When Does Security Open at Copenhagen Airport?

The early-morning surprise at CPH

Every week, travellers with early flights from Copenhagen Airport (CPH) follow the standard advice — "arrive 2–3 hours before departure" — only to ride the escalator up to security and find it completely closed. No staff, no queue, nothing. It's confusing, a little stressful, and almost impossible to find clear information about beforehand.

So here's the simple answer.

When security actually opens

According to Copenhagen Airport's own check-in FAQ:

"The security checkpoint adjusts its opening hours based on the flight schedule for the day. If there are flights throughout the night, the security checkpoint will remain open around the clock. However, it may temporarily close if there are no departures. The security checkpoint will always be open at least from 4 AM to 10 PM. Outside of these hours, they will open at least two hours before the first departure."

In plain terms:

• Security is always open from 04:00 to 22:00.
• Before 04:00, it opens at least two hours before the first scheduled departure.

So if the first flight of the day leaves at 05:45, security typically opens around 03:45. If the first departure is at 07:00, security still opens by 04:00 — the guaranteed time.

What this means for you

If you arrive before security opens, you simply wait in the concourse for a little while. The good news: for the very first flights of the day there is no backlog ahead of you, so once the lanes open you'll get through quickly and still make your flight in plenty of time.

A few extra things worth knowing:

• CPH Express fast-track (at each end of the central checkpoint) is open 05:00–21:00 — and it's free for all domestic passengers.
• Passport control can open later than security and is frequently the real bottleneck for non-Schengen and UK flights — so don't relax just because you're through security.
• Copenhagen Airport recommends arriving at least 2 hours before a Schengen flight and 3 hours for a non-Schengen flight. That advice is built for daytime queues; for the first flights of the day, the binding constraint is the opening time, not the queue.

Check today's opening time live

Because the opening time depends on the day's first departure, we built a live tool that reads today's flight schedule and tells you exactly when security is expected to open this morning — plus the quietest times to travel.

👉 See when CPH security opens today

Safe travels — and if you're on the 05:45, you can probably sleep a little longer than you thought.