6 ways to get cheap airport parking

Airport parking prices have spiked by 25% since 2019, according to Holiday Extras – that’s regardless of when you book. 

Turn up on the day and that cost can as much as quadruple, according to our research. 

Being organised isn’t the only way to minimise your airport parking spend though. Follow our tips below to ensure you don’t fork out hundreds of pounds before you’ve even left home soil.

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1. Plan ahead for cheap airport parking

Turning up at an airport car park without an advance booking is an expensive mistake. A week’s stay at Manchester Airport’s multi-storey car park was £406 on the day – quadruple the price of a booking made four months in advance. We saved £150 on average across all 16 airport car parks we checked by planning ahead – enough for a night’s accommodation or a swanky meal when you arrive.

Table notes: The biggest savings we found at each airport for a week's parking. Advance prices were checked in April 2023 for August dates and may have since changed. 

• Book your Birmingham airport parking in advance to save
• Book your Gatwick airport parking in advance to save
• Book your Heathrow airport parking in advance to save
• Book your Manchester airport parking in advance to save

2. Sign up and save 

Getting on the airport’s mailing list can help you access special deals: Gatwick and Manchester offer a 10% discount on parking. Also check sites such as myvouchercodes.co.uk for promotions. Tesco Clubcard member? For every £5 worth of points you collect, you’ll get a £15 voucher for APH’s (Airport Parking & Hotels) website.

3. Look out for airport parking and hotel deals

Scour sites for parking deals that include a hotel stay. When we checked booking site Airparks, we found a week’s worth of parking at Heathrow for £142 – including a stay in the Premier Inn (the UK’s best large hotel chain, according to Which? members) and meet-and-greet services. The standalone charge for the same meet-and-greet service is £130, so you’re only paying an extra £12 to stay over – handy for early-morning flights.

4. Shop around

Don’t settle for the first deal you find. We spot-checked more than 70 prices (using five different third-party websites and trying the airports direct) and Skypark Secure found the cheapest car park almost every time – despite adding a booking fee at the checkout. The only caveat is you have to be flexible. When we searched for a specific car park or opted for the meet-and-greet service (where a chauffeur parks for you), there were cheaper options elsewhere. Holiday Extras is a good bet if it’s holding a sale (or you have a valid discount code). Otherwise, we found its rates were neck-and-neck with Airparks and booking direct. Prices and discounts can change from one day to the next, which is why it pays to shop around.

Check prices at Skypark Secure – but remember to compare deals with other websites before booking.

5. Weigh up on-site vs off-site parking deals

Off-site parking is usually more hassle, requiring a shuttle to the terminal. Despite this, our research found that it isn’t always cheaper. In fact, the airport car park was more economical four out of 11 times. Don’t assume that on-site will always be closer to the terminal either. While Edinburgh’s official ‘Plane Parking’ is £10 cheaper than the least expensive off-site option, its transfer time is also up to seven minutes longer.

Check Plane Parking prices at Edinburgh airport.

6. Park in a stranger’s driveway 

Renting a private space outside someone’s house is often cheaper than parking on-site at the airport. You can search for driveway spaces on websites such as JustPark. When we checked, we found you could save as much as £50 a week. The downside is it’s riskier: most driveways won’t have CCTV or security. You also need to consider the extra time and cost of travelling to the airport.

Look for driveway parking on JustPark.

Tips for stress-free airport parking

Look for Park Mark

 This is awarded to parking facilities that have been risk assessed and approved by police. Check at parkmark.co.uk. 

Check T&Cs

Be aware of too-good-to-be-true parking prices – they might not include airport shuttles or booking fees. Free cancellation is handy if plans change, but check you’ll get a refund in this instance rather than a voucher.

Give yourself extra time

Don’t cut it fine when booking time slots: unless there’s a grace period, you may be charged high on-the-day prices if you’re late to pick up.

Avoid drop-off fees

Getting a lift to the airport? Don’t get stung by pricey drop-off zones. Every major airport has a free alternative (usually in the mid- or long-stay car park). See our article explaining further ways you can save at the airport.

Take photos

When using meet-and-greet or valet services, take photos of your car, as well as mileage and petrol levels, before handing over the keys.

Get cover

Check your insurance covers damage to your vehicle at an airport car park, especially if you’re using a meet-and-greet service. Pay by credit card if the cost is more than £100, so you can claim under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act if the service isn’t up to scratch. Read more about the protections Section 75 offers.

Research notes: All prices were collected in April 2023 and may not reflect current pricing.