Getting the Best Deal on Airport Parking

The most important thing when considering paying for airport parking is to do it in advance. If you turn up on the day of your flight you will end up paying a lot more than you need to. In some cases you could end up paying around 50% more than if you booked on-line in advance. All the best deals for airport parking, like many other things these days, are on the web.

A week parking at Heathrow is likely to cost around £60-£80 if you book on-line which, on average, is a saving of almost £30. The best price I found at the time of writing was at Economy Parking which is only £44.50 for 8 days. They serve terminals 1-4 and although they’re not on-airport as you might expect, they still have a very reasonable transfer time.

So get your surfboard out and take a moment to find the best deal. It is important you book with a reputable company who provide you with a professional service, have a secure payment system and good policy regarding refunds, booking amendments and cancellations. Here are a few top UK websites with all of the above:

Holiday Extras- The big guys of the industry. They have the most customers in the UK and are a very reliable company with a best price guarantee on all their products and a wide range of different providers to compare.

Airparks – This site focuses on it’s own brand, but they are one of the best airport parking providers in the UK with very cheap rates, and you can also browse through and book with other brands here too should you decide there’s something else more suitable for you.

Parking4less – They’ve been around for ages and have a loyal customer base. The website isn’t overly exciting but it is functional and you can book most of the best services from here.

Compare-airport-parking – A very unbiased website with very nice comparison tables featuring everybody who is anybody in airport parking. It might take a bit longer to browse through some of the bigger airports but at least when you book you know you’ve seen everything.

Different airport parking providers tend to operate slightly different services and can vary from each other a little. Most decent websites will have an explanation of the arrival and departure procedures so take a look to see if you get to keep you keys or if an attendant will park your car for you. If you book with a company offered by the top websites you can be confident their drivers are all qualified and they will have an good insurance policy. Be sure to check what is recorded when they survey the bodywork and condition of your car if you are using a meet and greet or valet service.

Transfer times to the airport are worth considering. Usually off-airport car parks are cheaper than airports within the airport perimeter but this doesn’t always mean the transfer time is much more. You can get a healthy discount if you are willing to use a service with a 20 minute transfer time as opposed to 5 or 10 minutes which is the norm. The return transfer is usually where a shorter distance is most valued though. After your holiday most people want to be able to get to their car as quickly as possible with least fuss.

Meet and Greet services are brilliant for this, especially if you have plenty of luggage with you. This is a popular option for families. Meet and Greet means you can drive straight to the airport where there is a pick-up/drop-off point and you are met by a company driver who will then check your car over, take your keys and drive your car to their parking facility leaving you free to check-in. This is more expensive than a standard service but can be very appreciated.

Some companies offer a slightly cheaper variant with a one way chauffeured service. Airparks Express at Birmingham airport, for example, will bring your car to the terminal on your arrival so your return home is that little bit smoother.

Some services are available with further reduction if you book at least 30 days in advance so, whatever service you opt for, make sure you do it early and book on-line. The extra savings are a very welcome addition to your holiday budget and there’s really not much effort needed to grab a good deal.