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Original poster

Do you get a taxi to/from the airport or do you ask a friend/family for a lift ?

146 replies

Thefakeone · 24/02/2025 10:00

If stupid o'clock and/or airport is miles away then assuming taxi.

My friend will always ask me for a lift, regardless of what airport. I think this is a piss take and if you are going away then you need to factor in the cost of a taxi ?

OP posts:

ohtowinthelottery · 24/02/2025 10:21

Drive and pay for parking.
DS usually catches the train. He stays in a hotel at the airport if it's an early flight.

AngelsWithSilverWings · 24/02/2025 10:22

Default is to drive and park at Stansted , Gatwick or Heathrow but if flying from our very local small airport ( 15 min drive away) we get a taxi. Never ask family or friends.

boulevardofbrokendreamss · 24/02/2025 10:23

We just drive and park.

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 24/02/2025 10:24

Taxi unless someone is kind enough to offer a lift. And even then, I would probably decline if it was at stupid o'clock in the morning!

HelenCurlyBrown · 24/02/2025 10:25

We usually do meet and greet or valet parking.

We’re going away soon and are staying in an airport hotel, we’ve never done that before. Our son is going to give us a lift.

LoveWatchingTheSea · 24/02/2025 10:26

Reminds me of the time my ex-mil knocked on a random neighbours door (only ‘saying hello in passing’ type relationship) and asked for a lift to the train station… we were quite amused and told her it was a bit cheeky, she couldn’t see the problem with it -in her eyes as a widow it was everyone else’s duty to look after her! (only mid 60s, very fit and active and financially very well off so more than capable of paying for a taxi)

Shodan · 24/02/2025 10:26

Tbh taxi would be my last resort- they're extortionate and rather unreliable. Usually I'll drive and park, but sometimes ask a friend for a lift. And then they in turn will ask for one when they need it.

It all works out ok.

RobinEllacotStrike · 24/02/2025 10:27

It depends on the airport - we either drive and use long stay parking, or catch the train.
The nearest airport is 1.5-2 hours drive (unless traffic goes tits up when it could be longer).
Our next trip is out of Heathrow and we are getting the train - about 2 hours.

If the airport was 30 minutes away I would drive close friends/family. Longer than that would be a PITA. To get to Heathrow or Gatwick could be 4-5 hour round trip if someone were to drive us.

That said, when we fly around the world and arrive after a 30+ hour journey, I'm always delighted my sister picks us up and would be mortified if we had to get a taxi.

Douzepoints · 24/02/2025 10:29

Going on holiday tomorrow morning and getting a lift from MiL. It's the first time we've accepted a lift in years - usually use taxis which are marginally cheaper than parking as we're quite close to the airport.

I'd never ask others for a lift though but PiLs do all the time, I've lost count of the number of stupid o'clock runs to and from airports for them. So when MiL offered for tomorrow we decided to take her up on it to redress the balance a bit. I think she was offering out of politeness and looked shocked when we accepted 😂

My feeling is that transportation to the airport has to be factored into the holiday cost. PiL, and obviously the OP's friend, seem to think it's a duty of anyone with a car to do this for friends and relatives.

countrygirl99 · 24/02/2025 10:31

Usually we drive and park but thos year a friend is driving us but we are paying him the taxi money. Only reason is we'll have been travelling 24 hours and not a good idea to drive from Heathrow tired. DH stresses about taxi reliability and retired neighbour offered. But we frequently do them favours as well.

Ellie1015 · 24/02/2025 10:31

You need to stop feeling awkward saying no. Friend obviously doesn't feel awkward as they continue asking. Say no, politely but dont apologise or make excuses as this suggests you would like to help. Get a reply ready in advance something like.

"No, not able to drive you, I can get you the taxi number we have used if useful?"

Digdongdoo · 24/02/2025 10:32

We drive and park if it's all of us, easier than taxis. Otherwise we use the airport bus service (we're not very far from Heathrow).

JC03745 · 24/02/2025 10:32

Depends on the airport and how long the trip is.
-closest airport for a week away, we'll drive and pay parking
-Far airport and away a month. DH's dad drove us 20mins and we caught the national express bus from there. It was not early or late though.

OP- you need to start saying no!

nitrofueled · 24/02/2025 10:32

Usually park up at our local airport and then get a coach for Heathrow

crumpet · 24/02/2025 10:33

Why are you not saying no, if it’s not convenient for you?

Sunat45degrees · 24/02/2025 10:34

I grew up in South Africa and it took me years of living here to realise that giving lifts to the airport is not standard. I didn't ask anyone for lifts (phew) but always assumed I should offer a lift if someone was visiting me! . We definitely all do lifts for family still although, as is inevitable in our families, me and DH and my Sister and BIL get ourselves to and from airports, but DH's sister and my brother always seem to need a lift (and yes, they're both the youngest in our respective families). Sigh.

I would say no. A stupid o'clock lift without a really good reason is ridiculous. A friend collected me from the airport at stupid o'clock when I was returning from saying goodbye to my mother who was dying because she didn't want me to have to suffer through public transport/taxi and DH couldn't collect me as he had DS. That was kind. Normally, I'd never expect or ask it.

PleaseAndThankYou12 · 24/02/2025 10:34

I'll preface this by saying DP & I are extremely lucky to have MIL, DM & DSis very close by. And we're a super close family so we all do this for each other!

If it's the local airport (10 min drive), a lift. This isn't very often as it's a small airport and doesn't have the best flight destinations. It's usually internal flights for work/weekend breaks to visit friends.
If it's the next airport (40 min drive), a lift if it's just me/me and 1 other. If there's 3+, we chip in and park. This is the airport we use the most.
If it's the further airport (90 min drive), park & stay overnight the night before/sometimes the night we come back.

If I'm going with my best friend (we travel together quite regularly), she will arrange a list to the airport and I'll arrange the lift home.

TabbyM · 24/02/2025 10:35

Train and tram to the airport or bus depending on which way. Avoid ones in the middle of the night etc.

Lifts are stressful if neither party has any idea where drop-off points are or if charges apply.

Bjorkdidit · 24/02/2025 10:36

Well unless it's a reciprocal arrangement where you give each other lifts about the same amount of time, so it makes sense as you both benefit from not having to pay for parking or taxis, then surely you just say no. Stop being so wet.

We almost always drive and pay to park, because it's cheaper than a taxi there and back and public transport would likely also add on a hotel stay, so more expensive, unreliable and inconvenient. So we get ourselves up at silly o clock (because most of the flights we take depart at 6-8 am and often return between 10 pm and 2 am) and only inconvenience ourselves, for our holiday.

Doorshut · 24/02/2025 10:37

I wouldn't dream of asking for a lift and tbh don't understand people who are always giving them. A friend is always picking up one or other of his adult children in the middle of the night, interfering with his work and social life. I don't don't know why he doesn't say no when it doesn't suit him.

user2848502016 · 24/02/2025 10:38

Massive piss take!

We usually drive and pay to park at the airport (it's about 1.5h drive).
But if we didn't drive then yes would get a taxi.
You just have to factor this in to the cost of the holiday, if they can't afford to get to the airport then they can't afford the holiday!

Allthegoodusernamesareused · 24/02/2025 10:43

If it's a city break, I generally prefer early flights, and factor train the evening before and airport hotels into the cost of my trip.
For our family holiday, we drive and pay for parking.
We are pretty central to the London airports, so it's generally not too difficult. I've never asked anyone for a lift to the airport!

Marylou2 · 24/02/2025 10:45

Always drive and pay for premium parking near the terminal. Hate relying/inconveniencing anyone else.

Cyclistmumgrandma · 24/02/2025 10:46

Had 'great fun' one year. We lived abroad and were visiting relatives in UK for Christmas. Drove to airport (quite close) and put car in long stay car park. Flight delayed, then cancelled due to snow. Got car out - had to pay for 4 days parking which was the minimum. Drove home. Went back to airport 2 days later for replacement flight, got taxi this time. Flight cancelled again as destination airport closed due to snow. Taxi home..... Several days later we eventually got a flight out to our intended destination. (Taxi again that time). That was an expensive trip to the airport!

Pinkdreams · 24/02/2025 10:49

Train it's much quicker

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