Travel to/from home airport?

immoral_angeluk

Hi all!
In May we're off to Majorca for 7 nights. It's the first time I've flown as an adult and parent (2 children) and there's 4 of us going (2 adults 2 children). As I've never been the one who's booked/organised a holiday for our family before since it's been at last 12 years since I last went abroad I'm a bit confused about the options for getting to/from our UK airport from home.
We're going from Birmingham Intl and as far as I'm aware my options are taxi or drive to/from the airport and park. ur outbound flight is 8am, return flight lunchtime.
Am I missing any other options? What would others recommend? I've had a quote for parking for the week with Airparks b'ham which was £22 park and ride which seemed pretty good, but I've only got a 2 door corsa and not sure 4 big suitcases 2 adults and 2 children would fit in it!

Any suggestions would be welcomed

silverhairgranny

Go the day before by rail using a family rail card, the train station is at the airport and stay overnight at the airport in a hotel and do you really need 4 big suitcases in the land of hand baggage but if booked already im sure your next holiday you will refine.
enjoy your family holiday.

Doshwaster

I would seriously looking at the packing. Do you really need 4 large suitcases for a week?

david39

I don't know specifically about Birmingham but here's what we do for Manchester for early morning flights:

Pre-book a hotel on or near the airport that offers a room and a week's free car parking.

This means you won't have to get up at an ungodly hour to drive and park at the airport on the day itself - if you're flying at 8.00, I don't know where you live, but I bet you are going to have to get up at at least 5.00 with all the hassle and worry of getting there and booking in on time.

You can get the travel part over the night before, your bags will be packed and tickets sorted at leisure - anything you wear overnight before you fly can be left in the car, so your main baggage does not need to be opened.

Get up an hour before you go to the airport, get ready at leisure and be ferried across to the departure hall.

We manage this for around £89 per room at Manchester - that's at an hotel on the airport itself, but cheaper off-airport.

Well worth the little extra for peace of mind of knowing that you have reached the airport on time - and not stuck in a motorway jam because of an unexpected accident.

immoral_angeluk

Doshwaster wrote: »

I would seriously looking at the packing. Do you really need 4 large suitcases for a week?

They're not large ones, they're medium sized. My car is rather lacking in space being a 2 door though so I'd struggle even to fit smaller ones in there!
NB: also I'm presuming 4 suitcases, we've not started packing yet so I may well be able to share suitcases with my daughters but not 100% sure yet! The 2nd adult is my best friend, not my partner, so it's not going to be practical to share a suitcase with her and I'm not sure what size she'll have yet!

richardw

immoral_angeluk wrote: »

The 2nd adult is my best friend, not my partner, so it's not going to be practical to share a suitcase with her and I'm not sure what size she'll have yet!

To avoid extra airline charges, she may want to have one that is within the airline's size and weight restrictions, same goes for her hand luggage.

immoral_angeluk

richardw wrote: »

To avoid extra airline charges, she may want to have one that is within the airline's size and weight restrictions, same goes for her hand luggage.

We've all got 20kg each, but I've not looked into the hand luggage requirements yet. that's another thing on my list!

dzug1

The Novotel (right on the airport) often has offers - and kids stay free with some of them

Rooms are (from memory) a double, a single settee bed and a rollaway so may not suit

There's also coach services to the airport from various places - you don't say where you are starting from so it's difficult to give more than vague advice

immoral_angeluk

dzug1 wrote: »

The Novotel (right on the airport) often has offers - and kids stay free with some of them

Rooms are (from memory) a double, a single settee bed and a rollaway so may not suit

There's also coach services to the airport from various places - you don't say where you are starting from so it's difficult to give more than vague advice

Oh sorry! My nearest main towns are either Wolverhampton or Stafford.

dzug1

Train to the airport would be very easy then - assuming reasonably social hours. There's a free monorail connection from Birmingham International Station

And I'd guess a pre-booked taxi from wherever you are wouldn't be that horrendous either.

richardw

Looks like the first train on a week day morning gets you there at 6am ish

05:24 Wolverhampton [WVH]
Platform 3
Birmingham International [BHI]
Platform 4
05:59