Airport Parking

Parking your car at an airport for a week or two can be very expensive. Sometimes it can cost more than the airfare. It is worth exploring all options to find the cheapest price, which is also safe.

Should you leave your car at home?

Have you considered a taxi, train or coach? Although taxis can be costly, travelling an hour to the airport and then back by taxi proves cheaper for us than using the car and paying for long-term parking. For short holidays, it can be cheaper to take the car.

Some coach companies, like National Express, operate coaches near or to the airports. The fare from Birmingham to Heathrow, for example, starts at £7. When choosing coaches, consider several factors: how frequently they run, whether they drop you off at the airport or nearby, and whether they are still operating if your return flight is delayed. Additionally, consider whether it’s worth paying more for a flexible ticket in case your return flight is late.

We can walk to our local train station, so sometimes we travel to the airport by train. However, travelling across London with suitcases can be stressful. Once, someone helped me carry a suitcase up the stairs at a station. I had just come back from Australia and had two suitcases and a child with me. You can’t guarantee a stranger will help you. However, you can plan a route with lifts. But last week, my elderly mum discovered that the lift was out of action, which was a problem. I have also had someone sit on my suitcase while we were travelling on the underground. They weren’t happy when I asked them to get off. I had delicate souvenirs in the suitcase. Trains can be great, but they do have problems. Always allow extra time in case the train is cancelled.

It is worth considering the time of your return journey. I was once on an evening plane that was delayed for a couple of hours, and several passengers were concerned about how they would get home as the public transport would no longer be running.

You could go to the airport using one method of transport and return using another. Sometimes we go by train but treat ourselves to a taxi on the way back. Often, we are tired on our return trip, especially on overnight flights. Having a taxi driver meet you at the airport is worth the cost, and by using a train and taxi, the overall cost is still cheaper than parking the car at the airport.

Why take a car?

Cars are convenient, driving yourself to the airport means you don’t have to worry that your taxi or lift won’t turn up or will be late. You won’t be affected by a train strike or cancellations; everything is under your control.

If you have a young family, are elderly or disabled, going by car might be the most practical option.

A significant advantage of driving yourself is that you can get to the airport for an early morning flight. For example, if you have a long-haul flight that leaves at 7 am, you need to arrive at the airport at 4 am, usually before public transport starts running.

Another reason to take a car is if you have lots of cases.

If you decide to take your car to the airport, there are several things you might want to consider before you book a space.

Nearby hotels

Hotels near airports often let you park in their car park for free while on holiday. Some have shuttle buses to the airport, which can be free or charge a fee.

They can be an excellent way of starting your holiday in a relaxed state, especially if you have time to enjoy a nice breakfast. They can work out cheaper than paying for a carpark at the airport.

It is essential to check out the details of any shuttle bus service offered. Does the shuttle bus only run at certain times? If your flight is late back or has been delayed, will the shuttle bus still be running? Does the shuttle bus run at fixed times during the day or on request? If you need to request it, do you have their phone number to use when you return? Sometimes they charge for the shuttle in one direction but not the other, so be sure to read the small print.

When you check into the hotel, you usually have to let them know what time you need the shuttle bus for the next morning. If they don’t keep a record, make sure you get to the shuttle early in case a large party arrives, and the bus is full.

If they don’t provide a shuttle bus, a taxi plus a night in a hotel can still be cheaper than parking your car at an airport; it all depends on how long you are parking your vehicle for.

Private parking near the airport

People who live near airports sometimes rent out their driveways for holidaymakers to use. You then get a taxi to the airport. Occasionally they will drop you off or pick you up from the airport for a fee.

Online searches will show which drives are available. Companies like “Just Park”, “Your Parking Space”, and “Park on My Drive” have reviews, to help you choose. The drive owners charge from about £10 to £15 a day for a standard-size car (£70 for a week in the summer).

They might charge less for part of the day. Often, you keep your car keys, but if multiple cars are using the driveway, you might need to hand them over if the vehicle needs to be moved. If you hand your keys over, ensure your car insurance is still valid.

I would recommend noting down the car mileage so you can check no one took it out for a drive. Also, be careful, as some drive owners try to park multiple cars on a small driveway. You don’t want to find that you’ve been parked in or that your vehicle has been scratched because cars were packed too tightly.

If you park in a driveway, you will have less security than in an airport carpark; however, it is likely to be the same as when you park your car at home. You could check the crime rate in that area with a quick Google search.

If you have an electric vehicle, finding private parking to charge it can be challenging.

The driveway charges vary widely; the earlier you book, the better choices you will have.

Rent your car out

An interesting new idea is that you rent your car while you are on holiday, so instead of the car parking costing you money, it will make you money. Unfortunately, the company operating this scheme at Gatwick Airport closed down, but it is worth seeing if any similar schemes are available near your local airport.

Car parks

For larger airports, there are usually lots of carpark choices. Earn, you must meet the following criteria:

Offsite car parks

Many airports have private car parks miles away from the airport. These car parks are cheaper than the airport car parks, but it takes longer to get to the airport. They provide a shuttle service to the airport.

Sometimes the shuttles depart at a fixed time, or they operate continuously from the car park to the airport.

When deciding how early to arrive at the carpark, consider

How long will you have to wait for the shuttle?
Sometimes the first shuttle that arrives might be full.
How long does it take for the shuttle bus to drive to the airport?

The car park can be 15 miles or more away and still be called an airport carpark.

The level of security can vary from car parks that are little more than a field, to car parks that have 24-hour security people, secure fences, lights and CCTV.

Sometimes you will be asked to leave your car keys. This might be so they can move your car to fit more in, or because of fire safety. I would think twice before handing over your car keys and consider whether you trust the company you are leaving your keys with. Make sure your house key is not on the same key ring.

If you have a late return flight, check if the shuttle runs all night. Make sure you can pick up your car, even if your plane is delayed.

It may seem like a strange thing to say, but do make sure you know where you parked your car. I once had a conversation with someone who didn’t know where their car was parked. They were relying on a shuttle bus to take them back, but unfortunately, it was too late. They had driven to the carpark using the directions they had put in their satnav, but didn’t keep a record of the address with them.

Meet and greet

Meet and greet is when you take your car to the airport at an agreed time. Sometimes, when you are nearly there, you need to phone up to give the precise time. At the airport, someone meets you wearing a jacket with the company’s logo, and they take your car away.

When you arrive back at the airport, your car will be waiting for you.

I have used this service several times because it was the cheapest and easiest option. However, I haven’t used it since I heard about cars taken from Gatwick, my local airport, being parked in an unsecured field.

When I have used Meet and Greet at Gatwick, my car never came back with any mud on it, and it never had any unusual mileage on its clock. But the BBC did a test and used Meet and Greet services at Gatwick, Heathrow and Luton. They put trackers in the cars, so they knew where they were parked. They found that the cars at Heathrow were parked in secure locations. In contrast, the vehicles at Luton weren’t in secure locations, and they lacked the CCTV promised. Additionally, one of the cars in Gatwick was taken to Crawley and parked in a residential area overnight. Presumably, a staff member used it to get home. This was only a small test, so if they tested more services at Heathrow, they might have found problems with other companies.

I often call near one of these parking places and see the cars racing in and out of the parking area. They do have a secure area, but there are a lot of cars parked outside the secure bit, which I presume belong to some of their customers.

If you are going to use Meet and Greet, do the following.

See if your airport has a list of approved companies. Gatwick has eight it approves of.
See if it has a Park Mark award. A Park Mark award is given to a carpark that the police have checked. It is given to car parking facilities that have undergone an annual police assessment. To check use, http://www.parkmark.co.uk/car-park-finder
Make sure you know where they will store your car and how secure it is.
See if the company has a designated location, a building, a stand or a kiosk. If they don’t, be more suspicious of them.
Make sure you are handing your keys over to someone who works for the company. Check their identification. Are they wearing an official uniform?
Make sure your car key doesn’t have other keys on the ring like your house keys.
Take pictures of your car inside and out, plus the mileage, so you can prove what has happened to your vehicle if there are any problems.
You could put an AirTag or other tracker in your car, which could give you peace of mind, but it might spoil your holiday if you can see your car being driven somewhere it shouldn’t be.
Obtain a receipt for your car.
Get the greeter to check your car with you and confirm in writing that there are no dents or scratches, or note down where they are.
Check your car over when you return and report any damage before you leave the airport. Take photos.
Be prepared to park in another carpark if you feel something isn’t right.
Check with your insurance company to see if they cover Meet and Greets.
Don’t leave any valuables or loose change in the car.

When we handed our car over, we never checked it over with the person, which was probably naive of us. We should have got it in writing that there was no damage. 45% of UK car insurance companies exclude ‘damage to the vehicle whilst in the control of valet parking staff’. Therefore, it is essential to check with your car insurance company before using this service.

There have been reports that a small number of passengers never see their car again after handing over their keys. This can be a bit of a nightmare to sort out. If you use a booking agent rather than a meet and greet company directly, you could have the problem that neither company will admit responsibility. It has been ruled that the company that sells the meet and greet service is responsible for any damage or loss incurred by the subcontractors.

Even at officially approved Meet and Greets, people still have problems. Sometimes they have dents or scratches on their cars, flat tires, or their vehicle is not ready when they arrive back.

Valet parking

Valet Parking is a meet-and-greet type of parking, although Gatwick and Heathrow both list it as a different category. You drop off your car at the short-term car park, so you are very close to the terminal entrance. When your car pulls up at the barrier, pictures are taken of it, so there is evidence of the condition it arrived in. You pull up to the parking spot, hand over your keys, and the car is parked for you. When you come back your vehicle will be ready for you in a designated place. The key difference between valet parking and Meet and Greet is that valet parking involves parking cars on the airport premises.

As this parking is officially guaranteed, you don’t have to worry that you will never see your car again when you hand over your keys. You still need to check your vehicle and report any damage before leaving the carpark. It is more expensive than some of the other Meet and Greets and the long-term car parks at Gatwick. For an extra charge, they will vacuum and polish the inside of your car and wash and clean the outside.

At Gatwick, they have been trialling the use of robots to park cars, which means the vehicles can be parked closer as drivers don’t have to get in and out of the car. The robots scan the vehicle’s shape and size, so hopefully they will be parked without any dents.

Gatwick’s valet parking will give you a free booking if your car is not at the designated pick-up point at the time you booked it for.

Long-term car parks at the airport

Long-term carparks at the airport are similar to private carparks but are only about 5-15 minutes away on the shuttle. You should have a good level of security, and often the shuttle buses run all day and night. During peak holiday times, you need to leave extra time as the first shuttle might be full.

Mid-term carparks

Some airports have carparks called mid-term carparks, which are a little closer to the airport and therefore a bit more expensive. I would compare the prices of long-term and mid-term tickets to see how much more you pay for a shorter journey.

Short-term carparks

Short-term carparks are expensive. They are used by people who take friends or family to the airport and see them off / meet them, or by those going away for a few days. I have used short-term carparks a few times, usually when going away for a long weekend and have a very early start or a late return. I try to park in a corner because I am aware that lots of cars are pulling in and out of the car park, and people are pushing large luggage trolleys, which could easily hit the car.

Short-term carparks are usually covered (except for some top floors), so you don’t get wet and you won’t have to dig your car out of snow in winter.

Some airports have electric vehicle charging facilities at short-stay car parks. Charging the vehicle is sometimes included in the parking cost; other times, it is a separate fee. If there isn’t a charging point at the carpark, there might be one near the terminals.

Premium parking

This is the closest parking to the airport. In Gatwick, they have slightly wider parking spaces, so in theory, there is less chance your car is hit by another vehicle, but a luggage trolley could still hit it.

Pod parking

At Heathrow, they have an interesting idea called pod parking for Terminal 5. This is where you park in a carpark away from the terminal, but instead of getting a shuttle bus to the terminal, you get into your pod, which runs on a monorail. You press the button in the pod, and in 4-6 minutes, it arrives at the terminal. This parking option is more expensive than the long-term carparks, but it offers easy and quick access to the terminal. The pods stop for a few hours in the middle of the night when there is a shuttle bus available. Most people report that this is an enjoyable option; however, there have been times in the day when the pods are out of action, and a shuttle bus was used instead, yet the customers still have to pay the premium price.

Although you can turn up and pay on the day, this carpark can be packed during the busy periods. This carpark is aimed at the businessperson who will pay more for a quicker service.

Larger vehicles

If you have a larger vehicle, it is best to look at the airport’s website for details of which carparks you can use. It is often the long-term carparks which are further from the terminals.

Sometimes, when I have been on holiday, I have been lucky enough to find short-term single-storey carparks where I can park a motorhome while dropping off all our suitcases. This has saved us from dragging our suitcases on public transport or getting two taxis. Unfortunately, many airport websites abroad lack the level of detail found on UK websites, so I use Google Maps to check if their car park can accommodate a Motorhome.

General airport parking

For all parking spots in the airport, you should book as early as possible to get the best rates. Although you can pay on the spot at the parking areas, note that there is limited space available, especially in the premium type parking. By not booking in advance, you can pay twice as much or even more in the summer holidays. At London City Airport, if you don’t pay in advance, you can pay 4¼ times the advance price. Every airport has slightly different names for its parking spots, but they all work on the same principle: the nearer the airport, the more you have to pay.

Sometimes it is worth joining an airport mailing list, as they might give you a discount on the airport parking. You should always check all the parking options, as I once saved £30 by parking at the airport in a car park that wasn’t the nearest to our terminal. However, you could walk straight onto a 2-minute train ride to get to the right place. If you check the airport website or a comparison site, you may find a special offer that makes a car park closer to the airport cheaper than one further away.

Check the airport’s website for prices, then check parkbcp.co.uk and holidayextras.co.uk and comparison sites such as travel supermarket.com, Gosimply.com and parking4less.com

Don’t worry if you arrive earlier than expected or if your plane is slightly delayed, as you may return later than planned. Most airports charge by the day, so as long as you arrive back the same day you planned, you won’t get an extra charge. Although if you are in the short-term car park, you still pay per hour for the first day.

When you leave your car in the bigger car parks, I suggest you take a quick photo of the letter or number sign nearest where you parked your car. It makes it so much easier when you return after your holiday to find your vehicle.

Summary

Parking your car can be a significant expense of a holiday, so getting the best deal is worth the effort. However, getting back from your holiday and finding your car has a major dent is going to quickly spoil your post-holiday mood.

If possible, book your car park at the same time as your holiday booking. That way, you won’t forget to do it or leave it to the last minute and get the worst deals or book somewhere with a rogue operator.

Starting your holiday knowing you saved money is an excellent beginning in what should hopefully be a fantastic time away. Have a great holiday wherever you park your car.