Airport Transfer or Drive Yourself – Which is Better?

Flying can help you access fantastic experiences – ranging from indulgent holidays to career-boosting work events.

However, getting to and from the airport with all your luggage can be a bit of a hassle. And the more people you’re travelling with, the trickier it can be!

You’ll also have to decide whether you want to contact a minibus hire company for an airport transfer or drive yourself. In this post, we’ll explore five crucial points to consider as you make your choice.

1. Parking

Perhaps the clearest downside of driving to the airport is parking.

Airport parking isn’t cheap, to say the least. You might also worry that your car isn’t safe if you have to leave it at an airport car park for a long time. What’s more, once you leave your car behind, you’ll have to navigate through the car park to your correct part of the airport – often requiring a shuttle transfer in itself.

Airport transfers let you enjoy yourself on your trip without worrying about damage to your car or the parking fees that are adding up while you’re away. And if you’re in a group of people who have all decided to ditch their cars in favour of a shared minibus, you could benefit from huge savings.

Of course, an airport transfer from an experienced minibus hire company also means you’ll be dropped off right in front of the correct airport entrance. You won’t have to tug your bags through a parking structure or try to find an airport bus to your terminal. You’ll be exactly where you need to be to check in.

2. Baggage

Did we mention luggage? That’s another major factor to keep in mind as you make your choice.

If you’re just flying on a weekend business trip, perhaps you’ll only be bringing a small carry-on bag. But if you’re travelling for a longer time, and if you have friends or family with you, you’ll quickly find that you have a lot of luggage to think about.

Some ordinary cars simply won’t have space to bring all of your luggage – especially if you need all that space for people. A group of four or more going on holiday most likely can’t go in a normal car at all.

With an airport transfer and a spacious minibus, this isn’t a problem. You’ll speak to your minibus hire company when you book to discuss your needs, so you can rest assured you’ll receive a vehicle that can hold all the bags required.

Plus, it’s always nice to get a little help hauling those bags in and out of the vehicle.

3. Safety

Did you know that a lack of sleep can affect your driving as much as alcohol can? That’s right – driving when you haven’t slept well, or when your body thinks it’s time to rest, carries serious risks of accidents. Even worse, being sleep-deprived can make you think your judgement is absolutely fine even when it’s not.

But air travel is likely to cause exactly this kind of sleep disruption. When you land, you might be tired from a sleepless night due to a baby crying in the row ahead. Maybe you’re just arriving from a significantly different time zone, so your brain thinks it’s time to snooze even though in the UK it’s noon. Or perhaps you’re just flying within the UK, but you’ve spent the weekend working hard at a conference or having fun with friends and getting little rest.

Either way, science shows that you can’t properly judge whether you’re safe to drive in this situation. And if you end up driving when you shouldn’t, you could end up making a bad judgement that causes a crash – or even falling asleep at the wheel.

The only safe option for you and everyone else on the road is to plan ahead for someone else to do the driving. And that’s exactly what airport transfers do. They protect you.

4. Stress

Let’s be honest – travel can be pretty stressful, even if it’s fun.

Queues for airport security can be long and slow. Flights can be delayed, and turbulence can make your flight unpleasant. And, of course, you’ll have to keep a heap of different things in mind when you’re at the airport. Do you have your passport or ID safely with you? Do you have your boarding pass? Are you at the right gate?

With all these things to think about, anything that can reduce travel stress is a huge asset.

That’s where airport transfers come in. On the way to the airport, you won’t be struggling to navigate via a map app. And on the way home, you won’t have to remember where on earth you parked your car.

An airport transfer can’t make your whole travel experience a breeze, but it can make a huge difference in reducing the overall stress load of your journey.

5. Timing

An old saying reminds us that “time and tide wait for no man.” Perhaps in our modern era, we should add airplanes to that list.

Yes, timing is essential when you’re aiming to catch a flight. But when you’re driving yourself, judging times isn’t so easy. Map apps aren’t always reliable when they tell you how long a trip will take. And if you get lost on the way to the airport or within it – that could add a delay that might end up disastrous.

An airport transfer gives you the advantage here because it gets you an experienced driver who knows the routes in and out of the airport and the traffic patterns there. Your coach hire company will be able to tell you when you need to leave home in order to make it to the airport in time. And an experienced driver will be able to drop you off exactly where you need to be – no consulting maps required.

Reduce travel hassle with Star Coaches

The next time you’re heading to or from the airport, give yourself the gift of stress reduction with an airport transfer from Star Coaches. Our knowledgeable drivers, commitment to safety and decades of experience have earned us the great reputation we have today. Just call on us, and we’ll help you get to and from the airport affordably and easily.

Already planning your important holiday or work trip? Go ahead and request your airport transfer quote today. Or if you have questions, just get in touch with us at info@star-coaches.com or 01924 477111.