Save stress and time if your holiday is due to start in the early hours of the morning
It’s one less thing you have to stress about when getting to the airport at 4am(Image: Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
People can start their holiday quicker than others when flying with Jet2 and taking advantage of a little-known service that lets families skip the queues. Planning this ahead of time can make early morning flights feel “a whole lot easier”.
On its website, Jet2 claims the Twilight Check-in service can be used by any passengers booked to fly on a service due to leave the airport before midday. Later flights in the afternoon or evening cannot benefit from this perk.
A spokesperson said: “Your morning flight is about to get a whole lot easier. With our free Twilight Check-in service, you can drop your bags off at your UK departure airport between 4.30pm and 9pm the evening before your morning flight.
“Thanks to Twilight Check-in, when you arrive at departures the next day, your luggage is already sorted. If you live near the airport or are staying at a nearby hotel, it’ll make your morning a little easier.”
Flights leaving before midday are extremely common at UK airports. People tend to opt for these early departures to make the most of their holiday time rather than leaving the UK later.
The following UK airports offer the free Jet2 Twilight Service:
Birmingham
Bristol
East Midlands
Edinburgh
Glasgow International
Leeds Bradford
Liverpool
London Gatwick
London Luton
London Stansted
Manchester
Newcastle
The process of pre-checking luggage the night before can save time and hassle on the morning of the trip. Jet2 claims that people don’t need to book this service specifically in advance, but people do need to check in online “no later than 24 hours before their flight”.
Some UK airports offer discounted or free limited-time parking to customers who use Twilight Check-in. The Jet2 website lists 10 that offer this for customers, but stresses that travellers should check for themselves using the Airport Information page on its website.
People who want to use this service will need to remember to bring their boarding passes and passports along with bags (excluding hand luggage). After completing everything, get some rest and, on the day of the flight, Jet2 claims people can simply “bypass check-in and head to security”.
It only takes one person from your group to check in and drop off bags for up to six people travelling on the same booking reference. For full details of how the free service works, click here.
Jet2 holidays to Spain just got even easier for Brits to plan as the holiday giant has announced exciting news ahead of the summer 2026 holidays
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Some Eurocamps also have direct beach access(Image: Jet2)
Jet2 has made it easier for Brits to plan Spain holidays this summer, as the travel giant is expanding its range of Eurocamp packages to the holiday hotspot. This means families booking a package holiday through Jet2 can now choose one of Eurocamp’s mobile homes or other accommodation for their break.
Jet2holidays previously offered Eurocamp packages in France, Croatia, and Italy, and has now added parks to Costa Brava , bringing the total number up to 54. Holidaymakers can book a Eurocamp package holiday online, and can filter results by selecting ‘Holiday Parks’.
While you can simply book accommodation directly with Eurocamp, a package holiday can come with perks; for example, with Jet2 your deal includes return flights, 22kg of checked and 10kg of hold luggage, ATOL protection, and car hire. The packages include the cost of bed linen, towels and and end-of-stay clean in most Eurocamps, as well as access to the entertainment and facilities on-site.
Eurocamp parks offer facilities such as restaurants, bars, and takeaways on site, and many offer daytime and evening entertainment during peak times, including the ever-popular minidiscos. Some parks in Costa Brava also have direct access to the beach where you can truly soak up the Spanish sunshine and take a cooling dip in the sea.
Its selection of Spanish parks include Castell Montgri, which sits between a lush green pine forest and a rugged stretch of the coast. Castell Montgri has four outdoor pools, including one with slides and kids areas, and there are four restaurants, a snack bar, and a pool bar. Enmar is another option close to the lively town of Enmar. The sandy beach is just 100 metres away, and there’s a large pool with a wildlife theme and slides.
Guests who stay on the Costa Brava can also take a day trip to Barcelona for some sightseeing, culture, and more. Explore the iconic Sagrada Família that dominates the skyline, or the unique Casa Batlló with its colourful Gaudi architecture. Wander around the historic La Boqueria market to try locally made foods or book a tour of Camp Nou and stand in the same spot as so many football legends.
In addition to Eurocamp, the Costa Brava has a range of other family-friendly accommodation such as Yelloh! Villages, which offer a similar style of mobile home holiday, pools, and entertainment. Another option is to go all inclusive, as some families find this easier to budget than a self-catering break. Package providers such as TUI offer a range of Costa Brava holidays from simple and friendly to luxury hotel options, so there’s something for all styles of holidaymaker.
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Hannah Britt and her family fell in love with Scotland while on a road trip through the highlands in a Skoda Superb Estate SportLine 2.0 – here’s how you can do the same
10:07, 12 Mar 2026Updated 16:09, 12 Mar 2026
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Hannah, John, Molly and Poppy loved their road trip through Scotland
When you think of a Scottish road trip, what comes to mind? The NC500 probably. Two children aged six and one… probably not so much. And yet I’m here to tell you that it can be done, all it takes is the right car – and lots of snacks. A frequent yet fearful flyer last summer I became a convert to the good old family road trip when we borrowed a Skoda Kodiaq vRS and drove from our home in Manchester to France. Being able to get there under our own steam and haul 35 tonnes of equipment for the children was a gamechanger. I was chomping at the bit to do it again. So you can imagine my delight when my pals at Skoda got in touch again, offering to lend us a Superb Estate SportLine 2.0 this time – if we drove it to Scotland. My partner John’s bags were packed before I’d finished asking if he wanted to go.
The Superb is a long and spacious family car. You won’t get into a small parking space, but boy can you cram it full of stuff. It’s quite low to the ground, meaning those of us over 30 will make an oof noise getting in and out, but it feels how I imagine Lewis Hamilton must in his F1 car. I loved it right away.
As we set off from our home in Manchester, the four of us settled in – me, John, six year old Molly and one year old Poppy. Our route would take us to Langbank near Glasgow, where we would stay the night at Gleddoch Golf and Spa Resort, before continuing on the next day to Cameron House on Loch Lomond. From there we would loop up through Glencoe to Oban, before driving back home via Loch Lomond once more.
As was now customary, John did most of the driving with me the passenger princess and queen on snacks, handing out Pringles and Haribo on demand and restarting Golden from the K Pop Demon Hunters soundtrack each time it dared to stop. The Skoda’s big sat nav screen made it easy to work out where to go, and its built in black out screens allowed Molly and Poppy to doze off.
Four hours later, with just one stop to walk off a tantrum (not mine, promise), we arrived at Gleddoch, on the banks of the Clyde. I was impressed with this golf hotel, which welcomed children with open arms. Our room, a Residence Four Poster, was newly renovated, with a sleek bathroom, view out over the water, sofa bed for Molly and – as the name suggests – a gargantuan four poster for her parents. Arriving with fussy kids, we ate in the room, and the food was lovely, with a good kids menu and an excellent wine list.
But the jewel in Gleddoch’s crown is the Imperia spa, a newly opened, multimillion pound delight. It recently won the accolade of “best new spa” and, once I tore myself away from my family, I had a sublime old time checking it out. The space boasts the UK’s largest outdoor sauna with panoramic views over the estuary and rolling Renfrewshire hills to Ben Lomond.
Children are not allowed in the pool at all, which was a shame for me – but a bonus for the other guests who didn’t have to endure their spa time with a side of my little ones’ splashing. In the morning, I sat down in Gleddoch’s cosy Dram whisky and gin bar to do some work, before packing our rabble back into the Skoda to head to our second stop, 30 minutes away – Cameron House on Loch Lomond.
Now, Cameron House is a Scottish institution. Barack Obama has stayed here. Guests don’t really get cooler than that. And the moment you arrive it’s easy to see why it’s so beloved. Sweeping the Skoda up to the hotel, which sits right on the water, we were immediately greeted by a valet, who whisked the car off to park it and brought in our bags. Good lord, the crumbs, I thought to myself as the chic valet sat himself down on two days worth of digestive biscuits.
Inside, Cameron House is stylish, cosy and unmistakably Scottish, with nods to its rich heritage in everything from the pictures on the walls to the tartan prints of the cushions. Staff remember names, coffee orders and chatted to the children as if they were long lost friends. It’s a home from home – albeit an incredibly luxurious one.
The food is delicious, whether you choose to eat in the Michelin-starred Loma by Greme Cheevers, the Tavern, the Great Scots Bar, or anywhere in between. The room service is good too, and the chefs are happy to rustle up anything your little one desires off menu. Our room, a family suite, was spacious, sparklingly clean and modern, with an undisturbed view of the Loch.
Cameron House has a brilliant adults-only spa, which I’ve heard is exceedingly relaxing. However during my time at the hotel, I was to be found in the large family pool. With floor to ceiling windows out onto the grounds, areas shallow enough for Poppy to paddle in and areas deep enough for Molly to swim, and with a large and genuinely fun water slide, there was enough to keep everyone entertained for hours. When we finally tempted the children outside, a falconry lesson was equally enthralling. The next day, our be-crumbed valet returned the Skoda to us and waved us on our way to Oban – via Glencoe.
Glencoe is a stunning, historic glen in the Scottish Highlands, renowned for its dramatic, volcanic, and glacial landscape. It is a premier spot for hiking, mountaineering, and – luckily for us – scenic drives, often featured in films like Harry Potter and James Bond. From Loch Lomond to Glencoe takes around 90 minutes, and there’s an excellent visitor centre to greet you once you arrive, with nappy changing facilities, a shop selling various miniature models of highland cow, and a cafe that makes a good flat white.
The Glencoe drive is best done slowly, to ensure one takes in the insanely gorgeous scenery, and to make sure you don’t miss the turning down Glen Etive Road. The “Skyfall” road is the single-track B8074, famous for the scene where Bond (Daniel Craig) and M (Judi Dench) stop with the Aston Martin DB5 against the backdrop of Buachaille Etive Mòr. The spot is roughly halfway along the 12-14 mile road. I didn’t have an Aston Martin, but one better – my Skoda.
Another 50 odd minutes later and we arrived at the furthest point of our road trip – Oban. Or to be precise, Rhunacairn, a little Sykes Cottages house on the banks of Loch Etive, a couple of miles out of the town. Down a tiny road, with just one other house nearby, it was a white washed child’s drawing of a house, set in the most stunning scenery imaginable.
Sat next to a mussel farm, the house had all we needed for the next few days – a swing, a log burner and sea otters in the water outside. It was absolutely idyllic – a real find. And while we did go into Oban to sample the delights of the seafood capital of Scotland – and to buy a bottle of local whisky – I must admit the house had a magic to it that I was loath to leave. Before we left we began plotting our return, wondering which Skoda might fit paddleboards and fishing rods for a summer staycation.
1. Plan Ahead – Time journeys around naps, mealtimes, or toilet breaks to reduce stress and disruption to routines.
2. Leave at Nap Time – If you can, start longer journeys when little ones are most likely to sleep.
3. Entertainment is Key – Mix up old-school games like I Spy with sticker books, reusable window stickers, or magnetic boards.
4. Car-eoke – A family singalong is a fun way to pass the miles (and yes, Disney soundtracks count!).
5. Tech Can Help – Tablets on headrests with headphones make for a peaceful drive when everyone needs downtime – don’t feel bad or guilty for using them, but be clear about the boundaries on using them and use them more as a last resort, rather than the default.
6. The Quiet Game – When things get noisy, challenge the kids to see who can stay quiet the longest.
7. Snacks & Drinks – Pack snack boxes for older children and keep drinks in the front with you to avoid unnecessary stops for the loo when they have necked a whole bottle of water! Be very mindful of giving younger children snacks if an adult is not sitting in the back with them, as it is a choking hazard!
8. Safety First – Use child locks, remind kids about seatbelt safety, and follow The Lullaby Trustadvice on babies sleeping in car seats.
9. Be Prepared – Keep wipes, tissues, and the nappy bag within easy reach. Blankets and comfy clothing are also essential.
10. Break It Up – If traffic hits or the car gets tense, don’t be afraid to stop somewhere safe, stretch legs, and reset before heading off again.
