AIBU to pick the early flight?

[4fingerKitKat]

I’m lying awake flip-flopping over this so I’m going to hand it over to the mumsnet AIBU jury.

Summer holiday with DC 8 and 10, not naturally early risers. 2.5 hour flight to a nice beach resort where we are staying 2 nights before moving on. Easyjet from Luton airport.

I have choice of 2 flights: 6:30am or 1:30pm. No difference in price.

6:30am cons:
-extra £150 for airport hotel.
-early start, esp for DC who are difficult to rouse early and unlikely to sleep

6:30am pros
-No stress about travel to airport as will be in walking distance
-flight less likely to be delayed
-arrive at lunchtime so get whole afternoon and evening to enjoy pool etc and relax

1:30pm cons
-risk of train issues etc = stress on the day
-will only arrive mid evening
-delays more likely and would cut into very limited evening time in resort

1:30pm pros
-can leave home after breakfast about 9am
-full night sleep for everyone
-if flight is on time and picking up bags, hire car etc is smooth we should get a bit of time to use pool etc before bed.

I think I am erring towards the early flight but I can’t believe I would choose a flight that involves being up about 3:30am when there’s an option to fly at a civilised time.

YANBU - take the early flight!
YABU - lunchtime flight!

With kids that age I'd take the afternoon flight, unless they're particularly delightful/good at coping when tired.

I'd rather have less time at the beach with happy children than more time with tired/grouchy/squabbling children.

You can still use the airport hotel for the afternoon flight is the train stress is a big issue.

I'm an early flight fan generally because my kids slept on planes and the kids are usually tired from excitement. That way they get a good nights sleep the first night on holiday and wake up feeling fresher.
The idea of dealing with the stress of daytime travel and extending the pain for everyone is a hard no for the afternoon flight from me.

One pro/con you might want to consider. Security will be at it busiest for the early flight.

My experience is that you think if you get to the resort earlier, you’ll have extra holiday time, but in reality, you’re so knackered from the early start, you squabble over a late lunch and are barely functional by dinner time.

Late flight all the way. Tired and cranky kids plus a tired mom is not a good start to a holiday. Make going to the airport part of the holiday adventure for the dc and if possible stay in the airport Hotel the previous night, have a leisurely breakfast and stroll to the airport at checkout.

I’m not a morning person at all, but I think morning flight. As you say, less likely to be delayed, and then you get the afternoon at the resort. Have a siesta if needs be.

We did this on our most recent holiday and it worked really well. No delays and straight through.

This. I'd def go for the afternoon flight!

This.

The 6:30 am flight will mean checking in around 4:30 am which is way too early.

I really hate early mornings so I'd pick the afternoon flight and still book an airport hotel for the night before.

Definitely the morning flight. Afternoon flights are a pain in the whatsit

As you’re staying at an airport hotel, I’d take the early flight and everyone can flake out as soon as you get there. Have a siesta and an evening dip in the pool when the water’s been warmed all day by the sun-fabulous!

From the info you have provided I would do the later flight. And possibly still do the airport hotel to reduce stress.

If it was just adults travelling then I might pick the early one. But I find tired kids really difficult. Especially if I’m tired too.

Even as a single adult, I found the early flights terrible. You're too knackered for the rest of the day to actually enjoy it. Even with an airport hotel, you'd have to wake up at like 3 am for a 6.30 flight.

And I can’t imagine the kids being delightful being woken up at 3am.

I regularly take 6.30 flights from London to get to my birth country as only low cost airlines fly there. I hate it every single time.

Definitely the early flight! Nap and relax on the beach, no way I'd sacrifice 7hrs of holiday time for a lie in.

I have to say I find Luton hideous at any time of the day or night but especially so at six in the morning. I travel out to Spain quite a lot and in my experience it's certainly true that flights are less likely to be delayed at that time. But as PP pointed out that's also the time when the security queues are most intense and wearisome.

I think in your position with children who aren't the happiest of early risers, I would opt for the afternoon.
Even with the hotels that are closest to the terminal it's still a bit of a hike at Luton (ten minutes is still a lot with kids and cases)
There's usually loads of folk trudging disconsolately towards the terminal at quarter past four in the morning :(

If you do decide to go for the afternoon option, make sure you do allow plenty of time for transport gremlins.
Remember that East Midlands Trains also go to Luton Parkway (from St Pancras) and they tend to be cheaper than Thameslink. Then there's the Dart to take you to the terminal.

You could spend a bit of the money you might have allocated to a hotel room towards paying for fast track security to spare you and the family twenty minutes from impersonating sheep being processed through the pens....

Whatever you decide, hope it's worth it - enjoy!!

Afternoon for me. I want the room to be ready when I arrive

I have always been an early fights person, recently we had a 2.30pm flight and it was an eye opener. I found it way more relaxing packing and stuff as I knew I had the morning for last minute stuff. That said it was a 12 day holiday, for a weekend break I would probably still pick early.

I'd always take the early flight.
Never had a problem getting my kids up to get to the airport (unlike other things)

The early flight is always a terrible idea.

Every time I do it, I regret it. I usually only do so because of price - if it’s cheaper, no question on afternoon.

Far nicer trip to have a normal nights sleep, relaxed travel to airport etc

And delays can happen at any time, I don’t really think you can avoid that eventuality by flight time!

@4fingerKitKat

early flight always

Early flight.
we often do a 6.30am flight with out young child. Staying at airport night before . It’s actually fine. Arrive at hotel around 6pm to check in. Eat dinner at hotel restaurant. All go to bed by 9pm and wake at 4am. Walk 2 mins to check in. At stansted I pay for the speedy security check in also (£6 each) so no queuing.

For us it’s usually a fight home. And it great as we land by 9.30am, collect car and can drive home by lunchtime. If you’re going on holiday then you arrive with time to unpack relaxed, and have leisurely afternoon somewhere nearby if tired. No one will be though as kids will be super excited about everything new. If you arrive at 6/7pm kids can’t look around or try out pool and they aren’t tired for sleep as have just hung around airport or house all day waiting

Can you even check in to your accommodation that early?

Ha! I'm not sure these comments will help you OP - seems to be a 50:50 split.

I would usually go for the later flight in those circumstances, but your reliance on public transport (and attendant stress) for the later flight would probably tip the balance towards the hotel/early flight combo.

I agree.