01 · Timeline

Plan your departure day

Be at the airport at least 2 hours before departure. Allow extra time beforehand for parking and the shuttle, and more during school holidays or for passport checks.

Arrive at the car park

Before departurebefore terminal arrival

What to knowAllow extra time for parking, waiting and the shuttle
Arrive at the airport

Before departureat least 2 hours

What to knowAirport recommendation; arrive earlier during busy periods
Ryanair bag drop

Before departure40 min; from 10 Nov 2026: 60 min

What to knowAnnounced airline change; follow current booking notifications
Wizz Air bag drop

Before departureusually 40 minutes

What to knowCheck airport and flight-specific exceptions
Ryanair / Wizz Air gate

Before departureat least 30 minutes

What to knowBe at the gate ready to board; this is not your airport arrival time

As of October 2026. Arrival times are planning recommendations. Follow your airline’s deadlines and boarding pass. The gate attendance deadline is different from the start of boarding.

02 · Tips

Save time at the airport

Check in online

Use your airline’s app to check in and prepare your boarding pass before you travel.
Check your cabin bag

Measure your bag first. See our cabin baggage guide.
Keep your ID handy

Keep your passport or accepted identity document in your cabin bag, not in checked baggage.

03 · Ryanair: new closing time from 10 November 2026

Ryanair: new closing time from 10 November 2026

Ryanair has announced that airport check-in and bag drop will close 60 minutes before scheduled departure from Tuesday, 10 November 2026. Until then, the previous rule states 40 minutes unless you are notified otherwise. Online check-in still closes two hours before departure. If travelling in November or later, explicitly check the new desk deadline rather than relying on the airport’s older general guidance of 40 minutes.

04 · Online check-in with Ryanair and Wizz Air

Online check-in with Ryanair and Wizz Air

Ryanair opens online check-in up to 60 days before departure when you have reserved a seat. Without a reserved seat, it opens 24 hours before departure and closes two hours before the scheduled flight. Wizz Air specifies 30 days with a purchased seat and 24 hours without one; its online check-in closes three hours before departure. Complete this step in good time and check each direction separately. A purchased ticket is not the same as a completed check-in.

During check-in, carefully verify names and travel document details, then save your boarding pass somewhere easy to find. Do not plan to complete essential steps while standing in an airport queue. Set a reminder for the return flight too. If the airline requests an additional document check, follow that instruction even when travelling with cabin baggage only. Preparing your paperwork reduces searching and uncertainty, but it does not remove security screening or the requirement to reach the gate in time.

05 · From the terminal entrance to your gate

From the terminal entrance to your gate

Start by reading the departure display. Check your flight number and destination, then locate the assigned desk or gate. If you have checked baggage, visit bag drop first. Memmingen also describes Self Bag Drop for Ryanair and Wizz Air passengers who have already checked in online. The airport states that this service closes 40 minutes before departure. With cabin baggage only, you can normally proceed directly to security, subject to any document checks required by your airline.

Keep your boarding pass, identification and baggage receipt organised rather than mixing them into a large folder of unrelated papers. After security, locate your gate before making plans for food or shopping, and continue checking the displays. When travelling as a group, agree where to meet if you become separated during screening. Do not assume that a missing document can be replaced with a quick phone call. Resolve questions about your travel documents before driving to the airport whenever possible.

06 · Allow time for security and passport checks

Allow time for security and passport checks

Being checked in online does not mean you will immediately reach the departure lounge. The airport recommends arriving at the terminal at least two hours before departure and warns of additional demand during school holidays. Passport checks may be required for some destinations. Your two-hour airport allowance should therefore not begin when you arrive at the car park. Allow a separate margin beforehand for parking, unloading and the shuttle. The approximately eight-minute shuttle journey is only one part of that process.

Pack liquids and electronic devices so you can present them separately when requested. Keep travel documents accessible, empty your pockets and follow staff instructions. Families may find it useful to divide tasks: one adult keeps track of documents while another helps with bags. This is a planning suggestion, not a special security procedure. Our hand luggage guide covers packing in more detail. Avoid a schedule that works only if every road, queue and screening stage is completely free of delay.

07 · Work backwards from your departure time

Work backwards from your departure time

Write down the scheduled departure time and add the deadlines shown in your airline booking. Keep online check-in, bag drop and gate attendance separate: they are different stages. Next choose your intended terminal arrival time, then allow for parking and transfer, and finally for your drive. This shows whether the time you plan to leave home actually gives you enough room. Prepare an early-morning journey as carefully as a daytime one and review the route the evening before.

A delay notification is not a reason to move every deadline back on your own initiative. Follow explicit airline instructions and review any further changes. Keep the car park’s contact details accessible during the journey and communicate relevant changes to your arrival time. On a long drive, plan breaks deliberately rather than treating them as unexpected lost time. Your schedule should provide a calm sequence of steps, rather than encourage the latest theoretically possible arrival. See our directions guide for planning the journey to Holzgünz.

Frequently asked questions

Is arrival at the car park two hours before departure enough?

Plan the recommended two hours around arrival at the terminal. Parking, unloading, possible waiting and the shuttle come beforehand. Your additional margin depends on your journey and the needs of your group, rather than the shuttle driving time alone.

Can I go straight to security with hand luggage?

The airport describes this route for passengers already checked in online who do not need additional document checks. Checked baggage must be handed over first. Review your boarding pass and airline instructions before deciding to bypass the desks.

When should I reach the gate?

Ryanair publishes a gate closing time of 30 minutes before departure. Wizz Air requires attendance no later than 30 minutes before the scheduled flight. This is not an airport arrival recommendation: security and bag drop must already be complete. Follow your boarding pass and current notifications.

Official sources

Checked on 18 October 2026. Authorities, the airport and airlines are the sources for the rules described; our planning tips are recommendations. Your booking and current notifications remain decisive.

Check-in times at Memmingen Airport