To arrive at the airport at 5am for a 6:20am flight?

[CroccyWoccy]

Trying to figure out logistics for an early morning flight. Can’t get to the airport before 5am without staying the night before. Flight is 6:20am. Only flying with hand luggage, will have checked in online.

Is this doable or do I need to stump up for a hotel?

Which airport? Heathrow would be different to Southampton

It depends on how you are getting there. I would not trust a train to be there for 5am, given alleged late finish of engineering works on a few occasions.

It depends which airport. If it is a biggy like London Gatwick or Stansted then no way you won't even be through security before your flight takes off.

Small one like London City it is doable.

short haul fine. long haul no

At that time of the morning I would say you would be fine. Suppose there’s always that risk though. Probably not that helpful sorry!! If it wasn’t a massively expensive flight I would take the risk

It’s Stansted and yes I’d be relying on getting the first Stansted Express train of the day.

How are you getting there?

Where are you flying from/too? How reliable is the transport and is there a chance it will be late? It seems pretty reasonable to me but I am in Adelaide and our air travel is v v easy!

Don't rely on the train with those small margins. Stay over.

Liverpool or Leeds Bradford I would say yes.
Manchester, just about if it is not school holidays.

Which airport?

Can you get fast track through passport control?

Just seen your update.
I only know north west airports!

This thread title has given me anxiety but I am always super early 🤣

Security queues can sometimes take 45 mins and you need to be at the gate 30 mins before.

I'd be more worried about replying on the train than the 100 minutes to,get to the plane.

Don’t if you rely on public transport.

I wouldn't, I was in Stansted a few weeks ago and it was super duper busy and security took a while

Well it depends how important this trip is. Would you be ok with the chance of missing it due to not giving yourself enough time? I wouldn't risk it.

It depends on what you mean by “getting to the airport” at that time. I would want to be joining the security queue an hour before the departure time.

Could you get a taxi and get there a bit earlier? I wouldn't trust public transport

Getting to stansted at 5 you’d be fine if you pay to fast track security - it can still be very busy first thing and I’ve also paid to fast track because that’s where it goes wrong . you’ll need to whizz through and not shop but I reckon you’d be ok

what I’d be less confident about is the stansted express - it’s not overly reliable

I can't comment on that aiport specifically, but I thought the norm was min 2 hours before departure. I think it's cutting it fine and I wouldn't risk it, but then again I'm in the get to the airport early camp.

Sorry to say you don't have a chance.

The security is notoriously slow at Stansted

I wouldn't do it with a combination of minimal time at the airport and no allowance for train delays.

Your plan doesn't allow any leeway for things being even slightly wrong. A traffic jam. Big queues at airport. For me it would be too stressful. Might go well ...might not. What would you be losing if it doesn't go well? Cost of flights? A holiday? A business meeting? Too risky for me, but some might be ok with it. One of those things where if things go well you congratulate yourself on saving the cost of a hotel ...but if there are even slight disruptions to your plan you are tense, anxious and potentially losing far more than the price of the hotel room.

Stansted is manically busy at that time of day so I would say it could be very tight, even with fast track as I have heard lots of reports of fast track not being quick as everyone opts for it.

I am last minute annie but even that is cutting it a bit too close for me.