BillT

Am planning our Europe vacation for September and we would be flying home from Budapest using United miles. It appears the only flights that make sense leave at 6:30 am.
We would have to get up really early to catch that flight. Has anyone had experience doing this? I have looked into staying at the airport but have not seen anything that appeals to me in that regard. We will be staying at the Marriott Autograph Collection hotel.

DonTopaz

A 6:30 flight would not appeal to me -- it means being at the airport by about 5:30, assuming that you check-in online the day before. The good news is that traffic would be a non-factor, but you would have to arrange for transportation (either taxi or hotel car) in advance.

Assuming that you are going to Houston, there's also a flight leaving at 10:40am (also connecting in FRA), though I have no clue if award seats are available.

Jeff801

Some two year's ago we got to Budapest airport at 5:00 a.m.for a 6:30 a.m. flight to Amsterdam.The lights were on but nobody was home. I think it was 5:30 or 5:45 before the first check in desk opened.

Dukey1

Yes, I have been up and much MUCH earlier than that to get a flight. What's not to like? You are using miles which would be, I assume, cheaper than buying a ticket outright. You can EASILY get a taxi at that hour and the hotel will gladly arrange it. You do NOT have to fight some mob scene at the airport in order to check in.

IMO that is the BEST time to fly anywhere. The vacation is OVER so make the flight home as easy as possible.

BillT

The only award seats available are the ones for the 6:30 am flight. I am probably going with that as I have looked over any other options and have come up empty. We will just have to get to bed early that last night and rise at about 3 am to get ready. Thanks all for the input!

Sassafrass

Lack of choice has made us do it several times, and I absolutely hate it. It robs you of those last hours of sleep and seems a waste of the cost of the hotel room unless you can actually get to bed early and sleep, which I never am able to so. I will pay extra to avoid it, but you do what you have to do and make the best of it.

wunderbar2

We had a similar option in a recent flight from Barcelona to Houston, connecting in Paris. We chose to take an early afternoon flight and just spent the night in a hotel at CDG. Flew out the next morning and it made the end of the trip so much easier. We didn't even go into Paris that evening, having spent a week there in May and another week coming up in December.

Just a thought.
Enjoy your travels.

sassy27

It wouldn't be the end of the world and I've had flight times that early from other airports. It does making getting up early unpleasant but its not that bad. The only thing is getting to the airport too early. A few times, we had to wait for counters to open which was a bit annoying (getting very close to the flight time but still not open, the agents just sitting there trying to ignore you until "its time", other people getting anxious and cutting in front of you). We always made our flights and once 30 mins before boarding. My last trip though, I said forget it and changed my plans. It actually worked out best by letting me miss the last Lufthansa strike. So it just all depends on your plans and what you can live with.

BillT

It makes you wonder why the airlines schedule such a god awful early departure. The crew also has to get up real early not only us passengers.

jdcorrea1988

Just pull an all nighter, you have to be at the airport super early why not just enjoy last night in Budapest and go out. I did that on my trip from Madrid to Miami. Check my blog with pics from that trip to Spain.Wayfaring Blissfully http://waybliss.blogspot.com/

BillT

Well....we may have been able to do that when we were in our younger days but we are seniors now and that is out of the question. my wife needs about an hour to get ready, guys can get ready in 20 minutes but the ladies need a bit more time as most will attest to.

Appia

ONLY an hour! You don't know when you're lucky BillT.

BillT

Well when pressed she manages in one hour, usually it's two! Good news, I adjusted my departure dates and found a flight that departs at10:40 am and that will work nicely! It only happens on the one date that I found but we can adjust our travel dates to use that date!

BigRuss

<<Some two year's [sic] ago we got to Budapest airport at 5:00 a.m.for a 6:30 a.m. flight to Amsterdam.The lights were on but nobody was home. I think it was 5:30 or 5:45 before the first check in desk opened.>>

Had a similar experience in Madrid ages ago. Back then I was young enough that I partied all night, grabbed my stuff and cabbed to the airport at the crack of dawn. Arrived around 4:45 am and no counters opened until 5:30 for a 6:30 flight. Had a great flight though - slept it all off during the trip.

As a old-a** family guy with two hobbits, I wouldn't do that again.