To ask you to vote which one you would go for and why?

[traveltrouble]

Okay so we are going away on Monday the 20th - the flight departs at 7pm from Heathrow. We live in Cornwall, 5 hours from the airport.

Please help me decide what to do?

Option 1) Travel to a Heathrow hotel on the Sunday, stay the night in the hotel (£75) and leave your car there for the duration of the holiday (£15 per night). This will mean no stress on Monday with breakdowns etc, but you have to check out at 11 and will be waiting around all day.

Option 2) Save the £75 hotel costs and travel up on the day, as your flight isn't until 7pm in the evening. Use one of the Heathrow car parks.

Thanks!

For 7pm departure I would definitely travel up on the day -- ideally using a train. I'd use a carpark that costs less than an official Heathrow one.

We are departing from Heathrow on Monday at noon -- so hotel for night before nearby; using parking in Slough for the week because driving was wildly cheaper than train would have been.

@halloweenie13

I would do a third option of driving part of the way say 3.5 of the 5 hours, staying in a hotel and then leaving at 12 the next day and driving to the airport, parking, have dinner then get ready for the flight

From what ppl are saying about Heathrow at moment, OP will need to be checking in by 4pm. Dinner at airport in departure lounge, maybe.

What @lljkk said. These people planning on leaving mid morning and having dinner risk missing the flight.

If check in is around 4 I'd drive most of the way the day before and have a relaxing time in a hotel an hour or so away with a pool. Ans next time I'd probably aim for a closer airport if I could.

Option 1. Less stress.

I'd go on the day, but leave at 9 to avoid having to rush .

Option 1, but if I could afford another £75 I’d pay for an extra night so I didn’t have to hang around in the airport all day and could use the room.
Or see what their late checkouts are.

Option 2, I'd hate to have to pack for one night then re pack the stuff for the holiday, but I hate packing. Would much prefer to be getting ready for the flight from home.

Surely it depends on your ability to get up early?
Option 2 is a no-brainer for me as I’m capable of getting up at 7, get everything ready etc leave at 9:30 as soon as morning works rush has toned down. I’d hate to idle around the airport /hotel room. This also leaves room for breakdowns.
Some people however can’t be relied on and if I have family like that I’d rather they be chivvied to a hotel the evening before