Booking a Chauffeur for a Family or Group Trip Abroad
Planning a family or group holiday abroad? How to book a chauffeur for airport transfers and day trips: the right vehicle, child seats and luggage.
The hardest hour of a family holiday is often the first one. The flight has landed, the children are tired, the suitcases are heavy, and everyone is standing in an arrivals hall in a country where the signs are in another language. A queue for taxis, or a search for the right train, is the last thing anyone wants.
Booking a chauffeur for a family trip abroad turns that hour into a calm one. Someone is waiting with your name, the car fits everyone and everything, and the next stop is the hotel.
This guide covers how to book the car well, for families, groups of friends and anyone travelling with more than a carry-on.
Why a pre-booked car suits families and groups
Public transport and taxis work well for one or two people with light bags. Families and groups have different needs:
- Everyone travels together. No splitting into two taxis and meeting at the hotel.
- The vehicle fits the luggage. You choose a car or van with room for every case, buggy and car seat.
- The price is known in advance. No meter running in traffic, no surprises in an unfamiliar currency.
- Someone meets you. A driver at a set meeting point removes the hardest part of arriving.
For a group, the cost shared between several adults is often close to what separate taxis would cost.
Choosing the right vehicle
Count people and bags, then choose:
- Sedan: up to about three passengers with modest luggage.
- SUV: a family of four with several large cases.
- Van or minibus: larger families, two families together, or groups of friends.
Count everything that takes space: suitcases, buggies, sports bags, ski or golf equipment. If you are unsure, choose the bigger vehicle. A cramped hour after a long flight is not worth the saving.
Child seats and young travellers
Rules on child seats differ by country, and so does what operators can provide. When you book:
- Say how many children are travelling and their ages.
- Ask whether the operator can supply the right child seats, or whether you should bring your own.
- Put the request in writing in the booking notes.
If children are travelling with one parent or with other adults, check the documents they may need. Canada's government, for example, publishes a recommended consent letter for children travelling abroad.
Booking airport transfers abroad
The chauffeur booker on this page works with the LimousineWorldwide.Directory member network in cities worldwide. You choose the vehicle, see a fixed price before you book, and confirm in a few steps. It covers airport transfers, hourly cars and point-to-point trips, so you can also book a car for a day out.
When you fill in the booking:
- Use the local arrival time, as it appears on your ticket for the destination airport.
- Add the flight number, so the operator knows which arrival to meet.
- Give the terminal and the full name for the sign.
- Add a mobile number that will work abroad.
- List every bag, including buggies and car seats.
For the full checklist, read what to include when booking a chauffeur.
Day trips and hourly hire
Once you have arrived, a car and driver for a few hours can make a day trip easy: a vineyard, a coastline, a city an hour away. Hourly hire usually has a minimum number of hours, so plan a full outing rather than a short hop. Agree the stops before you set off, and ask how waiting time and extra stops are charged.
Planning the rest of the trip
The car is one part of the holiday. The travel desk searches flights, hotels, resorts, activities, flight-plus-hotel packages and car rentals through our partner BookingWorldwide.net. Each booking is completed on the partner's secure site. Resort searches can be filtered by style, including family, beach and all-inclusive options.
Before you travel, check the latest advice for your destination. The UK's foreign travel advice covers entry requirements and local conditions for every country, and the UK government's guide to hand luggage restrictions is useful when packing for children.
The arrival-day plan
Write a one-page plan for arrival day and share it with every adult in the group:
- The flight number, local arrival time and terminal.
- Where the driver will meet you and what the sign will say.
- The vehicle type and the operator's contact details.
- The hotel address, in English and in the local language if it uses a different script.
- What to do if the group is split at passport control: who waits where.
Children can be given a simpler version: the hotel name and a photo of the meeting point. A shared plan means nobody is left wondering where to go after a long flight, and the driver finds the whole group in one place.
Book the holiday and the car
Start with flights, a family resort or hotel through BookingWorldwide.net on the travel desk.
Then book the car from the airport. Choose a vehicle that fits everyone and see the price before you confirm.
Chauffeur booker
Book a chauffeur in any city
Airport transfers, hourly cars and point-to-point trips with LimousineWorldwide.Directory member operators. Choose the vehicle, see the price and book in a few steps.
If you are a hotel concierge arranging cars for a visiting family, see the concierge guide to arranging cars for guests. Planning cars for a wedding party or event? Read group transportation for events.
Frequently asked questions
Is a chauffeur worth it for a family holiday?
For many families, yes. You travel together, the vehicle fits the luggage, the price is known before you book and a driver meets you, which makes the arrival much easier.
Can I book a car seat with a chauffeur abroad?
Ask when you book. Rules and availability differ by country and operator, so state the children's ages in the booking notes and confirm whether you need to bring your own seats.
Which vehicle do I need for a family of five?
Usually an SUV or a van, depending on luggage. Count every case, buggy and car seat, and choose the larger vehicle if in doubt.
What time should I give for an airport pickup abroad?
Give the local arrival time at the destination airport, plus the flight number and terminal.
Can I hire a chauffeur for a day trip?
Yes. Hourly hire suits day trips. There is usually a minimum number of hours, so agree the stops before you set off.
Drive in a holiday destination?
Families and groups land every day. Sign up free as a chauffeur and pick up prepaid airport and day-trip work from operators worldwide.
