Having a holiday can require a lot of preparation and planning so take away one of the stresses by planning your airport run in advance.
Each method of travel has its own awkward and time-wasting components, which we all try to avoid when taking a holiday, see below for assistance on planning yours.
Each method of travel has its own awkward and time-wasting components, which we all try to avoid when taking a holiday, see below for assistance on planning yours.
AIRPORT RUNS - BE ONE STEP AHEAD!
DRIVING
Pros
The biggest bonus for driving yourself is that you can pack your car the day before, which will give you ample time on the day of travel to get other things organised. By driving to the airport you can leave at whichever time suits you best and take the journey at your own pace. If necessary, this allows you to travel from door-to-door to collect other holiday makers with ease, allowing yourself and your passengers time to relax and listen to your own music or play games with the children.
Another advantage to driving yourself is that if you have any delays on your return flight then you are able to just head home straight away without the fuss of organising alternative transport which will only lengthen your stay at the airport.
Cons
As you are driving yourself you won’t be able to drink on the plane or at the airport on return, so if you struggle with flight anxiety you may want to take an alternative method of transport. You’ll also need to be able to keep alert after being jet lagged, so be prepared for this.
Another downside is that airport parking is generally very expensive. To avoid the expenses of parking you could use alternative parking companies other than the airports as these may be cheaper. However, these car parks tend to be located off-site meaning that you will need to take the free bus from the car park to the terminal, adding time to your journey. Or you could ask a family member or friend that isn’t going on the holiday to give you a lift rather than drive yourself, thus having the benefits of driving but not the worries.
TAXI
Pros
Taxis can be a useful service as they’ll pick you and your fellow holiday makers up at any time you request, they can also offer a handy door-to-door service as well. Most taxi companies will have mini buses/multi-seater vehicles so that if there is a big group of you travelling or you have a lot of luggage then there is ample room for you to pack all of your belongings in the taxi. Without the stress of driving you can relax on the journey.
Taxis can be arranged to pick you up for when you arrive back and if there are delays you just need to phone ahead to inform them. Many taxi companies will actually check up on your flight times if you inform them of the details.
Cons
If the journey is far from the airport then a taxi can be a costly alternative. You can usually reduce this cost however, by booking both journeys to and from the airport at a fixed price prior to leaving. Another disadvantage is that some taxis will have a limited space to pack your luggage and unlike driving you won’t be able to pack the day prior to leaving. Also, not to forget, if you are travelling with young children you’ll need to be prepared with a car seat and a place to store it once you’ve arrived at the airport.
COACH AND BUS
Pros
The main bonus about travelling by coach is that they will usually drop you off directly at one of the terminals, which means you shouldn’t have too far to travel with your luggage or children. Another pro is the cost of coach travel, it is generally an inexpensive option, leaving you with more spending money for your holiday.
Cons
The downside to travelling by coach is that you will have to get to the pick-up point. Depending on the time of travel and where this pickup point is in relation to your house it can be difficult to get to and costly. Also, because coaches are timetable based, you’ll need to schedule your travel around this, consequently this could entail a long wait at the airport especially if there is a delay to your flights.
One more disadvantage is the luggage space provided by coaches, if you are taking a large amount of luggage or have larger items e.g. skis, then it could prove difficult to pack them onto the coach so you’ll need to inform the coach company before hand to check that they’ll actually take these.
Coaches are also likely to stop off at several points throughout your journey, meaning this can be a much slower trip, so you’ll need to leave home much earlier. They can also be very uncomfortable and difficult if you have children as there may not be any available seats in close proximity to each other.
DRIVING
Pros
The biggest bonus for driving yourself is that you can pack your car the day before, which will give you ample time on the day of travel to get other things organised. By driving to the airport you can leave at whichever time suits you best and take the journey at your own pace. If necessary, this allows you to travel from door-to-door to collect other holiday makers with ease, allowing yourself and your passengers time to relax and listen to your own music or play games with the children.
Another advantage to driving yourself is that if you have any delays on your return flight then you are able to just head home straight away without the fuss of organising alternative transport which will only lengthen your stay at the airport.
Cons
As you are driving yourself you won’t be able to drink on the plane or at the airport on return, so if you struggle with flight anxiety you may want to take an alternative method of transport. You’ll also need to be able to keep alert after being jet lagged, so be prepared for this.
Another downside is that airport parking is generally very expensive. To avoid the expenses of parking you could use alternative parking companies other than the airports as these may be cheaper. However, these car parks tend to be located off-site meaning that you will need to take the free bus from the car park to the terminal, adding time to your journey. Or you could ask a family member or friend that isn’t going on the holiday to give you a lift rather than drive yourself, thus having the benefits of driving but not the worries.
TAXI
Pros
Taxis can be a useful service as they’ll pick you and your fellow holiday makers up at any time you request, they can also offer a handy door-to-door service as well. Most taxi companies will have mini buses/multi-seater vehicles so that if there is a big group of you travelling or you have a lot of luggage then there is ample room for you to pack all of your belongings in the taxi. Without the stress of driving you can relax on the journey.
Taxis can be arranged to pick you up for when you arrive back and if there are delays you just need to phone ahead to inform them. Many taxi companies will actually check up on your flight times if you inform them of the details.
Cons
If the journey is far from the airport then a taxi can be a costly alternative. You can usually reduce this cost however, by booking both journeys to and from the airport at a fixed price prior to leaving. Another disadvantage is that some taxis will have a limited space to pack your luggage and unlike driving you won’t be able to pack the day prior to leaving. Also, not to forget, if you are travelling with young children you’ll need to be prepared with a car seat and a place to store it once you’ve arrived at the airport.
COACH AND BUS
Pros
The main bonus about travelling by coach is that they will usually drop you off directly at one of the terminals, which means you shouldn’t have too far to travel with your luggage or children. Another pro is the cost of coach travel, it is generally an inexpensive option, leaving you with more spending money for your holiday.
Cons
The downside to travelling by coach is that you will have to get to the pick-up point. Depending on the time of travel and where this pickup point is in relation to your house it can be difficult to get to and costly. Also, because coaches are timetable based, you’ll need to schedule your travel around this, consequently this could entail a long wait at the airport especially if there is a delay to your flights.
One more disadvantage is the luggage space provided by coaches, if you are taking a large amount of luggage or have larger items e.g. skis, then it could prove difficult to pack them onto the coach so you’ll need to inform the coach company before hand to check that they’ll actually take these.
Coaches are also likely to stop off at several points throughout your journey, meaning this can be a much slower trip, so you’ll need to leave home much earlier. They can also be very uncomfortable and difficult if you have children as there may not be any available seats in close proximity to each other.