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Original poster

Am I unreasonable not booking an overnight stay before our Heathrow flight?

64 replies

SillyDenimMember · 09/04/2026 11:33

So we've booked flights for an amazing 2 week Canadian fly/drive holiday with our DS, all planned very last minute/less than 6 months.

My partner is now panicking and suggesting changing or outbound flights as they are booked for 2pm departure from LHR for a 13 hour flight with 1 short layover arriving at destination late in the evening.

It will take us approx 3 hours to get from home city to LHR by train (of which there are plenty) and my partner likes to be at the airport 3 hours before check-in.

The sticking point...

Partner would like to either change flights to do early morning outbound and stay at a hotel near LHR, or keep the 2pm but still stay overnight the night before.

My argument is that there is plenty of time to not have to book a hotel and make our way to LHR on the day in time for check-in, even if there were some train disruptions. E.g. 4 hour drive in a hire car as a backup.

My partner thinks I'm unrealistic and stupid for not planning extra time for things to go wrong.

Am I being unreasonable?

OP posts:
isthismylifenow · 09/04/2026 12:20

Realistically, you will get there fine for the 2pm flight by leaving home early that morning.

But if this is stressing your DH out (some people just like to be super prepared for a long journey), just head down the day before and stay over. Make it one extra day of the holiday.

Personally I would just take the early train the day of, but is there any point starting the holiday off one of the party being highly stressed, when its easy enough to alleviate.

Caspianberg · 09/04/2026 12:24

Yes I would stay night before. Not because of panic, but more so you can all sleep in and start long journey well rested.

otherwise for 2pm flight, if your aiming for 11am arrival, and it’s 3+hr by train plus getting from yours to station and timetable, means your probably on 7.30am train, so up by 5.30-6am to eat and shower before etc

Stay at hotel. It’s like £200 so a tiny chunk of large holiday and means you all start the holiday relaxed. You can then all sleep in or rest at least ( if son wakes early), have large late breakfast 9-10pm so your not starving before flight, and then your also don’t add 3-4hrs travel time of one day which is a lot for kids. If you have 3hrs in airport, 13hr flight and travel other end already.

purplecorkheart · 09/04/2026 12:26

Personally I would be staying in the hotel. Trains break down etc. I would not fancy being on a peak time train with luggage etc or the early start. I would travel the afternoon before. Have a nice dinner and a glass of wine. I would then have a lie in and have a leisurely breakfast. If you are in a hotel in Heathrow you could go and drop your bags and then go back to room to chill.

Arlanymor · 09/04/2026 12:30

In a previous relationship I was the one who would always want to book an overnight beforehand and then enjoy mooching around the airport before the flight. My ex was very much 'turn up just before the gates close'. In 47 years I have never missed a flight or encountered extra financial outlay as a result. He's missed four flights. I wouldn't risk my holiday if you're relying on public transport and aren't close to the airport.

Snoken · 09/04/2026 12:40

I would much rather stay in London for a night than at the airport if my flight wasn't until 2pm. Then you can spend the day before doing fun things, have a very relaxed morning and still get to the airport with plenty of time.

Am805463 · 09/04/2026 12:43

I would definitely stay overnight, would only take a traffic jam or flat tyre and you’d miss your flight. We payed £50 at the nearby premier inn and it was worth every penny to know we were right near the airport already. Our flight wasn’t until after lunch either - it just extended our holiday by a day!

ETA - just noticed you said you were getting a train - I’d still enjoy a leisurely trek down the day before and make the most of a relaxing time!

hahabahbag · 09/04/2026 12:46

Less than 6 months isn’t last minute, do you mean 6 weeks?

no I wouldn’t stay, I’d book an early morning coach myself, done it loads of times

estrogone · 09/04/2026 12:58

EdinaMonsoonsWardrobe · 09/04/2026 11:40

I would keep the 2pm and stay in a hotel overnight and have a nice leisurely breakfast. If you've spent that much on a trip what's one extra night in a hotel? I'm with your partner tbh I would want to relax on the morning of a flight. But I'm a colossal stress head tbf.

This

VimesandhisCardboardBoots · 09/04/2026 12:59

I think he's panicking for nothing, but whats the harm in booking a hotel for the night before anyway?

It'll mean a calmer DH, you get to start your holiday earlier, can go for a nice meal the night before, have a bit of a lazy morning rather than having to get up early and rush to the airport, leaving you all a bit less stressed on your first day of your holiday

C152 · 09/04/2026 13:00

Your partner is right in that you should plan extra time for delays (especially when relying on national rail!). As to whether it's reasonable to stay overnight...If you're confident the trains will actually be running, then you have plenty of time to get to the airport. But I imagine you'd both be pretty disappointed if you missed the flight due to an unexpected delay. I think I'd grudgingly fork out for a hotel the night before, just for the peace of mind.

WonderfulSmith · 09/04/2026 13:03

Firesidechatter · 09/04/2026 12:02

He’s right in that 3 hours is advisable for long haul. Which means ideally you’re at healthrow by 11.

if it’s a three hour train, then you need to be at the train station by 8 with your cases ready to go. If the train is last min cancelled or delayed, you don’t have time to go hire a car and get there on time. As it’s a four hour drive. So you could run into issues.

so it would be advisable to be on the train by 7 giving yourself some leeway. Queues can be horrific at Heathrow. And you need to get from train station to check in or from car park.

personally unless a financial issue. I’d go the night before, have a leisurely journey down, a nice down, get up, nice brekkie. Checkout and wander over and check in

so im team husband,

Add to that the cost of the train. If they go to Heathrow the night before then the train will likely be cheaper than the 7 or 8am one.

Meadowfinch · 09/04/2026 13:06

A 2pm flight, so arrive at the airport at 10am, so leave your home city at 7am. That allows an extra 2 hours for holdups and eventualities.

I wouldn't book an over night stay but I fly all the time, and I hate hanging around in airports.

I guess if your partner is the nervous type, and he's prepared to pay the extra £150...

stardrops1 · 09/04/2026 13:08

i thought your flight would be in the morning from your thread title. Personally I think 2pm leaves you plenty of time in the morning and you can leave earlier if that would reassure your partner.

Lordofmyflies · 09/04/2026 13:11

If the flight leaves at 2pm, I'd be getting a 7.30 am train. Thats plenty..you'll still arrive 3.30 hrs before the flight. If anything goes wrong you have the option to drive. I wouldn't be staying overnight.

WhatsitWiggle · 09/04/2026 13:11

I normally wouldn't stay over unless it's an AM flight. However, this sounds like quite a journey (13 hour flight) so it might be nice to make a thing of staying over beforehand. But in a hotel with easy access - relying on the airport buses is painful as they are not all that frequent.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 09/04/2026 13:15

I'm team husband. Airport hotels tend to be quite cheap and it removes the stress.

GG27 · 09/04/2026 13:17

your partner likes to arrive3 hours before check in opens? Or before departure? How old is your DS as that would make a difference for me

EasterDecoration · 09/04/2026 13:17

If your 8am train doesn't run, a 4 hour hire car drive isn't a useful backup for a 2pm
flight. How are you getting to the station? Where is the car hire place? If I was driving myself in my own car I'd say no problem travelling in the morning (allowing plenty of time) but public transport not so much, I'd go hotel.

ErlingHaalandsManBun · 09/04/2026 13:20

I'm with your DH on this one.

Why give yourself the extra stress of travelling down on the day when you can stay overnight in a Hotel the night before? Sleep, rest, have a nice breakfast and then have a stress free journey to the airport?

You have a long journey ahead of you so take your time and enjoy the night in the Hotel and you will be fully rested for the journey ahead of you.

14Sorrow22Bad · 09/04/2026 13:20

I think the hotel will be cheaper than buying three peak rate early morning tickets. Also less stressful!

dizzydizzydizzy · 09/04/2026 13:21

I stayed in a Premier Inn around the corner from
LHR recently. It was cheap and easy to get to. (Regular bus from tbe airport - 10 minute ride)

I would book that.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 09/04/2026 13:22

A two pm departure is pretty much the norm for Us or Canadian west coast flights so I doubt there are any earlier flights (your inbound plane would probably arrive around 11am). I would also consider staying at an airport hotel the night before hand due to potential problems on the railways like engineering works or diversion of service.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 09/04/2026 13:24

You also do not want short layovers at airports.

CandiedPrincess · 09/04/2026 13:25

Meadowfinch · 09/04/2026 13:06

A 2pm flight, so arrive at the airport at 10am, so leave your home city at 7am. That allows an extra 2 hours for holdups and eventualities.

I wouldn't book an over night stay but I fly all the time, and I hate hanging around in airports.

I guess if your partner is the nervous type, and he's prepared to pay the extra £150...

I think that's the difference here. I fly 1-2 times a month for work so it doesn't bother me at all, I'm not a flapper when it comes to travel but I guess if you don't do it so much you focus more on the unknowns.

I wouldn't book the night before but if it's going to cause stress, could be worth it.

notimagain · 09/04/2026 13:26

As much as anything I'd seriously consider night before in hotel because of the length of the travelling day:

0800 train, so up at what time to make that?
1400 UK time flight departure..then..
13 hour journey (2 flights)...

So at the earliest arrive at destination Canadian airport at maybe 0300 UK time....(yes early evening Canadian time but TBH on that's almost irrelevant).

Then customs etc and then journey of ? far to hotel for night one...?

Bed at 0400-0500 UK time/on the body clock if lucky....that's a heck of a day and has the potential to take the shine off day one of the holiday at the very least.

Taking an LHR hotel (within easy reach of the terminal) before allows a bit of a lie in before the travelling day starts and that, incidently, gives a head start on acclimatising to whatever Candian time zone the OP is headed for.