Arriving at airport at midnight for a 6am flight

[HettyMeg]

Getting a 2 hour taxi to airport at 10pm so arriving at around midnight. For a flight at 6am.

Friends are doing this instead of booking a hotel and I think they're crazy. Just get a hotel!

They are in their 60s which is even more surprising. I think they're getting a v early taxi as they're afraid of being late. I don't understand it at all

Madness. Get a hotel at the airport the night before, some airlines allow twilight check in of bags the night before. So you bin off your bags, have sleep and get up at 4am and head to the terminal. Easy!

We have access to a family place abroad, all flights depart around 6am so with a 45 mins drive to the airport we leave at 2.45am, packed the night before, clothes out ready, up/shower/dressed at 2.15am. I always try to get an early night but always fail. I'd still rather 3 hours kip at home than several extra hours in a near-deserted airport.

Does it actually stay open OP?

Is it price? A 10pm taxi being cheaper than one in the early hours?

It’s a life lesson that the cheapest £30 flight out is often worse value than the £70 one at a decent time. They could well be hanging around thd other end for check in too.

i live 40 mins from Manchester airport and 20 mins from Liverpool airport….2 hours from an airport? They must live in the sticks ?

But you don’t need to understand it ….it’s not your hoilday

I would definitely have thought that if they can afford a 2 hour taxi (and presumably return) journey, they can afford an airport hotel. Even the one in terminal at Gatwick (Bloc) is only about £160/night and includes fast track security. Get to airport for early evening, have a nice meal, couple of drinks, early to bed, up at 4 and through security by 4.30 when I last did it. No way am I doing overnight in a closed airport beyond student era! I think there was also an option for bag drop the night before, but we only had hand luggage.

Their choice, but - are they checking in a Lounge, do they want to be on their own with their own thoughts for a while, do they want to have some drinks etc.? If travelling Business or First Class,
I can understand that. Obviously, not every airport opens to cater for all hours, but if it does....
No problem!

Presumably they'd be checking in 2-3 hours before the flight, so that's between 3 and 4am - seems pointless to pay for a hotel for just a couple of hours sleep and far too early to have a hotel breakfast! 2 or 3 hours waiting in the airport check in area isn't much of a problem really and it probably means being at the front of the queue for security and passport control so more time in the departure area having a relaxing breakfast etc.

Yep. And I've done similar. Nearer to five hours though, I think. Just booked a lounge (they're very quiet at that time) and dozed and read. Far less stressful than worrying about sleeping through my alarm/getting from a hotel to the airport at 3am/not sleeping anyway. It's especially worthwhile if it's a much anticipated long haul trip.

The earliest lounge access at for example Heathrow is 5am, that would be a complete waste of time and money for a 6am flight...

Are they experienced travelers? This seems like the idea of people who don’t know the reality.

This, 100%. You’d just have to leave the hotel at around 3.45am. If you pack your bags and put your clothes out the night before, you can go to bed at 8pm and still get around 7 hours sleep. Well worth it and no worrying as you’re already at the airport.

Can't fathom the idea of getting there at midnight and just waiting around for a 6 am flight, though. They aren't going to let you through security that far in advance are they? So then you're stuck landside and will still need to be awake to get through security for your flight?

I can sort of see why they don't want to get a hotel. My fear with a hotel and getting up at 3 am is that I'd sleep through the alarm or something. But I prefer that to the alternatives. Would be quite tempted by a taxi at 1 am, but miserable way to start the holiday. I'd likely get no sleep at all.

I’d get the taxi later. My dd does get to the airport at midnight but because she uses national express

I'll be another one to point out some airports shut up shop/lock doors/ kick sleepers out for a period overnight..

I'd get a hotel.

Team hotel. You could check in at 3pm, make the most of the facilities, early dinner, six hours' sleep before you go to the airport.

I'm wiser now and just can't do the red eyes anymore. Sadly I have just noticed that the ideal trip for me (guided so no alternatives) leaves at 06.10. I just couldn't do that. It would be either stay up all night, or go to bed at 7pm and definitely wouldn't sleep, toss and turn, crawl out, bleary eyed to sit in an airport at 4am, and all the "delights" that go with that. All to lose the first day and night of the trip in reality due to exhaustion and grumpiness!

Nowadays anything before midday is out. Any earlier and it takes hours to get to the airport in rush hour traffic and I'd have a conniption with worry.

Travelling is not the fun it once was. But there's always the ferry, which I do love now and then.

Oh and as for hotels, at my airport the cheapest I can find for the proposed date of my trip is over 150 quid as a solo. Not worth it for a few hours - for me anyway.

They need to get a later taxi or book a hotel. They wont be able to even check their bags in that early. We always book an airport hotel for an early flight and start our holiday a day early.

A few airports in Europe have an increasing homeless problem with airports. These homeless people realised that airports are usually open all night so started using them - particularly the toilet areas as they were warm and dry.

This has resulted in a massive increase in crime at airports as they aren't safe as you usually can't go through security until a few hours before.

It's also led to a crack down on the opening hours of airports and making the toilet areas pay to enter to keep out the homeless people.

It really depends on where they are intending on doing this.

Airport hotels are perfectly fine. Never had a problem with one. If anything they have to be decent because of the sheer amount of competition and use they get.

Yep..our local airport (Europe) starts closing and locking doors after about 2200, security start patroling (sometimes with dogs) and they lock up completely after the last aircraft movement until around 0400.

Edinburgh Airport has a Cafe Nero after security open 24 hrs, so presumably they let you through security to use it. The first lounge opens at 4.00am

I wouldn't waste money on a hotel if I would have to up so early as I probably wouldn't sleep anyway. More like to be able to doze at airport.

Yeah, I wonder that too!