Airport Parking
Parking at an airport car park will probably be the most expensive parking ticket you will pay for, but there are other ways you can park your car which could save you some money.
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Booking airport parking
If travelling to the airport by car, you will need to arrange airport car parking. There are a variety of options for parking at the airport. Short stay car parks for dropping off or picking up are unfortunately extremely expensive but also often a necessity.
If you are leaving your car at the airport while you are away then you will need a longer term airport parking option. Long term parking at the airport is fortunately a lot more economical and travellers can benefit from some great deals for booking in advance for longer stays.
As our aim is to provide our users with useful comparison tools to help them get the best deals on their purchases and save money, we recommend Airport Parking Shop for your airport parking because the site:
- Does the searching for you – saving you both time and money.
- Searches not one, but all the top providers to ensure you get the best deal.
- Uses a custom built quote engine to always offer you the largest variety of car parking options anywhere in the UK.
- Offers users the convenience of booking online – quickly and easily.
On airport parking
If you are booking airport parking which is located on the airport this will be named ‘On airport’. This will mean that when you park your car there will be connections directly to the airport which would save you taking a transfer.
Usually but not always on airport parking is more expensive, this is because more people want to park on airport then off.
Off airport parking
Off airport parking is parking located away from the airport grounds, the off airport car park will usually be around a 5 to 10 minute drive from the airport terminals.
When using airport parking that is not located on the airport itself then you will be able to use the Bus transfer which is usually free to get you from the car park to the airport. These will usually run every 10 – 15 minutes.
Meet and greet airport parking
If you are in a hurry then you should book the meet and greet service with your car parking provider. This will mean that the car park provider will meet you at the airport when you arrive and take your car to the car park. On your return they will meet you at either a location that was arranged at booking or out side your terminal exit.
Meet and greet services will cost a bit more then other but it will mean you wont have to wait around for a transfer bus or carry your luggage from the car park. If you do use this service then you will need to remember to turn your phone on when you get of the plane incase the company needs to contact you.
Is it safe to park at an airport?
When parking at an airport or using an airport valet/meet and greet service you should always look out for the ‘The Park Mark – Safer Parking Award’.
This award was designed to make people feel more at ease when leaving their car in a car park for a long period of time.
It was brought into place by the Association of Chief Police Officers and was developed to reduce crime in the parking areas. In order for a car park to receive a Safer Parking Award they will have to be accessed by specially trained police officers also known as an ‘Accredited Assessor’.
The award will be granted to the car park only if they meet certain requirements that will help deter crime away from the car park like:
Airport parking with a hotel
If you live far away from the airport then it may be better to stop over the night before in an airport hotel. Airport hotels sometimes offer airport parking included in the price, which means if you stay there for one night you can leave your car their for the duration of your trip abraod.
However some hotels do not offer airport parking so you should always check this with the hotel or alternitaivly you can use Airport Hotel Shop which will list every airport hotel that provides parking with each stay!
Hire a car
Airport parking however you book it can be expensive depending on how long you are away for. If you are going on a long trip abroad it might be worth hiring a car to get to and from the airport.
Hiring a car could work out a lot cheaper, there are car hire providers at most international airports where you can drop off and collect a hire car.
If you would like more information on car hire then please visit our car hire page for reviews, booking details and providers.