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?

Ooh that would make me nervous...

It depends where and when you're flying, but I've arrived at the airport two hours before my flight, made it through security, been to the loo and refilled my water bottle, and immediately boarded the plane. I've also arrived an hour and half before my flight and had to run to the gate as they call last boarding. There are multiple flights I would have missed if I'd only arrived an hour - hour and a half before.

Thank you.

I’m pretty sure the coach service from Liverpool St runs 24 hours

@CroccyWoccy

I'd HIGHLY recommend the coach - ideally the one from Stratford. There are no further stops, it goes right up the motorway. It says it takes 50 mins but it's often less when the road is clear. Arrivals at 3.05, 3.35, 4.05, 4.25, 4.45, 5.05. Much cheaper than the train, too.

At some airports (EMA, Birmingham) this would be fine but too risky at Stanstead.

We haven't found that particularly at Manchester, and even this Easter Saturday T2 wasn't overly busy. Dd had no queue for security or bag check.
She had a queue at bag drop but it was fast moving.

Even if you pay for FastTrack, that's too tight and stressful. Can you get an Uber/Bolt/freeNow?

Hotel the night before. But I'm paranoid about missing flights.

That is very tight. Just this week when I was at Liverpool Street, there was a Stansted express cancellation as the driver was "unavailable". The next one is in what about half an hour later? That would make it very tight, early mornings are the peak time at Stansted and security queues can be horrendous.

Look at National Express coaches, they go from Stratford (and other London stations) throughout the night (at 2:45am, 3:15am, 3:35am). Journey is about 50 minutes.

If I was driving, I would probably aim to arrive at that sort of time for a flight that early in the morning, but there's no way I'd rely on a train or even a taxi. My own car and about five alarm clocks

You'd be cutting it fine. If it's long/medium haul the gates close a lot earlier, and it's busy in security you may not be leaving yourself much time.

@Judecb

“If it's long/medium haul the gates close a lot earlier,”

Is that something Stansted does?…it’s certainly not universal…

I'm flying from stansted next week and it says the gate closes 45mins before depature

Yes me too!! Don't gates close at least 30minutes before takeoff? Isn't a taxi a cheaper option then staying over and you can get it earlier?

Good grief that’s a bit previous …I’m not familiar with Stansted so can I ask if gate lounges are involved in all this?

Certainly when I was working (not Stansted) we wouldn’t even be starting passenger boarding for a Long Haul flight at that stage.

The gates generally stayed open for business to accept passengers pretty much until the aircraft doors closed at about STD-3 minutes to cater for the “runners”/tight connections..

It depends on airport but I have often experienced that the gate isn't even announced 45 minutes before departure!

Likewise….

I don't know what time the first bus is (I think there are several routes) but I took one to Stansted recently slightly later than that (arrived about 7) and it whizzed up the motorway in no time. And dropped us at the door. The airport itself was pretty busy but I think we got through to the gate in just about an hour even with a bit of shopping.

Instead of forking out for a hotel why not pay for a cab to take you to the airport so you arrive much earlier via that?

I would say no chance, unless you have security fast track, then you might have a slight chance

6.20 flight is a 5.40 gate closed. So no, I wouldn't risk it on 40 minutes, all assuming your train is on time.

Are there no early National Express coaches? 5 am won't cut it, minimum is two hours ahead and that can be tight.

Plenty of time. I regularly take a 6:40am flight from Heathrow, for which I arrive at 5:50am. The terminal is very quiet at that time.