How much do you budget for necessary holiday extras?

[PurBal]

Flights are booked and I’m writing a list of everything we need to sort, including a passport for our youngest. Travel insurance is covered through our bank. I know cost will differ depending on if you book a package with transfers included for example.

Car parking is looking like hundreds, ditto an airport hotel. We have an early morning flight and it takes 3 hours to get to the airport. Considered a taxi or hiring a car each way and all working out much the same price. We’d hoped to opt for meet and greet rather than P&R because of the age of our children (will be 3 and 5) and the amount of luggage we will be lugging about. We’re light packers generally but it’s a 9-10 hour flight and we’re staying for 3 weeks so taking 2 suitcases, 2 car seats, 2 backpacks (as hand luggage for the 4 of us) and potentially an extra holdall we will check. Will possibly take a pushchair.

What do you all do? Any tips? What do you budget for these things?

If it’s the USA, don’t forget the ETSA ( or ESTA ) for everyone.

Also, your travel insurance through you bank account likely doesn’t include any health issues, they’ll be extra.

You’d get better advice and suggestions if you said the area you live in and the airport you’re flying from. My first thought is train and then an airport hotel for the night before as it’s stressful and too risky to leave it to the day of travel for long haul. If premier inn you have to look on their own website. You usually get a better deal by booking through the hotels and joining their loyalty scheme. We do this with all of the chains.

We are frequent flyers and always travel by taxi or train to the hotel (if staying overnight) and airport.

I would check the travel insurance carefully to make sure it’s really comparable to stand alone policies. You may need to declare any health issues. Sometimes staying in a nearby hotel gets free or cheap parking and shuttle transport to the airport.

I don't have a budget as such, but always shop around to look for the best price.

For car parking and the hotel, I'd use the Holiday Extras link on the Moneysaving Expert website that's usually the best price, although I don't know if there's a limit on how long you can park at a hotel? Or sometimes you can get the best price booking direct with the airport via Quidco for cashback - I often do this for Manchester Airport meet and greet or drop and go - both are a short walk from the terminal and they park the car for you.

What about looking for a Travel Lodge 20-30 mins from the airport and booking the car parking separately? I wouldn't have thought airport parking would be 'hundreds' but could well be about £150-200?

Was going to suggest the same re hotels. You could look for accommodation a bit further out, and maybe look at renting a car parking space residentially? Some people who live near to airports offer that service.

We paid £60 for a weeks parking this year. It really does vary though and they seem to operate in dynamic pricing where it’s more expensive at peak times. Never paid for an airport hotel as we live 20min from the airport.
don’t forget things like baggage and seat selection if it’s not included in your flight.

@Bjorkdiditusing the Holiday Extras link Purple Parking is quoting £341 for Meet&Greet. Plus petrol of course.

@tanstaaflinsurance is with a credit card (sorry for any confusion). I’ve had to use it before and very easy to claim.

@letshaveteatravelling from rural Westcountry, would be a 30 minute or more drive to a coach stop or train station.

Taxi I’ve had quoted as £422 return. (With a company I’ve never heard of £769 with one I have, may contact local companies)

@MiddleAgedDreadI think you’re right about dynamic pricing 😢

Meet & greet parking is always the most expensive and personally i’m not leaving my car keys while I’m
away! Park on the long stay and if you don’t want to drag everyone and luggage to the terminal get the driver to do a drop off of everyone else and luggage and then only they need to head back. Even paying the
drop off fee it’s usually cheaper.

The M&G we use is run by Manchester Airport. It costs £5-10 more than the long stay car park, is far quicker and easier to use and seeing as we trust them with all other aspects of operating an airport I don't see an issue with leaving a car with them for a week or two.

I know it sounds silly but hadn’t even thought about this. Thanks.

@PurBal - in that case as taxis are so expensive and you’re 30 mins from a train station, it seems like your best (only!) option is to stay at or near the airport overnight the night before and research the best park, stay, fly package. Or long stay car park at the airport and then the shuttle to an airport hotel.

We get a hotel and parking package where the car is kept onsite and you keep your keys and then uber or shuttle to the airport in the morning. They only think you will struggle with is the amount of luggage you have.

Although I hate the cost of airport hotel it usually works out a little cheaper.