The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: January twenty-ninth, playing the game of hurry up and wait.

On time is no longer good enough. Tighter airport security and more stringent airline rules make it crucial to leave lots of time to get to your flight. If you haven't checked in at the gate 15 minutes before the scheduled departure for domestic flights, you might lose your seat. In fact, carriers now commonly close the cabin door ten minutes before departure, assuming of course, the flight is running on-time.

All airlines maintain minimum gate check-in times, after which gate agents start boarding waitlisted passengers and stand-bys. Arrive after that, and you may find you've lost your seat, even if you have a ticket and boarding pass. You'll be bumped to the next available departure, with no compensation for your inconvenience.

Minimum gate check-in time varies for domestic flights. For TWA, Northwest and United, the time to beat is 15 minutes; for Delta and USAirways it's 20 minutes, American's half an hour. Check-in times for international flights are even longer, usually 90 minutes early for flights originating in the U.S. At foreign airports with tight security, check-in can be up to three hours before departure. And don't dawdle at the gift shop either, because these days, cabin doors on international flights can be shut up to 30 minutes prior to takeoff.

Most carriers will try to honor their reservations. But once another passenger boards in your place, you've lost your seat. When planes are flying full, get to the airport early. If you're running late, try calling the airline to say you're on your way. They won't hold the plane, but may refrain from re-assigning your seat.

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