During a late night scan of TikTok, I happened upon a growing trend: Airport Theory, the idea that you can show up to the airport just 15 minutes before boarding begins, breeze through security and still make your flight. One TikTok user—who accomplished this feat thanks to TSA pre-check—bragged that he even had time to pick up a couple of in-flight essentials before arriving at his gate. This seems…insane.
TikTok’s Airport Theory Reeks of Privilege (And It’s Terrible for Parents)
Race you to the gate, said no mom ever
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Published May 19, 2025
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Before I go any further down my path of judgment, let me just say that I was born to a woman who aimed for a three-hour buffer between airport arrival and take-off. She wanted to not have to worry. She wanted to get her to gate and have time to read half a Danielle Steele novel before boarding. After all, she’d experienced too many travel hiccups over the course of her lifetime. (Say, when my uncle forgot his wallet and had to drive home to get it, or the time when the seal on my dad’s birth certificate was rejected and she had to fly to Aruba solo while he located a notary.) In other words, I’ve been bred to be an early bird.
Still, what struck and irritated me most about this burgeoning internet idea wasn’t the lack of foresight. It was the privilege. Who can afford to show up 15 minutes before a flight? A person with less luggage and a person with fewer other people with them. In other words, if you’re a parent trying to manage even just one child at the airport, you need a solid 15 minutes just to make it up the escalator with your stroller and Pack n’ Play.
I’m not alone in this criticism. According to Wired, airport theory is about having pure “main character” energy. You need to think you’re the center of the universe which, well, parents aren’t.
Proselytizers on TikTok aim to prove that this flex can be accomplished even at high-traffic airports such as LAX and JFK. But as somebody who exclusively flies out of major airports, I firmly believe there are just two scenarios where this actually works out: 1. You need an off-peak departure with empty security lines. 2. You need TSA pre-check. (For all the airport theory success stories, there are plenty of TikTok posts about missed connections, too.)
I actually unintentionally tested this theory on a recent trip from London to New York. Our car rental return went awry when we couldn’t find the car park, leaving us with under 30 minutes to get from check-in to the gate. And even though it was more time than airport theory allows for, it was also awful. With my kid in tow, I became a drill sergeant, barking at everyone to run, ignoring pleas for bathroom breaks, snacks, even sips of water. My sweat-covered self arrived just in time to board and buckle my lap belt. Getting to the airport early can feel like a time-waster, but this alternative wasn’t fun.
I checked in with Rachel Lipson, a mom of two and founder of Brooklyn Family Travelers to get her take on the theory. She agreed with me: “While it’s possible to have good luck and breeze through traffic and security lines and make a flight last minute, it’s unlikely,” she says. “Traveling with kids is stressful whether you’ve done it once or dozens of times. Couple all that with rushing and you’re setting your family up for failure.”
Plus, let’s say the theory doesn’t work out and you do miss that flight. There’s added impact when you’ve got children. “You’re standing at the gate, the kids are crying, you’re stressed and trying to make a new—and potentially costly—plan,” Lipson says. “Even if I’m traveling alone, I wouldn’t risk it. I’d rather sit in a lounge or at the gate with a good book, or more likely scrolling on my phone, than be stressed and worried.”
Bottom line: allowing just 15 minutes and assuming everything will work in your favor feels foolish and, quite frankly, entitled. When faced with the choice of a flex or a time buffer, I’ll choose the time buffer every single time. And if that makes me a “supporting character,” so be it.
