No more airport shuttles! Why meet and greet is my holiday must-have

We’re just back from our first major trip abroad in 3 years. And I mean major – a 9 hour flight to Vancouver, Canada, for a few days of sightseeing, followed by 8 days in Whistler, skiing some of the best slopes in North America. It was a BIG trip, with lots of luggage, including all the extra kit that diabetes needs, so the few days before we left were a frenzy of stressful packing. To offset some of this stress we decided to drive, and use an airport meet and greet service to take the hassle out of that part of the journey.

Jason and I are big skiing fans (we actually met on a ski holiday!) and we’ve taken the kids skiing several times from the ages of 6 and 9. Before they were born we skied a lot in North America, and we always wanted to give our children that experience once they were old enough to appreciate – and remember – it! We’d originally planned the trip for Easter 2020, but Covid lockdown hit the weekend we were due to fly and that became a pipedream overnight. So you can imagine how longed for our Canada ski trip was when it finally happened this April 2022!

Our long-haul flight was at 9am, which meant a 4am start for us, to make sure we were at the airport in time to get through security without stress. Travelling with diabetes kit always means extra time at security as we don’t fit the standard security mould of x-ray and tiny plastic bag for liquids (top tip if this is you – collect a sunflower lanyard at the information desk after check-in; it tells airport staff that you need extra time and understanding).

Having hauled teenagers from their beds at such an early hour (never fun, especially when your teen has been out waitressing till late the night before) the last thing we needed was hassle at the airport. You know when you need an extra hour just to find the long-stay car park that feels like it’s eleventy billion miles from the terminal, and wait for a shuttle, only to be jostled around with 100 other weary, fractious travellers and their luggage? Not for us this time, thank goodness!

What is I Love Meet and Greet?

I Love Meet and Greet is an airport meet and greet service that takes away all that hassle. We simply called a number when Google maps said we were 15 minutes from the airport, and a nice man told us which car park level and row to meet him in, handed over our keys, and stepped into the lift to departures. Driving straight into short-stay parking meant we were right next to the terminal, and knowing our car was taken care of while we were away was a weight off our minds. It also meant we were able to max our luggage allowance without worrying about how we would manage to carry it all. We just grabbed a couple of trolleys from the car park, and headed straight to check-in.

We’ve used an airport meet and greet parking service previously, and found it invaluable when we had younger children. Having to keep track of lots of luggage and keep our eyes on little ones is extra stressful, so anything you can do to limit your time in transit is a relief for exhausted parents. Luckily with teenagers we no longer have that worry; in fact, they came in very handy as trolley pushers themselves on our return, as I came back with my leg in a splint and Jason had to push my wheelchair! That’s a story for another time, but suffice to say that having the car brought to us on our return made what could have been a very stressful experience much easier.

In terms of prices, using an airport parking service with meet and greet always turns out cheaper for us than a taxi. We’re about 45 minutes from the airport, but a taxi both ways would still cost more for us than this option. Check out the fact box below, and visit I Love Meet and Greet’s website to see how the service could work for you.