We traveled from Istanbul to Montreal via London, overnighted in Montreal, and then drove to Vermont. It was a mostly smooth Moving Day (well, two days), but we did learn a few things:
Checking luggage causes delays on both ends of the trip. We had an extra carry-on bag (formal wedding attire) that would have to be checked, so we made sure to arrive at the airport more than 3 hours before our flight. I imagined spending some extra time relaxing in the lounge. Unfortunately, the counter wasn’t open yet, and we ended up waiting almost an hour just to check that one little bag. We definitely prefer the freedom that comes with being carry-on travelers!
The iGA (Istanbul Grand Airport) Lounge is nice, if you don’t mind crowds. It was free for Priority Pass holders like us, and also offered paid access to the public. The good news is, the lounge was huge, with plenty of seating, clean bathrooms, and a wide variety of decent food offerings. The bad news is, it was crowded. Fortunately, we entered and found a free table right away, and had time for lunch before our flight.
The Montreal Airport Marriott is a great place for a quick overnight. We simply walked through the airport to the hotel and grabbed drinks and dessert at the lounge overlooking the runway. The next morning, we enjoyed the surprisingly good free breakfast in the lounge and then walked to the rental car facility. Easy-peasy.
Canada/US border crossings can take much longer than expected. We waited TWO HOURS in the car line to cross the border into the United States. All of the websites (Canadian and American) said there was either no wait or 30 minutes’ wait. I couldn’t find a single reliable source. We never did find out why there was such a long delay - perhaps it was a combination of weather (rainy), timing (midday on a Friday), and staffing (only two of five lanes open). Subsequent crossings (in either direction) had little-to-no wait. Fortunately, we arrived at our hotel in Waitsfield, Vermont with plenty of time to spare.
I always plan Moving Days with plenty of extra time and a local stay at both ends. In this case, that approach really paid off.
