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?

If it were anywhere but Stansted you might be ok. Stansted we stayed the night before, went 3 hours before, but it took so long to drop our bags and get through security we missed out flight. Disaster.

Why not get the last train the night before, and weigh up how crap that would be vs. getting there with so little time to spare?

What time is boarding? Assuming this might be 5.50am would give you 50min to get through all the checks etc. probably tighter than I would like but I like to be early as my anxiety isn’t great this stuff 😂

I wouldn't risk it.

We went through Stansted this morning at 5am and whilst not totally rammed it was still pretty busy, as it often is at that time. It took nearly an hour to get our bags dropped off (hold baggage) and get through security.

Stanstead security takes aaaaaages I wouldn't risk it I'd rather stay over the night before

I think it's fine if you're happy to miss the flight.

I wouldn't risk it personally if you actually need to get on the plane. Your journey to the airport could be delayed for so many reasons.

Get a taxi or a nearby hotel.

For years it's been minimum 2 or 3 hours depending where you're flying to. (Unless you have fastrack/lounge etc in which case you can shave some time off.)

The last couple of years though I've had longer waits than ever in the past.

No. Get a hotel.

Could you take national express bus in the early hours instead of the train and arrive earlier?

Paying extra for the speedy security essential but yes prob ok

I went to Warsaw via Stansted 3 weeks ago on a Thursday morning - 6.20 flight having only hand luggage and checked in online. It took 10 mins to get through security..if it was the school holidays or a weekend, maybe a different story, but it was all fine.

I wouldn’t chance it, for a 6.20am flight , I’d be at the airport for 4am but I’m a stickler for being early. Airports stress me so the least amount of stress I can have the better.

You should pay for Fast track security at Stansted, that will really speed up getting through. With hand luggage only you should be fine catching your flight.

Stay in a hotel. Trains get cancelled and delayed. There is no room for any error in your plan.

i also think the national express coach might be a better option! I took an early morning - 6.50am - flight a few weeks ago from Stansted and security was pretty busy.

I forgot to say we got the Stansted express and there was a big queue when we got off the train for ticket inspections.

Even getting off the train platform took ages at Stansted

I've not done early at Stansted, but when I had a 6am flight from Luton, I was astonished to find the place manically busy. I'd naively thought it would be a quiet time!

So no, I wouldn't risk it, especially when talking public transport.

Agree to stay over. Unless you can afford a taxi - again a risk but not as risky as the train. It will be busy as all the low cost airlines go at silly o’clock from Stanstead.

DS got through JFK in 40 minutes last week. I'd say it's loads of time. Definitely done similar at Heathrow terminal 5 ( first tube out so around 5)

As others have said, 5.30am is basically peak time at Stansted and security will be slow. Pay for the fast track and you should be OK.

Stansted security can be 30 mins / then 12 mins walk at pace beyond there / then transit train to gates or on foot - another 15 mins min.

Lots of flights go out first thing, no delays normally that time of day.
I don’t think you can wait in the Stansted terminal overnight.

Hotel - 3 best options - Hilton Hampton - walking distance 6 mins before terminal / Raddison - similar - after terminal. Or Premier Inn at 2 miles and involving regular transfer buses.

Coach option mentioned above sounds a good choice?

I’d take the national express instead and plan to arrive 4:30am, or pay for fast track (£10 max I think), in which case 1h20 will be enough.

To be fair I have missed a flight at Stansted after arriving 2hours in advance but that was primarily due to horrendous queues for bag check, but security wasn’t exactly speedy either.

It wouldn’t be the end of the world to miss the flight but it’d be bloody annoying. But it’s supposed to be a cheap weekend away and when I start looking at extra hotel nights the costs start adding up!

In my experience Stansted security can be horrendous, way worse than Heathrow or Gatwick. I don't why they seem to make it so difficult when othet airports seem to cope much better.