7:30am flight - no need for a hotel room

[Manyindigowings]

Would need to leave for the airport at 4:30 to check in 5:30 for a European flight.,

Flying from Gatwick. I could get a train that arrives at Gatwick at 3:30am.

AIBU thar arriving at this time is a false economy?

I have done a 7:50am flight with a 6:00am check in with young children but took a cab to the airport that was about a 45-minute drive. Was one of the easier flights, actually, because everyone (apart from me obvs) was fresh. I would take an early direct cab over a hotel room.

Same. Our airport hotel is already booked for our holiday next September.

There are quite a few. I’ve stayed at the Bloc hotel in Gatwick airport loads of times, which has very small rooms but convenient. Premier Inn too and a little hotel nearby called the Corner House which has very friendly staff and they drop you off at the airport and have parking. Not connected to them other than as a satisfied customer.

We put up with the early start to make sure we're at the airport in good time, especially if we're flying from Manchester which can take over an hour to get through security.

I sleep on the plane so am not shattered when I arrive at the destination.

I have recently done what you suggest and have vowed never again. It was horrendous and I'm still recovering three days later!

Team book hotel here.

Why on earth would you leave an airport hotel at 4.30 for a 5.30 check in? There is no way it will take an hour to get from a hotel that’s on site to the terminal

I would strongly recommend staying at an airport hotel that has shuttle service between hotel and terminal v cheap Premier Inn 10 miles away. As you got to rely on a taxi service on the latter which you never used. Some travel operators do offer discounts for booking the airport hotel through them.

Saying that, I left home at 2am for a flight 2 hours drive away. Hotels were £150. Sod that.

We've never had a problem with very early morning flights. My daughter always saw leaving for the airport at two or three am as being part of the excitement of going on holiday.

Stying in an airport adds £150 to the cost of the holiday and you still have to get up incredibly early.

Exactly, lots of families do this.

Isn't all check-in online now?

You must mean bag drop and security? Two full hours is too long for that.

Premier inn right beside Gatwick.

I've booked into a hotel at Newcastle airport the night before my 10.10 am European flight on 22 December, I think it will be very very busy! I get back at 7.30 pm at night, so I've booked in then too. I can then get public transport home at my leisure the next day so long as there aren't any more terrible storms.

Unfortunately our local taxi driver died in January and we don't have any reliable taxis in my area. I was recently left at the airport by a new man, I'd booked him for my Tenerife return at 2.15 am in the morning. I texted and then telephoned and realised he wasn't coming :( He rang me at 6 am - he 'had my booking in for tonight'. He did refund me, and left me a bouquet of flowers, which was nice - I did forgive him as we are all human, but I cannot trust him again. I'm alone and have to rely on strangers and pay them for it.

Id get a cab to arrive an hour before, unless longhaul.

Probably even Northampton or Milton Keynes are more than 3 hours from Gatwick, I’d say most places in England apart from London and surrounds are more than 3 hrs from Gatwick.

Would definitely go straight to the airport. You won't sleep well I the airport Hotel. Last summer I bussed though the night and got to the airport several hours before my 6am flight. The place was thronged, people were sleeping, reading, chatting etc. I slept on the plane and was fine for my first day of holiday.

Why not stay in a hotel that is actually at the airport? I'm flying from Gatwick next week, hotel is a ten minute bus ride (my flight is 10am, but we're about two and a half hours drive away).

Not ALL check in is online, I can't check in online for my flight next week. And one of the Norwegian airlines I used last year didn't have online check in.

4.30am is not that much earlier than 5.30am. I'd go from home.

Hotel for any flight that you need to check in before 7am. Why stress, early night in the hotel with a bottle of wine, walk over to departures. Nice easy start to your holiday.

Some 'airport hotels' round Gatwick are quite a long way away! We used to stay at the Premier Inn a couple of miles south of the airport, the old Gatwick Manor Hotel.

If the airline has twilight bag drop I highly recommend, streamlines the arrival the next morning as you can go straight to security

Omg stay in a hotel nice and warm and cosy. Don’t be getting on trains at 03:30. Silliness! X

@JudgeJ

But even with Heathrow which is far busier and hotels widespread 30 mins is fine if using the shuttle bus. We leave home 4.5 hours before our flight and it's nearly 2 hours drive away, then car into the long stay onsite parking normally though

I would drive or taxi to the airport and have the night in my own bed.