Driving To The Airport Early In The Morning? Here’s What To Check Before You Leave

Driving to the airport is often far more convenient than taking public transport, especially if you don’t already live in a city centre – no dragging luggage across platforms, no worries about bus timetables and no panic about train cancellations.

However, this doesn’t mean it will all be smooth sailing on a trip to the airport – you are at the mercy of traffic, parking fees and your own preparedness. Here are the essential checks to make a drive to the airport as easy as possible. Of course, it is usually best to go over all of these the night before, to avoid rushing and last-minute panic.

• Plan your route – choose a reliable route to the airport, and consider the traffic at the time you’re leaving, as well as any road closures along the way. Plan to set off even earlier than you would to give plenty of buffer time for unexpected interruptions or wrong turns.

• Know which terminal you will be in, and how to get there – Some airports have huge distances between terminals; it is handy to know which one you should be entering, as well as whether you will need to transfer between areas via a shuttle, which will add even more time onto the travel.

• Pre-book parking – airport parking is expensive, awkward and often requires intense signage following to make any sense of it – booking in advance reduces the price and ensures a spot upon arrival.

• Cover all the car essentials – coolant, engine oil, screen wash, bulbs. Checking your lights work is essential if you are leaving late at night or early morning; not only will it help you see better, but it will avoid you being stopped by the police. Additionally, if you don’t drive often and are worried about a flat battery, take the car for a 20-30 minute trip the day before to make sure it is charged up.

• Check your tyre pressure – correct tyre pressure makes for a safe, fuel-efficient journey there, as well as a safe vehicle while it is left at the airport car park.

• Check your windscreen wipers – check for streaks, stains and splits on the blade itself. It can be easy to ignore wipers in the summer, as we expect some warmer weather; however, they are still essential in removing dust, grime and bugs from your vision.

• Finally, check, double check and then triple check your passport – make sure that all members of your party have their passports, and that they are ready for the trip. This also applies to any other travel documents, hotel reservation details or printed boarding passes.

When you arrive at the airport, make sure all valuables are out of sight, and if you’re extremely concerned, use a steering lock as both a physical and visual deterrent, and take a couple photos of your car.

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