runways, which means delays are a little more common at EWR than at comparably sized airports.

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EWR-RampRat11-29 t1_ix997i4 wrote

We were told that as of now the new terminal A will not open for flights until Dec 8.

Subject to change, again.

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blmzd t1_ix9gbbl wrote

Ooo I wonder which flight will be the first flight out!

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soneg t1_ixbaba2 wrote

Totally agree. I always fly out of EWR if I can. I've never had a problem but I also have global entry, tsa pre check and clear. Make it thru security in about 3 min. Last time around, one of my friends went thru the full line in 10 min for a 7 am Saturday morning fligjtm

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blmzd t1_ixbclxa wrote

I also have Global Entry/Pre Check! I’ve been considering Clear. How do you like it? How does it compare to GE?

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soneg t1_ixbe813 wrote

I love it! You go to the machine, an agent stands with you as you scan your eyes. It finds you, they walk you to the tsa agent and you get right I to the scanning line. It's so fast. The security screening is the same as tsa pre check but you don't wait in that line to see the agent. I've spent $100 and gotten a lot less than the value of this.

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