Flying home - how often and which airports?

londonbus

Best try Sail-Rail:

Train and ferries - cheap too. You can book up to 1800 the day before you go.

Details here:


http://www.seat61.com/Ireland.htm

Misticles

I go home every two weeks.
Generally use Stansted though next month I'm flying into City

djpbarry

Misticles wrote: »

I go home every two weeks.

Jaysus - that must cost a fortune?

Zippy1991

Hi Guys,

Flying to Dublin from Luton Airport next Friday.
Flying at 8.25pm and finish work beside Bank Station at 5pm.

What's the best way to get to Luton Airport from there in terms of speed/cost/convenience.

Thanks

Zippy

exiledelbows

Get to Farringdon by tube and get any train from there heading to bedford and you should make it to Luton Airport Parkway between 6 and half 6. Cost is 15.60 according to National Rail Enquiries

ballsymchugh

djpbarry wrote: »

Jaysus - that must cost a fortune?

i flew every week a couple of years ago for about 6 months. booking well in advance and the flights cost about £40 return.

apart from the time that i went to check in once and realised i'd forgotten to book that weekend.:mad:

it's extremely tiring though. i don't envy those who have to get red eye flights a few times a week. it's a rotten existence.

tibor

Zippy1991 wrote: »

Hi Guys,

Flying to Dublin from Luton Airport next Friday.
Flying at 8.25pm and finish work beside Bank Station at 5pm.

What's the best way to get to Luton Airport from there in terms of speed/cost/convenience.

Train from Kings Cross to Luton Parkway and shuttle bus from there.
If you buy your ticket to "Luton Airport" and the shuttle bus is free.
The East Midlands service only stops twice on the way out, making it about 10-20 mins faster than FCC/SouthEastern, also much more comfortable.

vard

Zippy1991 wrote: »

Hi Guys,

Flying to Dublin from Luton Airport next Friday.
Flying at 8.25pm and finish work beside Bank Station at 5pm.

What's the best way to get to Luton Airport from there in terms of speed/cost/convenience.

Thanks

Zippy

Check out the Easy Bus. Book in advance online... costs next to nothing. 2 quid into central London, something like that.

Grandpa Hassan

I've been in London a year and a half. And flown every 3 weeks or so in that time. I swear by the Ryanair Gatwick route. I genuinely can't remember having any problems in all that time. I always pay the extra for the legroom seat, and never have baggage, so can turn up just before departure and sit comfortably in seat 1A.

Gatwick is the most pleasant of the big airports and as it runs with the lowest volumes against capacity of the main airports, there are far fewer delays. And the train is more reasonable (the 'slow' train is only 5 minutes slower than the 'express' and half the price)

vard

Heathrow is my airport of choice. Lived in west London on the Piccadilly line, and trusting that there are no delays I can be in and out of the airport in 10-15 minutes... so for the sake of convenience it can't be beaten. Prices tend to be a deterrent however.

Stanstead would be the airport I use the most. Generally the fares tend to be cheapest. The airport isn't bad. I've slept there overnight a couple of times. The Stanstead express offers a good service, however if I can I prefer to go for one of the cheaper bus routes that operate from there.

I don't particularly like Gatwick. Most delays I've experienced have been here. (Although I will say, my experience with Ryanair with regard to delays - while sometimes ridiculously expensive, as I have to book last minute flights - has been largely good) Gatwick has been a building site for the last number of years and I find it a little spread out. Fares are hit and miss... sometimes it's the cheapest route; sometimes it's the most expensive. Perhaps the 2 days I had to spend sleeping here during that miserable winter a few years back have left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Luton is a dump. It's a **** airport, it's out of the way and the choice of flights is rubbish. Once in a while they'll be the cheapest, so only then will go from there. The one positive is that the EasyBus is great value. It's not quick, it's not pleasant, but for 2 quid you can't complain. I'd recommend staying away from the train if travelling to/from Luton. While it's the fastest option, it's expensive, often overcrowded and it doesn't get you to the airport itself... you still have to pay for an additional shuttle bus to go from the station to the terminal.

I've never flown in/out of City airport. I can't afford it, but for any bankers out there I guess it's probably the only way to go. Again, I can never book in advance, so it doesn't work for me as the prices here tend to be 400 + return. If you're lucky enough to spot a bargain - or you can afford it - it could be the best... certainly the most convenient way to go.

I've done Southend a few times. Travel time is the longest and trains only run up to a certain time... but the flights tend to be the cheapest, so if you're particularly frugal it's definitely worth a look. The airport is basic and the services are limited, but it has at least comparable services to any of the bigger airports. Once you're there - it's quick and easy. Getting in / out is very fast... but the airport closes early - 11am If I remember correctly. I had to arrive early the night before a flight here as I realised the first train in the morning wouldn't get me there in time; I took one of the later trains the day before intending to sleep in the airport. I ended up being kicked out and slept outside under the railway bridge. Near enough froze my tits off. Airport opened again at 4am or so and in I went. Caught my flight at 6 something... the things I do to save a few bob.

Failing that, there's always the bus or rail and sail which I use every now and then. It isn't comfortable and it certainly isn't quick, but it will usually be cheapest way to go.

silvervixen84

Not a flying tip but still comes under the umbrella of travel - there's a discussion about megabus deals from London to Rosslare here:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056917897

I didn't know that megabus even offered that route, so it's handy to know as a backup. Prices start at £1 and that includes the ferry!

http://uk.megabus.com/England%20to%20Ireland.aspx

Misticles

ballsymchugh wrote: »

i flew every week a couple of years ago for about 6 months. booking well in advance and the flights cost about £40 return.

apart from the time that i went to check in once and realised i'd forgotten to book that weekend.:mad:

it's extremely tiring though. i don't envy those who have to get red eye flights a few times a week. it's a rotten existence.

My job covers the cost of flights

Welruc

Try to get back every two weeks, Stansted to Knock.

Ryanair have added a Friday evening flight which will make the weekends at home that bit longer, getting into Knock at 1:00pm on Saturday and heading off again the Monday morning was the pits

enda1

I almost always redeem airmiles (avios) on BA and so fly from Heathrow.

"Home" is London though not Ireland.

I generally go back every 3-4 months maximum unless there's a particular reason. Find it too much hassle (booking, packing, getting to airport, price of flights, missing out on stuff in London) to be going much more than that.

I usually go with Aer Lingus from Heathrow for the cheap tube journey, or Easyjet from Stansted to Belfast, taking the National Express coach from Golder's Green to the airport for just a few quid.