Luton airport hotel recommendations

I know you asked this question about 10 days ago and got no responses.

For your flight out at 6am, a 3am check in would be overkill- 4am would be right.

And on the return flight you have a 10pm arrival.

So all you are really looking for is a bed for the night. To me if the Holiday Inn is the cheapest I would take that.

If you are not taking a taxi from the airport then both HI and HIE have a 24/7 public bus up the hill to the airport - every half hour overnight, every 10 to 20 minutes from 5am to almost midnight. The stop at the HI is a bit more convenient.

The number is #A (!!). It goes to Dunstable and Luton Town Railway Station.

Thanks for your help! You are correct that we just need a place to sleep as we have no reason to linger at the hotel. We will likely have eaten before we leave We are just sleeping both nights as we have a place before and after the jaunt.

I saw that they are piloting a security reservation system at Luton. I think we will reserve in the 4 day booking window just to make sure.

Thanks for mentioning the bus to the rail station as we are c9ming from and returning to London, Wimbledon to be precise.

I assume you are aware that every half hour there is a Thameslink train from Luton to Wimbledon with a same platform change at London Blackfriars.

On a Sunday they are no change Luton to Wimbledon, every 30 minutes

I was neither aware nor unaware of the train. Certainly not one at the times we’d need.
I thought that our flights were either too early departure (0600) or too late arrival (2200) to make a train trip feasible.

I will need to train up and back so that information is helpful. I see routes with same platform changes at Farringdon. Trainline was also helpful in suggesting that although the train station is Luton Airport Parkway, entering Luton Airport as the destination includes the DART ticket. Also, the Trainline prices with SplitSave are £13 cheaper but require taking the underground from Vauxhall to KingsX. Same journey length. Since we are travelling only with personal items under the seat, I don't really mind. Same journeys were suggested by Thameslink but without the savings.

Also, we are staying with a friend in Wimbledon before our departure and then a hotel in Wimbledon when we return, on the Friday before Finals Weekend at AELTC..We'd be leaving at an ungodly hour to have to get to the train (the house is not at the train station) to catch an early flight (0600). I fear my daughter would not allow such a stressful plan.

We arrive back at 2200. By staying at the airport instead of a hotel in Wimbledon during the Championships, I save enough to pay for both nights at a basic hotel in Luton.

I haven’t stayed at an airport hotel before but assume that the proximity makes them ideal for the early departure, late arrival scenario. I am looking forward to the experience as it may change what I think is reasonable as far as flight times.

I checked quickly and the train doesn't run at the times or without an excessive number of changes. Out of curiosity, what did you search?

The train thought was really all about the previous day train for your flight out and your next day train after your late arrival, rather than substituting a very late night train to Wimbledon/very early morning train from Wimbledon.

When this question was posed the first time I didn't answer because the last time this was asked I was heavily bruised by point scoring by certain other contributors. I and lots of other people think the hotels are in walking distance. The point scoring last time was of the "don't be so stupid" type.

That is why I was really careful to check and double check on the bus option to and from the airport 24/7, and also to say that you could always jump in a cab to the hotel when you land, in the name of ease and practicality. I am also aware that you seem to be a woman travelling solo.

East Midlands Trains to St Pancras are way cheaper than Thameslink. If it was me (and it isn't) I would probably do the District/Circle line Wimbledon to Kings Cross/St Pancras (or South Western Trains Wimbledon to Vauxhall and Victoria Line Vauxhall to KC/St P) then an East Midlands Trains Advance (train specific) fare to Luton Airport (including the DART) or Luton [Town}. My own view is that if going to or from the hotel Luton Town then the bus #A is the most sensible route. But others may validly vary on that score.

That is £3 St Pancras to Wimbledon off peak and EMT Advance Fares St Pancras to Luton Airport or Luton Town are sometimes findable for as low as £3.30- although £6 to £7 is more common. Then £2 for the bus or even a cab from Luton Town station.

If you were going direct to/from the flight then the DART from the Airport Station is the way to go. Although the sidewalk is busy 24 hours a day with pedestrians it is one steep hill up from the Airport Railway Station to the Airport.

Staying at the (any) airport is the best thing for these kind of flight times. Luton is an odd airport - I know of no other where so many people walk in, or so many people sleep/sit in the terminal overnight prior to early flights.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I am travelling with my 16+ daughter. We will have a Two Toegther railcard. (I checked with her and it seems that 2 x 2/3 is < 1 1/2 so better to get that railcard rather than one that gets her 50% off)

I think we'd rather take the Airport Parkway station option and the DART. we are travelling with small backpacks so not a big deal to walk between hotel and terminal. I didn't see the Arriva bus schedule for that date. Might be a glitch.

Interestingly, the LutonDART website doesn’t have an option for railcards. Buying a fare through to the airport with a railcard is cheaper than doing them separately. I think I can commit to certain trains. It will get us out of Wimbledon for the day and toodling around London with our small backpacks. If I were really bothered, I’d put one in left luggage at King'sX

The Advance fare for two is £15 and the Anytime is £30. That adds up.

Thanks again!

The queue at security was really long last time I flew from Luton so if you can reserve a slot now that would be a good idea. I had 2 hours and it was only just long enough to get to the gate. We had no time for a drink or anything like that. Most of the budget airline flights go very early so 6am is not a quiet time at Luton.

Thank you! I have a reminder to myself to book a slot during the window 4 days prior to departure!

It's good that this is possible. My daughter is such a stress case about getting to places early that I fear we will be ther 3 hours prior regardless. ; ) that's what happens when I tell her stories from my misspent youth. For the record, I fell asleep in the Frankfurt airport waiting for a connecting flight 30 years ago. Back then, the airlines went out of their way to assist!