Deal to Heathrow Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5: planning the long drive west

Deal to Heathrow by airport taxi: route and time

From Deal the car makes first for the A2, normally by the A258 through Walmer and Ringwould to the Guston roundabout, then runs up the M2 to the M25. Heathrow sits on the far western edge of London, so the drive carries on round the M25 to the airport junctions.

That is why it takes longer than Gatwick from here: 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes against 1 hour 35 minutes to 2 hours. The M25 accounts for most of the spread. Friday afternoons and the start of school holidays can add 30 to 45 minutes, and overnight roadworks are common on the M2 and the M25.

Traffic changes the time, never the fare: the price for the car is settled once you confirm.

Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5, and the drop-off rules

Heathrow's passenger terminals are numbered 2 to 5, and your airline decides which one you use. Check your ticket and put the terminal in the transfer booking, because each has its own drop-off area.

Heathrow charges every vehicle that enters a terminal drop-off area, every time it enters, at any hour of the day or night, all year. The charge is paid online, by phone or by autopay by midnight the next day, and Blue Badge holders can apply for a full discount. No waiting or picking up is allowed in those areas.

Car parking fees and tolls on a journey can be added to the fare where they apply, so if you want to know how the drop-off is handled for your trip, ask at the time of booking.

Timing a long-haul departure

Long-haul flights tend to ask for an earlier arrival than short hops, and each airline sets its own bag-drop deadline, so start with the ticket.

Take a 9.40am departure from Terminal 5 on an airline that wants you checked in three hours before. You need to be at the terminal by 6.40am. Subtract the top of the range, 2 hours 45 minutes, and you reach 3.55am; leave 25 minutes for night roadworks and the collection from Walmer is around 3.30am.

The service runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and nothing is added for an early start, a late finish, a weekend or a bank holiday.

Choosing a car for two and a half hours on the road

A long drive is a good reason to match the car to the luggage rather than squeeze in. A saloon takes up to 4 passengers and 2 large cases; the executive car also seats 4, with room for 2 to 3 large cases; the estate carries 3 to 4 large cases; and the MPV seats up to 6 with 4 or more cases.

Child seats are available on request. If you want to call somewhere on the way, at a relative's house to collect a passport for instance, put the stop in the booking: stops that were not booked, and large route changes asked for on the way, can be added to the fare.

Coming home: the meeting in arrivals

Give the inbound flight number when you book. The flight is tracked, so the collection is timed to the real landing, and there is no extra charge when a delay is outside your control.

The driver waits in the arrivals hall with a name board and helps with the cases. Because Heathrow does not allow pick-ups in its drop-off areas, the car is parked in terminal parking, a short walk away. Free waiting runs for 45 minutes after an international flight, counted from landing; beyond that the standard waiting rate applies, given at booking or on request.

Heathrow to Deal: arriving for a stay on the coast

Plenty of passengers make the journey the other way: relatives flying in for a summer by the sea, golfers bound for Royal Cinque Ports, or visitors who have rented a cottage near the pier. The car takes you to the address you booked, whether that is on Beach Street, in the conservation area or up a lane in Ringwould.

If the house is awkward to reach, say so when booking. In the Middle Street area, where the streets are tight and protected, a meeting point on a nearby street can be agreed in advance, and the driver helps carry the bags the last few yards.

Changing or cancelling a Heathrow booking

Long trips change shape. Cancelling more than 24 hours before the pickup is free. Between 6 and 24 hours before, up to half the fare may be charged, and inside 6 hours, or once the car has been sent, the full fare may be due.

If a flight time moves, update the booking as soon as you know: call 01843 247247, send a WhatsApp message to +44 7783 973058 or email booking@expresstravelkent.co.uk.