The trip to the airport can be daunting at the best of times, and for many travellers it's easily the worst part of any holiday.
And since London Gatwick is the second busiest airport in the UK, with an annual footfall of over 46 million passengers, it's one of the worst culprits for pre-flight stress.
But it's also one of the UK's most interesting airports – its name originates from Old English and roughly translates to ‘goat farm', and before it was refurbished as a commercial airport in 1958, it was used as an aerodrome.
London Gatwick
Now, these fun facts might come in handy for a pub quiz one day, but they won't necessarily help you next time you're travelling from LGW. So here are three tips that will hopefully help you out if you're planning to fly from Gatwick for your post-lockdown holiday.
1. Drive to the airport
Pre-arranging transport to the airport might seem like a great idea at the time.
But as soon as you embark on your journey, you'll quickly discover that trying to cram all your luggage onto a busy train or coach, or attempting to pile the kids into a taxi, puts all the ‘hassle' in your hassle-free option (whilst also leaving out the ‘free').
Driving to the airport is a great alternative that gives you complete control, enabling you to allow for any extra time you may need, or detours you might want to make on the way. It makes the return journey simpler too!
Pre-booking your LGW airport parking via Looking4.com will take you two minutes and save significant time and stress.
So, you've made it to the airport, navigated your way through security, and you're ready to kick back and relax before you fly out. Good for you!
If you're looking for a pre-flight shopping spree to wind down, Gatwick has plenty of great options. You'll find high street brands like Boots and Accessorize, as well as high-end brands like Cath Kidston, Oliver Bones and Jo Malone. For kids of all ages, there's also an official Harry Potter shop.
To get your relaxation well and truly underway, why not checkout Gatwick's Aerospa? Offering massages, manicures, pedicures and reflexology, it's the perfect opportunity to wind down before you fly out.
3. Lounges
Airports may be a traveller's nightmare, but airport lounges are certainly one of the least stressful zones and are a great chance for some quiet time before you fly out.
Gatwick features four lounges each in the North and South terminals, giving you plenty of options. Depending on what you're looking for, My Lounge offers a self-service experience for a more informal feel, whilst the No1 Lounges features fully stocked bars and a library area.
Whatever your tastes prefer, pre-booking your lounge online can save you 20%, as well as peace of mind knowing that it's one less thing to think about on the day.
These are our travel tips for Gatwick Airport. Got any more? Share them in the comments below.
