Easy and cheap airport parking — 13 tips and tricks you need now

Booking airport parking can be somewhat of a minefield. There are so many different parking options and various providers offering similar solutions at different prices. Nonetheless, this article will make it a whole lot easier for you.

Whether you’re looking for the cheapest or most convenient solution, this guide provides you with some great tips on how to find the best airport parking deals or choose the option which best suits your needs.

No matter if you want the best value East Midlands airport parking, parking at Gatwick to get you in the terminal building in a matter of minutes or a Heathrow airport hotel and parking package perfect for an early morning flight, you’ll soon be an expert.

We’ll let you know what you should look for when booking airport parking, as well as alternatives, because airport parking might not always be the best solution for you.

Airport parking options

When it comes to airport parking, there are a range of options available to you.

If you want the ultimate in convenience and ease, you can opt for meet and greet parking, while if you're looking for a budget option, park-and-ride could be your best bet.

Let's take a look at your options.

Meet and greet/valet parking

If you want to park close to the terminal, meet and greet parking is a great option.

You just drive to the airport’s meet and greet drop-off point, which is usually close to the terminal. This means you can easily walk to the check-in desks without worrying about getting a transfer.

You’ll hand your keys over to a representative of the company you’ve booked with (which could be a good thing if you’re worried about losing them while you’re away). They’ll take your car to where it’ll be parked, leaving you to carry on to the airport.

Meet and greet is the perfect choice if you’re travelling with children, someone with mobility issues or lots of luggage.

On your return home, just give the parking company a call and they’ll have your car waiting for you to drive off in.

Meet and greet tends to be more expensive than other airport car parking options due to the convenience it offers, so if you’re looking for cheap airport parking, some of the following options might be better.

Park-and-ride

If you’re looking for a less expensive airport parking option, park-and-ride is likely to be cheaper than other methods, such as meet and greet. It’s also the most popular airport parking choice, especially if you’re looking for a long-stay car park.

Park-and-ride car parks are usually based further away from the airport building (sometimes out of the airport grounds), which is why you’ll need a ride to get to the terminal.

It’s important to note these details when you’re working out what time you need to set off from home in order to catch your flight.

With park-and-ride airport parking options, you normally keep hold of your car keys as your vehicle will be left in the long-stay car park. It’s also a good idea to take note of where you’ve parked, so look for signs or whether your car parking space has a number.

On your return, a shuttle will take you from the terminal back to the car park where you parked your car.

On-airport

If you’re looking for security, on-airport or on-site parking could be the ideal choice as it’s operated by airport officials.

While usually located a walking distance from the terminal, on the airport grounds, it’s a good idea to check transfer times beforehand. Once you’re there, just find a space and make your way to check-in without handing over your keys or having to wait for a shuttle.

These car parks are watched 24/7, giving you peace of mind while you’re away.

Short-stay

Short-stay car parks could be ideal if you’re only going away for a day or two and want to be able to walk from your car to the terminal.

They’re generally found on site at the airport and usually require you to self-park. Once you’ve driven into the short-stay car park, just find yourself a space. You’ll usually keep hold of your keys too.

Parking options at some major UK airports

No matter which UK airport you're flying from, you're sure to have choices when it comes to booking airport parking, depending on your needs.

We've looked at some of the different options available to you at the major UK airports.

London Heathrow

If you're flying from London and looking for the perfect car parking at Heathrow, you can be sure all their options are flexible and convenient. Whether you choose short-stay or official Heathrow long-stay parking, Heathrow airport offers options moments from the terminal or great value parking.

Long-stay travellers even get quick and convenient free bus transfers from airport car parks to the terminal doors.

If you’re looking for other Heathrow airport parking options, you’ll find meet and greet valet parking. It also offers Pod Parking, a unique system where a driverless, electric vehicle takes you to Terminal 5.

Also, if you book through Official Heathrow Parking, their flexible cancellation policy lets you cancel up to two hours before your arrival.

You can also relax overnight if you choose a Heathrow airport hotel and parking package. If you want hotel parking, Heathrow offers options at all of their terminals.

Whether you want a Heathrow airport hotel with parking or just cheap Heathrow parking, there are various options.

Heathrow offers 24-hour security at every car park, so you know your vehicle will be safe.

London Gatwick

If you’re going away for a few days, off on a business trip or picking up a passenger, short-stay parking at Gatwick airport could be the perfect solution as you can walk straight through to the terminal.

For cheap Gatwick parking, long-stay might be the best option as it offers a shuttle to take you directly to the terminal from your airport long-stay parking spot.

Premium Gatwick parking is one of their most convenient options and is ideal for those going on a short break or business trip. If you want to enter and exit the terminal as quickly as possible, this is the option for you.

Want to start your trip in style? Official Gatwick meet and greet valet parking means you can leave your car in the safe hands of Gatwick staff and then collect your car when you return.

If you need help choosing the perfect Gatwick airport parking, just enter a few details on their website and they’ll recommend an option.

You’ll also find Gatwick hotel and parking options for staying close to the airport overnight.

Manchester

Whether you’re looking for cheap Manchester airport parking or the height of convenience, all parking at Manchester airport is close to the terminal, within walking or bus transfer distance. There are also Drop & Go and meet and greet parking options.

If you book ahead, you might be able to take advantage of early bird discounts, and they also sometimes send deals via email.

While we’ve just looked at a few major airports, you’ll find similar options available if you’re searching for Newcastle airport parking, London City airport parking or parking at any other UK airport.

Airport hotel and parking packages

If you’re travelling a long way to your departure airport, have an early flight or a late arrival on your return, it might be worth looking at an airport parking and hotel package.

You’ll find many airport hotels offer room packages which also include car parking for the duration of your trip.

Not only could this be really convenient, but you might be surprised to discover airport parking with hotel packages may only cost you a little more than if you just pay for parking. Sometimes, they can even cost less.

You could effectively be getting a hotel room for free — or for very little extra.

If airport hotels are located away from the terminal, they usually lay on airport transfers. You’ll need to check when they run, how often and if there’s a charge to book. Some offer a free shuttle service 24 hours a day.

With some airport parking and hotel packages, the parking might not be at the hotel. You might have to drive yourself from the hotel to an off-site car park, so take this into consideration.

As well as airport hotel and parking packages, you might also find parking options that offer access to airport lounges or a Fast Track Pass to get you through security more quickly.

Check comparison sites to see if you can get a discount

If you want a complete picture of the options available to you and the cost of them, you should look at an airport car parking comparison site.

This is often the easiest way to find and compare airport parking prices as they’ll do all the searching for you and show you the best airport parking deals available. Whether you’re flying from East Midlands, Belfast International or Leeds Bradford Airport, they’ll help you save money.

Whether you choose TravelSupermarket, Airport Parking Shop, Looking4Parking or Parking4Less, you’ll often find they’re able to secure exclusive discounts thanks to the fact they make bulk bookings, which means you could save even more by booking your airport parking through them.

You can also earn cashback when you book with Looking4Parking and TravelSupermarket through TopCashback.

As is the case with most things you’re comparing, it’s worth checking more than one airport parking comparison site as they might be able to secure exclusive deals with certain providers.

If you want cheap parking at Luton airport or are looking to compare Dublin airport car parking prices, don’t just check airport parking price comparison sites. Some airports offer exclusive airport car parking deals if you book directly with them.

Book early for the biggest savings

Generally, the earlier you book your airport parking, the more you’re likely to save, though this could depend on the airport and how far in advance you’re booking.

Pre-booking airport parking could save you as much as 70% compared with paying on-the-gate costs, which could give you more money to spend on your trip.

As well as being able to save by booking early, you should also keep your eyes on any discounts available during sale periods, such as January and around Black Friday in November.

While you can turn up on the day at some airports and secure a parking space, you’d very likely have to pay considerably more doing this than if you’d booked in advance.

You’d also be running the risk of there not being any spaces available — or not being able to get your preferred choice of parking. This could especially be the case during peak holiday periods.

Even if you pre-book on the day (some airports allow you to pre-book as little as two hours in advance), or the day before, you should save yourself some money against the on-the-day prices — and you’ll have a guaranteed space.

Check transfer times, security, cancellation and extra charges

When booking airport parking, you should also think about the transfer times from your parking spot to the terminal, the car park's security features, what the provider's cancellation policy is and whether you might incur any additional charges.

If you’re booking an airport parking option that involves you getting a shuttle to the terminal, you should always check the transfer details.

In the event of you having a flight early in the morning or late at night, you need to be sure whether shuttles run 24 hours a day and, if not, what time they start and finish.

You’ll also need to know how frequently they run and how long the journey from your car park to the terminal will take.

If shuttles operate every 20 minutes and the journey time is 30 minutes, for example, that’s a potential 50 minutes it might take for you to get from your car to the airport terminal.

When leaving your car at an airport for any length of time, you want it to be safe and secure while you’re away.

The first thing to consider is whether you’re happy to hand over your keys. If not, you should look at a park-and-ride option as, normally, you park your car and take your keys with you. With meet and greet services, you usually hand your keys over.

Also, look out for details such as what security they have in place, like CCTV or guard patrols, and where your car will actually be parked while you’re away (if you choose an option where you leave your keys).

The other option is to check out reviews for the company you’re booking with, looking at reasons why positive or negative feedback was given.

If there’s some uncertainty about your trip, it might be worth adding a cancellation waiver to your booking. Some offer this as an add-on for a small extra fee. If you think you might have to cancel at short notice, this small expense may be worth it for guaranteeing a refund.

While many airport car parks allow you to cancel right up until a few hours before your arrival, it’s worth checking terms and conditions, as well as any charges.

One other thing to consider when booking airport parking is if you’ll incur extra charges if you arrive at your car park too early or later than your stated pick-up time due to flight delays.

Some car parks may have a grace period, in which case you’ll be covered for a certain amount of time without being charged extra, but you should always check the small print before booking your airport parking.

What does Park Mark mean?

When searching for airport parking, you’ll see options that are described as being Park Mark accredited. But what does Park Mark mean?

Well, the Park Mark award is given to car parks that meet the standards of the police’s safer parking scheme. The point of the award is to give you peace of mind by helping reduce car park crime. This will no doubt be particularly important to you if you’re leaving your car or you’ll be visiting an airport car park late at night or early in the morning.

Park Mark is awarded following an assessment by a Police Accredited Assessor and is subject to reassessment every two years.

A car park with Park Mark status means strict measures have been implemented, including effective surveillance, appropriate lighting, quality management and a clean environment.

So, if security is a big factor when choosing your airport parking, go for one that’s Park Mark accredited.

Heathrow Park & Ride Plus

If you’re jetting off from Heathrow Airport for work, Heathrow Park & Ride Plus car parks will make catching your flight easy.

Park & Ride Plus is Heathrow’s premium option for those going away on a business trip. It’s conveniently located close to the airport’s terminals and there are frequent shuttle buses to take you from your car to check-in.

Park & Ride Plus for Heathrow terminals 2 and 3 is located on the Northern Perimeter Road and is easy to find from all the major routes into the airport.

Only five minutes away from Terminal 5 by transfer, the Park & Ride Plus site is a convenient and safe place to park if that’s where you’re flying from.

As well as the fact it’s close to the terminals and offers more frequent airport transfers, Park & Ride Plus allows you to keep your keys. You can also cancel up to two hours before your arrival time.

Purple Parking also offer business parking at Heathrow Airport, with three dedicated services available to help your trip start smoothly. Their Business, Business Plus and Business Express parking services are all Park Mark-accredited, meaning you don’t need to worry about your car’s security while you’re away.

If you book your Purple Parking through TopCashback, you might be able to get some of your spend back too.

Alternatives to taking your car to the airport

While there’s no doubt airport parking is a great option for many flying off on holiday or jetting away for a business trip, it’s not necessarily the right choice for everyone.

If you live fairly close to your departure airport, a pre-booked taxi could prove to be cheaper. Or, if you’re a long way away, you might want to look at travelling by train or coach instead.

Let’s look at some of the alternatives to taking your car to the airport:

Non-specialist train services

Many of the UK’s biggest airports are easily accessible by train, with some having their own stations.

Some airports are serviced by express rail services. However, these can be more expensive than regular rail services as they usually stop at fewer stations. This means they’ll get you there quicker, but it’s worth weighing that up against the ticket cost.

Here’s how you can travel to and from some of the UK’s main airports:

Pre-booked taxi

Arranging a pre-booked taxi might work out cheaper than airport parking, depending on how far away you are from the airport.

Local taxi firms will be able to give you a price and it’s worth comparing various companies. You might also find specialist airport taxi services in your area.

You should book a return journey, rather than jumping in a taxi at the airport when you return. It’s also worth giving the taxi company your flight numbers so they can change the pick-up time if your flight is early or delayed.

Coach travel

Booking an airport coach might be the cheapest option, but they might not be the quickest.

Book in advance and you can make great savings, so if cost is the primary factor when you’re deciding on how to get to the airport, a coach might be a better option for you.

National Express offer airport transfers at all hours, meaning you can embark on one of their coaches at a pick-up point near you and get dropped off right outside the terminal.

Whether you’re flying from Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, London Stansted, Manchester, Bristol, Dublin or Birmingham International, you’ll have a generous luggage allowance onboard your National Express coach. They also have WiFi, power sockets and air-conditioning for your comfort.

megabus offer services to Birmingham airport, as well as Bristol, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, Stansted, Manchester and Southampton airports from locations around the country. You get 23kg luggage allowance too.

Business and other local car parks

You might find local businesses close to airports offering parking on spare land they might have.

However, while overheads are low for businesses renting out parking spaces, meaning they can offer lower prices, they generally won’t be able to offer the same kind of security airport parking solutions do. Availability is also likely to be far more restricted.

There might be other options too. Some nearby railway stations will offer long-stay parking, and with many airports having their own railway stations, this might be worth looking into for comparison.

Private owners renting driveways or garages

If you’re set on taking your car, it might be worth seeing if you can rent a parking space — either a garage or driveway — from someone who lives close to your departure airport.

This could well be a cheaper option than booking airport parking although, depending on how far the option is from the airport, you might have to consider how you’re going to get to the terminal from your parking space. You’ll need to factor in the cost of this when comparing prices.

There are various sites you can use to find a parking space, such as YourParkingSpace, JustPark, Parklet and ParkOnMyDrive.

As with business parking, you’ll need to think about what security they can offer and what the availability is likely to be.

Don't forget! Keep your keys in a safe place

If you’ve chosen an airport parking option that requires you to keep your keys, you’ll need to make sure you keep them safe while on holiday. The last thing you want when you get back home is to find you’ve lost your car keys.

One option is to take your spare key as well as your main key and get different people to look after one each. If one goes missing, you’ll hopefully still have the other one.

As soon as you arrive at your holiday destination, decide on a safe place, out of sight, to keep your key/keys and stick to it.

Many hotel rooms have a safe, which would be the perfect place to keep your car key, along with things like your passports, money and jewellery.

Time to jet off...

Hopefully, this guide has provided you with useful information which will help book airport parking in future.

Whether you’ve always been unsure about what the best parking option is for your needs and budget, or where to look in order to get the best deals, you should be better equipped now to make the right decisions.

If you want ease, meet and greet parking is for you, or if keeping the cost low is a major factor, look at park-and-ride options.

Make sure you shop around in order to get the best deal. You should also look at alternatives if you need to make your own way to the airport, such as pre-booked taxis, train services and coaches.

There are also alternative parking options, including businesses located close to airports and private residents renting out driveways and garages.

Whatever route you go down, make sure you check to see if you can earn cashback on your airport parking with us.