How do you get to the airport?

[archibald]

After reading multiple posts over the years about the boot size of hire cars, I've always wondered how people get to the airport? Most of the cars in the UK are smaller than those in the US so surely if you can drive/taxi to the airport here, then you can fit in a car stateside?

Maybe I'm missing something, but as most people seem to fly to airports close to Orlando, the stay in the same hotel/move once, surely a bag across the knees or a stacked seat can be tolerated twice for a short amount of time.

[Do5-BaG]

It depends what car you rent/hire in the US, some people go for small compacts due to price and they can be anything from a Ford Fiesta to Fiat 500.

In terms of getting to the Airport, usually Taxi or if travelling a bit further than Newcastle (Manchester say) I'll drive and leave my car in the multi-story.

[Andybear]

I can't drive so get a train. I go solo and take one suitcase. Also a backpack for hand luggage.

[Goosey-Lucy]

We normally get the train to Gatwick, but will be driving this year as we figured we can get all suitcases in the car and we know our hire car is bigger

[400ixl]

Usually fly from our regional airport so get a taxi. Far more convenient than a 2-3 jaunt to a main London airport. Would rather spend those 2-3 hours in a stopover airport like Schipol. If we do use a London airport I tend to drive down, often the night before depending on departure time.

As we tend to do road trip type holidays in the US we tend to have a decent sized SUV for the 3 of us so no issues with luggage space.

We also use holdalls rather than hard shell cases which also helps get things into smaller spaces.

[Cez]

We fly from Manchester as we are only around 40 minutes away. In Orlando, we have either had a people carrier when we have been with family or got a Ford Mustang convertible or similar when we have been just me and my husband and there was enough room for our luggage. In the Mustang, we usually put one case in the boot and one on the back seat because of it being a convertible but no issues.

[FlorayG]

Sometimes I drive sometimes I get a taxi
But I only have one case and a small carry-on bag so I don't need much room

[catherinesian]

We get a lift from family. There are 3 big cars in the family so can always get our luggage in.

[cornishfrogboy]

We normally have driven from Falmouth to LHR or LGW and have always dreaded the ‘redeye’ Drive of 5 hrs plus from LHR or 6.5 hrs plus from LGW. This year it is an ‘open jawed’ rail ticket to LGW with just 2 stops (Truro and Reading) , which cost the four of us £290 including the rail ticket. The journey time is just over 6 hrs. We always preposition, given the distance and margin for last minute disaster so whichever way, it is a night in the Prem Inn.
On this occasion (LGW), the drive is 330 miles and thus 660 return and an average fast road speed of 75 mph plus possible messing around on the zM25 at rush hour on the evening of arrival and the morning of return (lands at 0650) gives a petrol cost of £120 ( ish or even more). Parking would have been around £140 for the 22 days and thus the rail journey is both safe and only £30 more whilst travelling in comfort and doubtless drinking Champagne with our picnic on the way up in facing seats.
The fact that last year my car was damaged in Purple parking at LHR, yet they successfully denied all responsibility makes things even easier.

As for baggage, we are normally around 12kg each in smallish suitcases and in any case, 4 of them fit easily in a BMW 1 series boot. This year it is ‘Hand baggage only as we have both got lighter cases and in addition, have a total of 4 flights in the US over the 21 days so the added up costs would be rather high. Putting them in our 2 x Jetta sized hire car rentals should pose no problem at all.

My wife test pack last week came in at 8.5kg and we should achieve our objective easily. I guess it depends how much you want to take! Being ex military I/we travel very light and small.

[RickT]

Drive and park in official meet and greets.

I dont do public transport with the kids and cases!