Queues at London Stansted (STN) can be notoriously unpredictable, often swinging from a 10-minute breeze to a 90-minute ordeal depending on the time of day. As a primary hub for low-cost carriers like Ryanair, Stansted experiences massive "waves" of departures, particularly in the early morning (between 4:00 AM and 7:00 AM) and late afternoon. During these peak windows, the security hall can become extremely congested, as hundreds of passengers from multiple flights arrive simultaneously. In 2026, the airport has implemented more "Next Generation" security scanners that allow liquids and laptops to stay in bags, which has helped speed up the process, but the sheer volume of passengers often outpaces the infrastructure. School holidays and bank holiday weekends are particularly "bad," with queues stretching out of the dedicated lines. To avoid the stress, many travelers opt for the "FastTrack" security pass (around £7), which significantly reduces wait times. If you are flying during a quiet midday period, you might sail through in under 15 minutes, but for an early morning flight, arriving a full 3 hours early is still the safest recommendation to account for the potential "Stansted squeeze."