Fast Track Terminal 2

Toots

I'm travelling to Spain (Malaga airport) on 1st of July - the flight is at 7am - and I'm wondering would it be worth booking the fast track?

The DAA website is a bit vague on what is actually involved... is it just to get you through security or does it give you fast access to the bag drop also? If we book it for 5am but are still stuck queuing to drop off our bags will we lose our slot?

We flew earlier in the year last year and were over an hour trying to get through security so I'd like to avoid a repeat of that if at all possible.

SweetCaliber

As far as I know fast track isn't for bag drop, just security.

4am - 9am can be busy at the airport so it would be worth it.

With fast track you'd get through in 5 - 10mins approx. You also get 10% off in the loop and a free newspaper.

Looking on the website, for that time (5am) there is limited availability, as the airport is really busy at this time, so I'd say if you aren't there for 5am you might lose your slot, I'd book for after 5am just incase.

Toots

Thanks a mill! If sooner be there extra early and hanging around instead of rushing. I think I'll go ahead and book.

DvB

If you've no kids travelling with you I'd say get there a few minutes earlier & you'll be fine. The only time we've booked fastrack is when we've travelled as a family & we've seen first hand how much handier & quicker it is when my in laws who were travelling with us didnt book it & took about 40 minutes longer to get through to departures.

Be careful if booking it alongside DAA parking though. It tends to assign you a slot for 15 minutes after you enter the car park, which is ridiculous as you could spend that long sitting on the bus waiting to bring you to the terminal alone, never mind checking in bags etc. Thats happened us a couple of times now & we've arrived >30 minutes later than the alloted time, but to be fair they've never called us on it.

nsa0bupkd3948x

You can check historical queue times here. You can filter by day of the week/time. Looks like Sunday at 5am its roughly 15 minute queue historically.

Toots

I've booked my parking already, but glad you mentioned that because some of the rest of my family are flying in the afternoon and haven't booked their parking yet. I'll mention to them to keep an eye out for the time. I don't think I've ever got from the car park entrance and had my bag dropped off in under an hour, let alone 15 mins!!!

AngryLips

I'm pretty sure those slot times are for guidance only and are not enforced once you have a fast track booking

DvB

AngryLips wrote: »

I'm pretty sure those slot times are for guidance only and are not enforced once you have a fast track booking

Ah, that would explain why we've never had an issue despite the times.
Sorry if I caused an unecessary alarm!!

EverythingGood

DvB wrote: »

Ah, that would explain why we've never had an issue despite the times.
Sorry if I caused an unecessary alarm!!

Yes, it doesn't matter what time is on it, they will let you through. I actually booked it once for a week after I was travelling, and they honoured it for me! Only issue I have with fast track is the newspaper - it give you a free copy of the Irish Times, but if you are travelling with a group or with family, 3 or 4 free Irish Times are useless! I would much prefer if it was a €2 voucher for WH Smith.

DvB

EverythingGood wrote: »

Yes, it doesn't matter what time is on it, they will let you through. I actually booked it once for a week after I was travelling, and they honoured it for me! Only issue I have with fast track is the newspaper - it give you a free copy of the Irish Times, but if you are travelling with a group or with family, 3 or 4 free Irish Times are useless! I would much prefer if it was a €2 voucher for WH Smith.

Back in the day it was a free coffee, which was grand for myself & the Mrs, less so for the kids though, shame they couldnt have let them get a juice or something instead. Anyway, its just the 10% off shopping in the loop now isnt it? Wouldnt mind only booked it a few weeks ago for our hols next month, didnt pay much attention to the 'add on' this time though.

EverythingGood

DvB wrote: »

Back in the day it was a free coffee, which was grand for myself & the Mrs, less so for the kids though, shame they couldnt have let them get a juice or something instead. Anyway, its just the 10% off shopping in the loop now isnt it? Wouldnt mind only booked it a few weeks ago for our hols next month, didnt pay much attention to the 'add on' this time though.

The coffee was a great incentive to buy fast track, and kids were half price too. Now prices are too expensive, I only use it when we have to, the family lane is quite handy, and free, and generally saves time and has less queuing.

Skippette

Does anybody have any discount codes for the Fast track, please?

Yamanoto

Worth mentioning you should also be able to check bags in the day before from about 4pm OP, if flying FR or EI.

You'll need to bring other pax boarding passes & passports to do so.

Toots

Yamanoto wrote: »

Worth mentioning you should also be able to check bags in the day before from about 4pm OP, if flying FR or EI.

You'll need to bring other pax boarding passes & passports to do so.

I hadn't done that in previous years, but I'm very tempted to do it this year.

DvB

Actually, whats the latest flight time that Aer Lingus will allow you check in bags the day/night before?

munchkin_utd

DvB wrote: »

Actually, whats the latest flight time that Aer Lingus will allow you check in bags the day/night before?

and you couldnt manage to find it on the aerlingus website ?
https://www.aerlingus.com/travel-information/check-in-options/airport/#/tab-2-'evening-before'-check-in

DvB

munchkin_utd wrote: »

and you couldnt manage to find it on the aerlingus website ?
https://www.aerlingus.com/travel-information/check-in-options/airport/#/tab-2-'evening-before'-check-in

LOL, fair enough, I didnt check their website, it just popped into my head as I was reading this thread is all.

Toots

Jaysus their recommendation of being at the airport 90 mins before departure is cutting it a bit fine IMO. I remember flying in August a few years ago, got to the airport 3 hours before departure and were lucky to make the flight. Had to run to the gate.

Savage_Henry

I was going to ask the same question (my flight is 19.00 on tuesday), but looks like its not worth it

AngryLips

Toots wrote: »

Jaysus their recommendation of being at the airport 90 mins before departure is cutting it a bit fine IMO. I remember flying in August a few years ago, got to the airport 3 hours before departure and were lucky to make the flight. Had to run to the gate.

Are you showing up to the wrong airport or something? It's enough

dudara

Yamanoto wrote: »

Worth mentioning you should also be able to check bags in the day before from about 4pm OP, if flying FR or EI.

You'll need to bring other pax boarding passes & passports to do so.

Was going to mention this but you beat me to it. Very handy for early morning flights where you do have to check in luggage. Must say though that the new self-service AL luggage machines work really well

I usually arrive at Dublin airport about 75 mins before flight departure for flights at 6/7am. I have AL status so I get to use fast track automatically, but I never have luggage to check in (when on business trips)

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.