When you are all packed and ready to get to the airport for your hard earned holiday – what method of transport do you use? There could be public transport options, taxi, chauffer, hire car or even drive your own car considerations to name a few. If you don’t get the timing of any of these right then it could have a significant impact on your holiday and in fact, you could even miss your flight! All of these different options have their positives and negatives depending on your budget and location to the airport.
Public Transport
Most international airports will have a good link to public transport options which could be train, tram or bus. Depending on where it is you are coming, this may be a pretty viable option. The UK public transport is not known for being the most reliable in the world therefore if this is the option that you consider taking then make sure that you factor this risk into this. You would want to plan enough buffer time in for something going wrong in order for you to re-plan in the worst case scenario. Usually the public transport option will be the most cost effective and if you book things such as trains in advance, you could find yourself snapping up a good deal. If you are travelling from London Heathrow airport then you have the benefit of a pretty reliable underground system that connects to the different terminals from central London.
Airport Parking
You may decide that you want to use your own motor vehicle and take the drive to the airport yourself. This is a pretty simple and efficient way to get there however it could be quite costly. There is official Birmingham Airport parking companies that you can search online in order to try and get a good deal in advance as if you do not plan this and just turn up at the airport you could find yourself paying an arm or a leg. Birmingham Airport parking cheap options are available and the further in advance that you book this, the better the deal you will receive. One of the biggest sales points about Birmingham Parking is that you will have the option to choose which car park you wish to park in. These all have different costs associated with them depending on the length of time it is that you would be leaving your car there for, but almost all of them are also only a few minutes’ walk from the departure terminal. You can even choose some packages to include having you car washed and hoovered as part of the deal!
Chauffer
If your budget expands to this then it could be an option to hire a chauffeur company to come and pick you up from your home and take you to the airport. This is usually a pretty expensive option but again, if you plan it well in advance it may not be as expensive as you originally imagined. You will then arrive at the airport in style in what is normally an executive type car where the driver will drop you off as close to departures as possible making you right on the doorstep. If you then choose to have the same company come and pick you up from the airport when you have arrived back from your holiday, normally they will wait outside the departure lounge with a sign with your name on it and then take you direct to the car (they usually will also offer to take your bags from you). You will feel like royalty and they will make this as hassle free as possible for you but it does usually come at a price!
Car Hire
Most airports have car hire companies on their doorstep that are only too happy to give you a car either to drop off and go on your holiday or to pick up when you arrive back in the UK. These car hire companies offer many different prices depending on what type and style of car you are looking to use, size of engine etc. The mechanics of using a car hire company can be pretty simple. You could get the car delivered to your home for a small fee (usually around £12 but will vary depending on your distance from the car hire company location), pack your stuff in the boot, drive to airport and then dump the car at the car hire place. It is highly recommended that if you use this method that you fill the car back up with petrol before giving it back as if the car hire company does this, they will charge you an inflated price for the hassle. Do not automatically go for the cheapest car when looking to hire as things such as the excess (if you are unfortunate enough to have an accident) can be extremely expensive on the cheaper options so if could be a lot more sensible to pay a few pounds extra to get a better package in case something terrible like this was to happen.
Luggage Service
Did you know that you can travel to the airport luggage free? There are many different services nowadays that offer pick up of the luggage from your home / hotel and deliver this to the airport on your behalf. The next time you see the luggage is when you get off the plane at the other site in departures. People are always scared that their luggage may get lost however these sort of companies have a pretty good track record and there is a level of insurance in place for this also. If you are considering this option, before going online to see what companies use this, actually have a look at things such as your bank account as sometimes if you have a good account, they will offer this service as an added freebie extra. The costs of paying for this yourself is not normally high and if you have opted for the public transport option in order to get yourself to the airport then this luggage delivery service may prove to be the perfect solution.
Plan for Delays
No matter what one of these options you decide to use, plan for delays! If you miss your flight then it could be the end of your holiday or it could be an extremely expensive transfer to get you onto another flight. The road network system in the UK can be extremely unpredictable therefore it is important you put in some fat to ensure that you have accounted for something like an accident in a motorway. Modern satellite navigation systems will take into account the current traffic therefore it may be an idea to ensure that you have this capability that will help divert you to an alternative route in case there is an issue. Also bear in mind, if your flight is delayed, that does not necessarily mean you can arrive at the airport late. The airline will still expect you to have checked in well in advance.
