Do we stay night before at Gatwick?

[jtlover]

Usually we stay the night before at a airport hotel at Gatwick but cant decide whether it is necessary since we have upgraded to premium. With premium it is easier to check in right?

So to save money would it be easier to drive early morning? We are driving from Oxfordshire and the flight is 11.15 a.m.

Any thoughts?

 

[Andrew Bichard]

We live less than two hours from Gatwick, and always stay at an airport hotel the night before, even when flying Premium or Upper Class. Last check-in will probably be 9:15 am.

Staying overnight gives great peace of mind. No rushing around, a leisurely breakfast, no worries about traffic delays, punctures or breakdowns. And an extra day's holiday too!

Andrew

 

[Disney owl]

We are in the process of looking at Gatwick hotels for our trip to Las Vegas.

If you want to save money Travelodge have some rooms bookable on the internet for £26.

 

[Boo Boo Too]

When flying longhaul, we usually fly Business Class (BA/Virgin/Continental). If we fly from Gatwick, then we always stay in a hotel overnight before we fly. We live about 2.5 hours from Gatwick, BUT there is ALWAYS something icky on the Southern part of the M25... so it always takes longer to get there.

As Andrew you will want to be there at about 9am (for an 11.15 flight), maybe a little earlier (since you need to park the car, wait for a bus, then get to the airport - unless you do "meet and greet" parking, of course... then 9am would be fine).

I don't know how long it takes you to get to Gatwick, but you would need some contingency in your time (to allow for problems). If you are going on a weekend, it shouldn't be too bad (a weekday would be a nightmare - rush hour...).

Also, depending on how long you are going for, you can get some very reasonable hotel/parking packages (look at holidayextras.co.uk) for really not much more at all than just the parking (£20/£30 more).

Like Andrew, I find staying at Gatwick the night before a LOT less stressful way to start the holiday and it is quite exciting . I would also rather stress about "have I got everything" at 7pm the night before rather than 5.30am the morning we fly...

Boo

 

[Kymie]

If you dont stay overnight make sure you leave really early, as latest info from Virgin (yesterday) still says allow PLENTY of time for security checks etc! Have a great time!

 

[Andrew Bichard]

latest info from Virgin (yesterday) still says allow PLENTY of time for security checks etc! Have a great time!

We flew Upper Class in September. Virgin Premium & Upper use the 'Express' line through security. In past years we have always walked straight through. This time security was mobbed with massive lines, even 'Express'. It took us 30-45 minutes on line before we got to the 'Express' security entrance.

Andrew

 

[martinrmn]

We are driving from Wales on Nov 30th for Dec 1st flight at 11.00am. We did think briefly about driving early morning and saving £100.00. However, a friend of mine broke down doing this and just managed to get her flight a couple of years ago. Since then things have changed and security is very tight as we all know. I could save £100.00 but what happens oif we miss the flight because of accidents, breakdown etc? I would rather get there the night before, relax with the family and a beer knowing that in the next few hours we were going to see Mickey and co.

 

[Miffy2003]

I always like to stay over the night before. It means a nice, relaxing start to the holiday (and it starts a day sooner, too )

We are a good three and a half hour drive from LGW and I would be worried about the car breaking down or something if I didn't travel up the day before

 

[gilld]

Last month it took us over 4 hours to travel the 70 miles to LHR from home because there was an accident on the M4 and we were trapped between junctions. Luckily we were staying at the Renaissence so it didn't matter that we were very late. The moral is - go the day before!

 

[Cyrano]

Last month it took us over 4 hours to travel the 70 miles to LHR from home because there was an accident on the M4 and we were trapped between junctions. Luckily we were staying at the Renaissence so it didn't matter that we were very late. The moral is - go the day before!

I'd go for night before.

 

[natalielongstaff]

Last month it took us over 4 hours to travel the 70 miles to LHR from home because there was an accident on the M4 and we were trapped between junctions. Luckily we were staying at the Renaissence so it didn't matter that we were very late. The moral is - go the day before!

go the night before,just for peace of mind

 

[wildwoods]

Night before, relax have a nice meal, reccy of the airport and a good sleep. Starts the holiday early with none of the anxiety of the rush to the airport, car crushed clothes the " have I got syndrome my passport", feeling lousy for having to get up so early.
£100 for extra days holiday and peace of mind is worth it.

 

[fuse04]

We usually drive up (65 miles) early morning but am always anxious about traffic problems/missing flight etc which results in tensions! For next year we have booked a B & B jus down the road so that we can relax a bit and have no worries in getting to the airport

Fuse04

 

[nibbo]

We've stayed at a Hotel the night before both times we've gone. It's more exciting as your holiday starts a day earlier, we drive straight to Gatwick 1st and do the twilight checkin, then check in at the Hotel. Go out for a nice meal and have a relaxed evening and early night. No rushing about the next morning, drive to the carpark and get shuttled to the airport. If you get an all in one hotel and parking package it costs very little more than if you just turned up and paid for your parking. I wouldn't think twice about doing it any other way.

Nick

 

[feistyblue]

We live in Oxfordshire too and always stay at a hotel the night before if we are flying from Heathrow or Gatwick. A much nicer, less stressful way to start a holiday - the M25 bit down to Gatwick always seems to be a nightmare too. You only need one accident on the M40/M4 or M25 to cause big delays.

 

[Jules224]

We are staying the night before for peace of mind and a great way to start the holiday.

 

[irongirlof12]

Stay over the night before - we did not do this one year and had to get up at 3a.m. in the morning to drive down for flight. I was soooo.. worried that we would miss our flight.. on reflection it was not worth the worry...and we still had to pay for 15 nights parking so in the end it only works out a bit more expensive to overnight at hotel with parking incl.