Manchester or Gatwick?

I'm from the north and much closer to Manchester than Gatwick, I've flown out of both many times but the past twice from Gatwick.
Next May I'm planning on returning to Barbados where I haven't been for a few years and I'm really taken by the clubhouse, I'm not sure can walk onto a Virgin Atlantic plane and turn left without having spent the past couple of hours in the clubhouse!
No difference really in the price, although that's not a factor, It's the difference in traveling, I hate the M11, the M25 and the M23 with a passion although the M62 to Manchester can be torture at times.
Forego the clubhouse for an easier commute?

I need to book soon, opinions people?

Hi,

I also come from the "North" West coast of scotland and have flew both man and gatwick to vegas in uc. Having experienced the clubhouse at gatwick i now only ever fly from there. Like you, i enjoy the full package that is on offer and while sometime si may find a slightly cheaper price from man i will still fly from gatwick as for me the clubhouse is where my holiday starts.

All this talk is making me think about making another booking lol.

We live just outside Chester and if we are contemplating a trip and there is a chance of us using our miles for UC we always look at leaving from LHR or LGW , just so the holiday can start off in a Clubhouse. BA flights down from MAN can come out pretty reasonable if you book far enough ahead. If UC wasn't available (hasn't happened yet I am glad to say) then we would just leave from MAN and take that route. If they ever open a VS Clubhouse in MAN - that would be awesome !

I live in the East Midlands and despite the lack of a Clubhouse at Manchester (come on Virgin - you're expanding the base / route network there!) Manchester is a no-brainer for me. If I get a clear run on the roads, I can do MAN door to door in an hour.

Gatwick would be M1, M25 carpark near Heathrow & then the M23. Given where I live, Gatwick is not worth the hassle for the sake of a decent breakfast, nice lounge & a Redhead or two.

The thing that really does "annoy me" [replace with slightly stronger words!] is that Virgin have the audacity to charge the same - to within a few pence - for Upper Class from both Gatwick & Manchester. The Manchester passengers get far less for their money, especially where the Escape Lounge is concerned.

I dont get it.
Your prepared to travel an extra few hours to spend a few extra hours in a nice location before the flight at extra expense.
For me, its all about getting home & I would happily give up a clubhouse if it meant getting home a few hours earlier.

In your situation I would choose Manchester. If I were using Gatwick from your position I would wish to travel day before to avoid any traffic mishaps.

I do always travel the day before regardless of which airport, I stay at the Arora at Crawley or the Marriott at Manchester.
I choose these hotels as both offer on site parking and I keep my keys, in fact the Arora has underground parking beneath the hotel which is a bonus.
I have contemplated going down to Crawley by train but the thought of lugging suitcases across platforms is not my idea of a great start to a holiday.
I'll make a decision this week and book it next weekend, I'll update you with my decision.

You could fly out of Gatwick to get the Clubhouse under your belt (and decide in future if it's worth the journey) and then fly back to Manchester, as no doubt you'll be keen to get home.

I tend to agree that Manchester UC passengers get a raw deal if you are in effect paying LGW prices but getting a lower level of service so thus makes LGW more attractive...and MAN less so...business case for the Manchester CH gets stronger...

I am doing JFK from Manchester, but the prices, before the sale came on where a good £1300 less than LHR prices, so the loss off the CH on the Manchester end is acceptable and made up for with the CH at JFK!

I have contemplated going down to Crawley by train but the thought of lugging suitcases across platforms is not my idea of a great start to a holiday.

Where from?

I can get to Gatwick from Wolverhampton, with: lift up/down Wolverhampton, 10 minute drag from Euston to St Pancras, escalator down to platform, direct train to LGW, up the escalators, not a single lump across platform if you don't count the lifts at Wolverhampton....

I did manage to take a backpack, suitcase and a boxed portable television between Antwerp, Belgium, via Eurostar, Waterloo, Northern Line to Euston, train to Wolverhampton, and only came across 10 steps on the way (Northern line getting off at Euston).

I think there's a fair bit of dragging if you do the Victoria line down to Victoria though, and no damn escalators at Victoria...

You could fly out of Gatwick to get the Clubhouse under your belt (and decide in future if it's worth the journey) and then fly back to Manchester, as no doubt you'll be keen to get home.

A bit awkward if you park your car at the hotel in Crawley.
Personally I'd just go from the nearest airport. I know other lounges aren't the same as the clubhouse but it's a small part of the whole experience.
Having said that I'm quite looking forward to my next trip which will be out of the new Gatwick CH, and even though I only live about 40 miles away we still hotel on airport the night before.

Dick D

I agree with Dick D - nearest airport - but I have the benifit of being between Heathrow and Gatwick, with also a good direct train link as well.

Although I enjoy the Gatwick Clubhouse I dont think I would travel down if Manchester was an easier commute.

I guess you pay your money & take your choice.

I would not do the journey down to Gatwick just to use the Clubhouse!!! The drive can be horrendous. We only live an hour from LGW but always stay down there the night before our flight because the M25/M23 are so unpredictable. Queues can be very long....in fact I drove past the Gatwick turnoff one Saturday morning recently and the queue to get off the M23 was over a mile long....and not moving. A few weeks earlier, on a Friday afternoon, the M25/M23 were both at a standstill (northbound) from Gatwick to Thorpe Park! No accident...just the sheer volume of traffic. Thank goodness I was going southbound. It's a drive I hate with a passion, so would not do it unless I had to.

The general advice is to go from the airport nearest you (*) just to save the hassle of getting luggage, partners, children etc to LGW and save the additional costs involved in doing that. Plus you'd have additional worry about multiple trains or (as the OP says) issues with motor ways

If there flights from MAN to LGW then I might possibly do that option- but only if the bags were interlined!


(*) which of course goes out of the window when considering ex-EU routings when complexity goes out of the window!

Just like to thank everybody for the input, Manchester it is!
Couple of factors, obviously the closeness to home but also the fact that Manchester flights are always in a 747 and I may as well use them before they disappear for ever.
I've never traveled upper in the A330 that they use for Barbados from Gatwick but from what I understand it's not as intimate as the 747.
Next May it is!

Was just coming on to post to go from Man. Just did a trip from the NE to LGW for a flight to Bgi & I had to get taxi-train-taxi-LGW express & then stay overnight & obviously the same on the way home. The journey (excluding the overnight stay) took about 30 mins less than the flight to Bgi! Now they've increased the flight from Man, we intend to go from there & annoying as it is that the lounge isn't up to much, I can do without that.

If you're going to go from Man to fly the 747, you might want to double check which aircraft you'll be on as a few of the Man flights (certainly for next year) are on the A330.

Was just coming on to post to go from Man. Just did a trip from the NE to LGW for a flight to Bgi & I had to get taxi-train-taxi-LGW express & then stay overnight & obviously the same on the way home. The journey (excluding the overnight stay) took about 30 mins less than the flight to Bgi! Now they've increased the flight from Man, we intend to go from there & annoying as it is that the lounge isn't up to much, I can do without that.

If you're going to go from Man to fly the 747, you might want to double check which aircraft you'll be on as a few of the Man flights (certainly for next year) are on the A330.

North East so coming into Kings Cross?

Absolutely no need to trek across London to Victoria when St Pancras is next door and you can get the Thameslink (also cheaper than the Gatwick express).

North East so coming into Kings Cross?

Absolutely no need to trek across London to Victoria when St Pancras is next door and you can get the Thameslink (also cheaper than the Gatwick express).

Did that journey in 2013 & with 5 adults, 2 young kids, several suitcases/hand luggage & vowed never again. Having to jump on a train with passengers who'd step over you if you're on fire meant that getting everything on/off the train was a nightmare. Much calmer (if a pain as added extra to the journey) was to taxi to Victoria & get the express which starts & ends where we get on/off & therefore no mad rush to disembark before the train leaves. Also, there was v little difference in cost of train fare (although we obviously did have extra cost for taxi to Vic).

The Gatwick Express has been significantly downgraded since 2013. It now uses the same type of commuter stock as most of the Southern & Thameslink services to Gatwick, and many of the trains now extend to Brighton so are full of commuters. Plus it's now driver-only with no more customer hosts or trolley service. Not worth paying the premium IMHO.

Did that journey in 2013 & with 5 adults, 2 young kids, several suitcases/hand luggage & vowed never again. Having to jump on a train with passengers who'd step over you if you're on fire meant that getting everything on/off the train was a nightmare. Much calmer (if a pain as added extra to the journey) was to taxi to Victoria & get the express which starts & ends where we get on/off & therefore no mad rush to disembark before the train leaves. Also, there was v little difference in cost of train fare (although we obviously did have extra cost for taxi to Vic).

Trick is to get the two together railcard or something like that (family railcard) and spring for first class. Realise when you are getting off, and have your luggage ready to get off at the station....

Rest of the train did look a bit of a nightmare though....

The Gatwick Express has been significantly downgraded since 2013. It now uses the same type of commuter stock as most of the Southern & Thameslink services to Gatwick, and many of the trains now extend to Brighton so are full of commuters. Plus it's now driver-only with no more customer hosts or trolley service. Not worth paying the premium IMHO.

We must've been lucky then as it wasn't extended. Train was already on the platform from LGW-VIC so no idea if it had come from Brighton.