2017 would now be considered the "good old days" of flight travel since it was in the pre pandemic days.
Now that I think about it, anything before 9/11 would also be considered the true good old days of flight travel. Back then flying was a much better experience.
I remember taking a few flights between Austin and McAllen on Conquest Airlines. Very affordable. You didn't have to arrive a couple of hours before the flight.
I remember the minimum time you had to be checked into a flight was something like 10 minutes before takeoff. Ah the good old days.