Early flight from Cologne/Bonn: parking and getting there in the early hours

Cologne/Bonn is a popular departure airport for holidays, and many of them start very early. Because the airport operates around the clock, departures at five or six o'clock are not unusual. For you this means: setting off in the middle of the night, an empty A59 – and the question of whether your parking provider is already there at that time. Here is how to prepare properly for an early flight.

Times first, then price

A cheap offer is of no help if the provider only opens at six and your flight departs at six. Before booking, read from what time handovers are possible. Some providers can be reached around the clock; others offer early handovers by arrangement or for a surcharge. More on off-peak times: Night flights and parking at Cologne/Bonn Airport.

Valet or shuttle?

Valet parking is particularly pleasant for an early flight: drive to the meeting point, hand over the car, into the terminal. With shuttle parking you need to know when the first shuttle runs – and whether it will get you there in time.

Schedule for a 5:45 departure

• Departure: 5:45, Terminal 2
• In the terminal according to the airline: 3:45
• Valet meeting point: 3:30
• Drive from the Bergisches Land: 40 minutes, plus 20 minutes' buffer
• Departure from home: 2:30

Sounds tough – but it is doable with good preparation. On holiday days check-in can already be busy at four o'clock; then it is better to allow a little more time.

Evening routine

1. Online check-in, boarding passes on your phone.
2. Suitcase packed, liquids for the hand luggage ready.
3. Refuel or charge the car.
4. Open the parking confirmation, enter the address in the satnav, save the number.
5. Check the traffic reports for the A59 and the Cologne ring.
6. Go to bed early, two alarms.

The journey

At night the A59 is usually clear, but roadworks and closures are often scheduled for this time. So still allow a buffer. More on the route: Driving to Cologne/Bonn Airport.

Train at four in the morning?

The airport has its own station. Whether trains are already running at your time is something you should check in the timetable. For travellers from the surrounding region, with family or lots of luggage, the car is usually the more practical choice at night.

In the terminal

With hand luggage and an online boarding pass, you go straight to the security check. With a suitcase, first to bag drop. Many holiday flights depart within a short time window – it can be correspondingly busy. Orientation: Terminals at Cologne/Bonn Airport.

Early flights as a Cologne speciality

Many holiday flights from Cologne/Bonn depart in the early hours of the morning – to Turkey, Spain, Greece or Egypt. That way the aircraft fly several rotations a day, and for travellers the holiday begins early. This often means getting up at three and setting off at four. If you get your parking planning done the evening before, you save yourself unnecessary stress that night. One more alarm, one less bag to pack and a clear sequence make the difference.

The evening before

The evening before, put all documents – ID, boarding pass, car park booking confirmation – in a fixed place. Load luggage and child seats into the car already if it is parked securely. Check the fuel or battery, tyre pressure and the route in the satnav. Check the traffic reports for night-time roadworks on the A59, the A3 and the Rhine bridges. And write the parking provider's phone number on a piece of paper – in case your phone battery is low in the morning.

The early rush at the security check

Early in the morning, many aircraft often depart in quick succession. Check-in and security can get correspondingly busy, especially during the NRW summer holidays. Stick to your airline's lead time and factor in the time for parking before it. If you check in online and only have hand luggage, you get through faster; with checked luggage you need the full time. A smooth valet or shuttle procedure then counts twice as much.

Train or car at dawn

The airport has its own station, but the first connections of the day do not always fit a departure at six. Especially from the surrounding region, for example from the Oberbergisches Land or the Eifel, the car is often the only practical option at this time. Still check the timetables – for some starting points in Cologne or Bonn, the train can be an alternative if it runs early enough.

Shuttle for early flights

With shuttle parking, the earliest bus of the day is decisive. Does it run regularly from a certain time or only on call? How many passengers fit in if several families arrive at the same time? Plan so that you do not depend on the last possible bus. A call to the provider before setting off can help shorten the waiting time.

Valet for early flights

With valet, early morning is usually more relaxed: the driver waits at the meeting point near the terminal and you go straight to check-in. The prerequisite is that the provider takes over cars at your time. Many providers ask for a call about 20 to 30 minutes before arrival; follow the instructions in your confirmation. That way you avoid waiting at the meeting point while the driver is still parking another car.

After the early start

Once you are through security, you can take a breath. Use the time at the gate for breakfast and save a photo of your parking receipt on your phone. You will need it on your return to contact the provider. If you flew out early, you often come back in the evening – plan this return too: Returning: collecting your car at Cologne/Bonn Airport.

Setting off early with children

Waking children at three o'clock is a challenge. Many families carry the little ones to the car in their pyjamas and only change them at the airport. For this, pack a bag with clothes, a toothbrush and snacks within reach. With valet, you get out at the meeting point and go straight into the terminal; with a shuttle, it helps if one adult looks after the children while the other takes care of the car and luggage. Allow an extra ten minutes for each small child – you will definitely need them.

If the alarm fails

If you do oversleep, every minute counts. Call the parking provider as soon as you set off and ask whether it can speed up the handover. Check whether you can check in online and drop off your luggage at a machine. If time is very short, contact the airline. Two alarms – one on your phone, one analogue – are the simplest precaution.

Early flights in the cold season

In winter, early mornings are not only dark but often frosty too. Allow time to scrape the windows, or park the car in the garage the evening before. The roads in the Bergisches Land and the Eifel can be icy while the A59 in the Rhine valley is clear. Check the weather forecast before setting off and drive carefully. Winter luggage – thick jackets, ski boots – takes up more space; register ski luggage with the shuttle provider in advance. And if you are flying to the sun, simply leave your winter jacket in the car, provided you can put it back on at the car park on your return.

Conclusion

An early flight from Cologne/Bonn begins the evening before. If you pack, check and plan, you start the day calmly.

If you also pack a flask of coffee for the drive and a snack for the children, you will arrive at the terminal in a good mood – even if the stars are still visible outside.

And the return flight?

If you fly out early, you often land late. Also check your provider's return times – advice in the guide Returning: collecting your car at Cologne/Bonn Airport.

Which providers can be booked via Friend-Park at Cologne Bonn Airport and what hours they have is shown on the page Parking at Cologne/Bonn Airport.