No matter how many times you’ve been to the airport, the worry that you aren’t leaving early enough never seems to fade. It’s a shame to end a relaxing vacation by stressing about making it home. What if there is traffic? What if your transportation doesn’t show up? What if the airport is way busier than usual?
All of the unknowns add up, and we naturally worry. However, there is a way to lessen the stress. A new trend among stress-conscious travelers is emerging, and it might just be the best way to end a vacation. By booking the last night of your vacation at a hotel near (or in) the airport, you greatly diminish the stress that comes along with making the trek back home.
Here are 5 reasons why you should book your last night of vacation near the airport:
You’ll Avoid Traffic Problems
If you’ve been plugged into the news lately, you probably know that traffic around Cancun’s airport has been crazy lately. Travelers headed to the airport last week got so desperate they began to ditch their taxis to finish the route on foot in an attempt to make it to their flights on time. While this is an extreme example, traffic can be a serious cause for concern when trying to make it to the airport on time. By booking your last night near the airport, you’ll cut down on the chance that traffic will make you miss your flight home.
You’ll Already Be Packed
We’ve all been there. Frantically jamming everything we can into our bags while the clock mocks us from across the room as we try to get out the door to the airport on time. Somehow it always seems more difficult to pack everything up when vacation is ending than it did before it started. If you opt to spend your last night of vacation in a hotel near the airport, you’ll be able to pack stress-free.
You’ll be far less likely to accidentally leave anything behind, and you’ll be able to enjoy the process more while you think about how great of a vacation you just had. As a bonus, you’ll already be packed and ready to roll the next day before your flight, as you only need to set aside the essentials for the next day’s travels.
Transportation Is Often Included
Many hotels around the airport will include free airport shuttles as part of their nightly rate. Not only does this save you money, but it also takes the stress out of figuring out how you will get to the airport. Now you don’t have to shell out way too much money for a taxi, and you don’t have to coordinate anything. Just make sure to ask the concierge what schedule the shuttle follows, as it can vary from property to property. Most hotels will have a shuttle run at least twice per hour, starting well before the first flights of the day.
You’ll Save Money On Accommodation
Spending the last night of vacation in a hotel closer to the airport will likely save you money on accommodation, depending on your vacation type. If you just spent a week at a beachfront resort, the airport near the hotel will undoubtedly be cheaper. To maximize your time at the nice resort, ask if the front desk can hold on to your luggage after checkout and see if they will allow you to enjoy the grounds until later in the afternoon before heading off to your airport hotel. Many properties are more than happy to provide this service, and you still enjoy the property without paying for another night.
Transportation Is More Dependable
Staying near the airport guarantees you’ll be able to find a way there more efficiently and affordably. In bigger cities, this can equate to quite a bit of saving.
Author’s Anectode
I traveled to London in November and stayed in Canary Wharf. To get home, I planned to take the first flight out of Heathrow in the morning to avoid delays. Unfortunately, I hadn’t done enough homework, because in order to be at the airport 2 hours before my flight, my only option was a taxi. The first tube stop of the day I could take to begin the journey to the airport was far too late in the morning to be sure I would make my flight.
If I had been able to take the tube, the trip would have cost about $15, and instead, I had to pay for a taxi that cost me over $100. Had I booked a hotel closer to the airport, I’d have saved myself some money and been able to sleep in a bit more.
