Best plan… Clear security 1 hour before departure…if departure is 4pm, clear security at 3pm not 3:30. This basically means adding 1 hour to your advised check in time. 4 pm departure was a 2 hour before flight…. now it needs to be 3 hours or even 4 hours for international flights.
Okay boring, but better than having to wait till the next day and pay $$ to fix the problem. Also, airlines do leave early if they can get clearance… your $70.00 discount ticket does not cover their $100/minute gate charge. If they are missing 1–2 people and are 20 minutes from scheduled departure, they will depart without you. They will take the $2000 savings and improve their on-time record.
The best answer is: Be early! Sit near the boarding gate. If you find yourself stuck at the airport and need a ticket, look to Future.Travel and see if we can provide a fix for the situation.