Money Saving Tips at UK Airports

Westin

I thought I would share a few Money Saving Expert tips for those of you who might be flying from Gatwick this year.

If you know of other free or discounted offers, please feel free to add to the thread.

Ditto for other UK airports as these below are currently available for travellers from Gatwick.

No need to buy the bottled water post-security
The water fountains are back! - so once again you can take an empty plastic water bottle through security and fill up your bottle with water once airside. In the North Terminal the water fountain is outside the toilets closest to the small Boots/Ted Baker store/Fat Face store. In the South Terminal the water fountain is on the upper level of the departure area just before the toilets in the area between Wagamama and the smaller World Duty Free shop and Sunglasses store.

Fancy a free coffee?
Sign up under “myGatwick” on the https://www.gatwickairport.com site and download a coupon for a free hot drink at Pret. Available for coffee, tea or hot chocolate. No obligation to buy anything else and having been though the airport three times in the past two weeks, this has been a great money saver for me. In fact the staff haven’t even looked at the downloaded coupon. Just waving my phone and saying that I had a coupon has been enough to get a free drink. Thanks Pret.:T

Don’t buy a newspaper – pick up a free one once you head for the gate.
Rather than buy a newspaper in WHSmith, there are newspaper stands on route to the gates in both North and South terminals offering certain complimentary newspapers. Normally the Daily Mirror, The I, Metro and Evening Standard are available and in plentiful supply when every I have been through the airport. A small selection of magazines can also be found there. Nothing to stop you wander to these pick up points, getting your newspaper and then returning to the departure lounge area to sit and read it whilst drinking your free Pret drink!

Some gate areas will also have a further supply of reading material. I have found gates used by Virgin Atlantic and British Airways often have a few additional newspaper and magazine titles such as the Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph and a better choice of more popular magazines. All free!

Free Wifi
Gatwick offers free wifi for 45 minutes but the connection button is the second button down on the option menu when you launch your browser after selecting the Gatwick Airport wifi. Be careful not to click the first button as it offers a paid for service via Bongo. If you register under “myGatwick” they double your free browsing time to 90 minutes.

Discount Coupons
The same myGatwick site has other discounted offers and money off coupons. Some may appeal more than others. If you are planning a large duty free spend or have a meal at the airport it might be worth looking to see if any deals suits.

I hope that these tips might help you save a few £££’s.

Feel free to add to this thread to share other money saving opportunities, either at Gatwick or at other airports!

SW17

Nice thread idea.

I don't use Gatwick a lot, but discovered MyGatwick recently and it's not bad. To your list I would add that it also includes a handy 10% discount on official airport car parks, and a discount at the Bloc hotel (though I haven't tried the hotel).

If flying easyJet with upfront/extra legroom seats or an easyJet Plus card, you also get priority security at LGW (and many other airports).

For Heathrow, here's a start:

Newspapers: There are also free newspapers at the gate, usually the Mail, i (short version of Independent) and sometimes the FT.

Wi-fi : free wi-fi throughout the terminals, use the _Heathrow Wi-Fi network and follow instructions. There is a faster version if you are a premium member of Heathrow Rewards (not sure how you get premium membership, they just assigned it to me automatically when they migrated from BAA Worldpoints after the sale of Gatwick).

Heathrow Rewards : A spend-based programme, unlike MyGatwick, but free to join so no downside. Effectively a 1% cash back (in voucher form), it's 1 point per £1 spend, with 500 points giving a £5 voucher. There are various points-boosting offers periodically. When redeeming, you get double the value if using for official LHR car parks (500 points = £10 discount).

Luton

As they spend a lot of effort chiselling money out of passengers, not so many opportunities here (stock up on plastic bags for liquids at other airports, as they charge £1 for them at LTN...).

However, there are also free newspapers (Daily Mirror usually, occasionally some others). If you want to use fast track security (also available via easyJet as mentioned above for LGW), booking it online in advance reduces the cost from £5 to £3 per person. No problem to book it the day before you fly.

peachyprice

For those travelling through airports that charge for liquids bags, they don't have to be those exact bags. I've been travelling for years with Ikea Istad resealable bags, £1.95 for 50, they're much stronger than the 'official' airport ones too.

aqua111

If you buy sandwiches at the airport, Boots are half the price of those at WH Smith and just as good if not better.
The drinks are also much cheaper.
Took me years to find this saving.

hxm

Thanks for this. I'm flying from Gatwick next weekend and will be enjoying my free drink and possibly the extra wi-fi while waiting for my flight!

SW17

aqua111 wrote: »

If you buy sandwiches at the airport, Boots are half the price of those at WH Smith and just as good if not better.
The drinks are also much cheaper.
Took me years to find this saving.

Good point, and this especially applies at London City Airport, where food and drink can be extremely expensive, but Boots meal deals are £3-4 and sandwiches available from only £1.

johnc

SW17 wrote: »

Good point, and this especially applies at London City Airport, where food and drink can be extremely expensive, but Boots meal deals are £3-4 and sandwiches available from only £1.

Yes London City is close to me and definitely expensive since its geared to the Bankers I suppose. Thats where I use my Boots gift cards for sandwiches etc there

baby-mechanic

Take an empty water bottle whichever airport I'm travelling through ...

If there's no water fountain, I ask at the coffee/bar for cold tap water ... yet to be refused !

Kernow666

the Boots meal deal is cracking compared to having a meal in one of the restaurants

Backbiter

I think the free public buses around Heathrow can be a big money saver. if you're in a hotel on Bath Rd you can hop on one and get to the central bus station or T5 for nothing.

maman

aqua111 wrote: »

If you buy sandwiches at the airport, Boots are half the price of those at WH Smith and just as good if not better.
The drinks are also much cheaper.
Took me years to find this saving.

I always use my Boots Advantage card there too.