Atlantic City International Airport

[mieuxmew]

We have a 6 am flight leaving Atlantic City Airport (ACY) to Orlando. We live almost 2 hours from the airport, so we would have to leave our house at 3 am! I am considering staying at a hotel overnight the night before. My husband thinks we should not bother, and just leave home at 3 am. I think we would be more relaxed and would be a bit more rested. Decent hotels in the area would cost about $75-100/night after taxes. Traveling will be my self, husband, and 6 year old twins.

Anyone stay in any of these hotels before? The Clarion has a shuttle to the airport for $10 each way per adult (free for kids) and allow you to park at the hotel for free. Parking at ACY airport is $9 each day for 8 days totaling $72. Cost of shuttle would be $40 round trip (2 adults - kids free), saving $32. Hotel has good reviews. Worth it? The airport is pretty easy, so not sure shuttle helps. Our return flight gets in at 11:30pm. Thus, would have to add time to call shuttle, pick us up and take us back to hotel, which is 10 minutes away.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated! To stay or not to stay. And if stay, where to stay. We will have an umbrella stroller, two car seats and one checked suitcase. (I am sending other 2 suitcases Fedex - much easier and for $6 more ($8 returning) than $18 Spirit charges club members for 40# can ship 50# and not risk oversize bag fee. The suitcases I am shipping are 61 linear inches not including wheels. I am also saving money because with less luggage I can rent a car instead of SUV or minivan.)

Thanks in advance!!

As an aside, my friend just returned home 2 days ago from the Disney Cruise. His minivan was parked at Newark airport. When he got to the lot to get his car, he was greeted with "so sorry - your car was flooded by hurricane Irene." Now his car is totaled and he is shopping for a new minivan! Guess this is in the stuff happens category. Not a good end to an otherwise great vacation.

 

[njmom47]

We use ACY when we fly but we live about 45 mins from there. In your situation, I would stay overnight at a local hotel, and the deal you mentioned seems pretty good, especially the free parking at the hotel part! What time would the shuttle leave the hotel? Would that time be much later than the time you have to leave your house? If you have to LEAVE your house at 3am you would have to be awake even earlier than that (guessing you'll have your vehicle packed and will only have to grab last minute items). AC is a great airport. Good luck whatever you decide!

 

[mieuxmew]

The Clarion takes reservations for the shuttle to the airport. The hotel suggests a pick up time of 5 am to get to the airport for a 6am flight. We would be dropped off curbside and not need to park the car, so it would save time.

Returning I think is less helpful. Landing at 11:30 pm, call for pick up, getting luggage and going back to hotel to car seems like it would add some time and we would have two hour drive home.

There is a Best Western that also gets good reviews that is $20 less than the Clarion. The Clarion looks a bit nicer. Difference in staying at Best Western and driving ourselves to airport/paying to park and staying at Clarion with shuttle would be about $10, favoring Clarion.

There is also a Days Inn Egg Harbour that is priced between the two w/ AAA discount. All about 10 minutes from Airport.

Clarion $84 (has airport shuttle)
Days Inn $73
Best Western $63

Do you think the car would be secure at hotel versus airport?

 

[CleveRocks]

Each of those 3 hotels is just fine for what you want. None are right next to the airport. The Days Inn is the closest, but not by a lot. The airport shuttle at the Clarion sounds like a great idea (I didn't even know they had one!). Friends of mine own the Best Western and I know it is a well-run place.

Anyway, I think staying overnight is a great idea. I live next to Atlantic City (the actual city, not the airport 11 miles onto the mainland) and when we fly out of Philadelphia or Newark we always stay overnight near that airport ... for us, it makes for a much less stressful morning ... you don't have to wake up as early, you don't have top stress as much about the long drive (flat tire, construction causing traffic tie-ups even in the wee hours of the morning, etc.).

 

[njmom47]

You could stay at the hotel and drive to the airport. I didn't think about your car being safe at the hotel, but I'm sure it would be, or the return trip. It might be worth it to park at the airport, even if you do stay overnight at the hotel...then on the return trip, you can just get your car and head home.