To ask if this is too much effort for a holiday

[Auntiejohnfromjamaica]

Am I mad to try to make this holiday work?

PILs have surprised us with a villa booking in Greece next year, for them, us and BIL and his wife.

We were so excited as it’s somewhere we have always wanted to go, but I’ve been looking at travel and it’s so complicated.

PILs and BIL+SIL live near London and don’t have kids. We are further north, don’t live that close to any airports, the closest ones to us don’t fly to this destination, and we will have a 18 month old and 4 year old with us.

I think we have two choices. Drive 1 hour to nearest airport, take a low cost flight to one place then another low cost flight to actual destination. would have to be Hand luggage only :(

Or we drive four hours (setting off midnight) to London and take direct flight.

First option seems more expensive but I haven’t priced up fuel and parking.

PILs won’t be impressed if we don’t go. And won’t really understand about the kids, and how long it’ll take, and the price (we are on a budget).

So I suppose my question is - would you bother?
YABU - make it work, it’s worth it!
YANBU - too much effort, don’t go

Stay with in laws the night before the flight.

Travel together.

This.

and whatever fuel and parking etc costs, it’ll be a darn sight cheaper than booking the whole holiday yourself

Drive to London
many of the airport hotels have great deals which include parking.

Look at hotels close to the airport where the others are flying from and travel down to it the day before. You may be able to leave the car there too. Or stay with the in laws.

Stay overnight with your inlaws then fly together?

Agree to staying over and flying together.

Don't make it harder than it needs to be.

I would absolutely try to make it work!

Is there anyone (friends/family? ) you could stay with the night before the London flights?

Budget hotel near the airport otherwise?

Another vote for drive down and stay with PIL the night before.

This is what airport hotels are for.

YABU.

This really isn't that difficult. Do you not really want to go? It sounds like you are making excuses.

based on your concerns I can’t see you being keen to go anywhere!

traveling to airports can be a pita but it’s got to be done if you want to go abroad

ditto car parking/taxi/rail travel to said airport

An hour to the airport isn’t that far?

It's not that complicated or long tbf, clearly the second option is the one to go for (and obviously stay with PILs the night before if possible)

It's not too much effort for a mostly free holiday, no.

I don't think it's too much effort at all - fairly standard for a lot of people. However, I'd avoid the 2 flights option completely. Is it Stansted (guessing because I've had to travel there a few times). But lots of B&Bs set up for this, can leave car there while away and will sort taxi in the morning if staying with ILs is not an option.

I think either option is fine. I'd probably get the two flights but then my DS gets travel sick in a car.

That said, this is the kind of thing my in laws would do and they wouldn't think to offer to cover travel costs. Obviously there's no reason why they should have do and it's a lovely thing to do etc but, if you're on a budget, it's really hard when costs are dictated to you like this. Often you end up spending more than you would otherwise so it becomes less of a nice thing for them to do and more of a pain in the arse.

If you go the day before you can drive 2 hours to a play park, tourist attraction, castle and spend time there with a picnic, then two hours to London and the kids will sleep in the car. Late dinner and good nights sleep.

Can you book a shuttle van to drive you to the airport over night, as another option?

If you can’t stay with PIL book a Travelodge near the airport and go to London on the train. I love an airport Travelodge, full English and no battling an overcrowded tube. Knacker the older child out before you get on the train and they’ll sleep for most of the journey.

It all depends on whether you want to ho on holiday with them.

Have you never been abroad before? Many people have to travel for airports. Just stay in a hotel in London the night before or do the same from another airport; Manchester / Newcastle or whatever has a direct flight. It’s really straight forward. The ages of your children are irrelevant, really. Younger children travel all the time.

Look at hotel plus parking deals. Often the extra for the hotel is not that much more than the parking - on one memorable occasion we stayed in an airport hotel at our local airport 35 minutes away as the hotel plus parking deal was cheaper than parking alone! I'd avoid multiple flights personally.

I don’t get the fuss. You drive down the night before & stay over somewhere. That’s what loads of people do before a holiday. It isn’t a big deal, especially for a free holiday.

Both the PILs and Bil live near London you said, surely one of them will let you stay over the night before anyway?