How to save money parking at the airport

Take a couple of minutes to enjoy our hilarious video entitled Murphy's Airport Parking, and watch renowned British actor Paul Kaye demonstrate the pitfalls of booking your holiday airport parking with a less-than-reputable company.
Tip 1: Know who you are booking with.
Take a minute to check out their "About us" page. Reputable companies will tell you about themselves so you know who you are dealing with. It is easy to get caught out on the web.

There are dozens of companies reselling airport parking, so it is worth finding out who is actually providing the service.

Don't forget, Holiday Extras handles 1.2 million parking bookings every year, and has been in the business for more than 25 years. We are a Times Top 100 company to work for and have an award-winning call centre and customer relations team.

Tip 2: Check the price guarantee.
Don't be caught out; we mean it when we say our prices are guaranteed to be the best. Remember, we check all of our competitors prices every day to make sure our prices are the best. We won't be beaten on price.

Great products. 1.2m customers booked their parking with us last year. Less than 0.2% of them had a complaint about the service they used. How's that for peace of mind?

Tip 3: Think about adding the cancellation waiver.
The average price for a week's airport parking can be up to about £60, but for an extra 99p, if you cancel and your booking is in accordance with our cancellation guidelines, you can get your money back. Make sure you select this option when you are booking - you will find it under the heading 'Cancellation Protection'.

Tip 4: Book at the right time.
Prices can change daily, sometimes more than once, so to guarantee you get the price you are quoted, reserve your parking space right away. Don't forget it is FREE of charge to cancel your booking online up to midnight on the day you book. On your booking confirmation e-mail you will have a link to follow if you wish to cancel.

Tip 5: Book early.
What's the difference? Up to 60%. Many car parks offer advance purchase prices and the earlier you book the more likely you are to find them. If you do find one, book straight away because these prices are withdrawn as you get closer to the departure date, and are subject to availability.

Tip 6: What's most important about the car park?
Transfer times and frequency of transfer are what our customers say are most important. Our car park information pages tell you all you need to know about when and how the transfers operate.

Tip 7: Check the cost of a hotel with parking package.
Compare the price of airport parking with the price of a hotel packaged with parking. At certain times of the year, especially August and September, parking packaged with a hotel can be up to £20 cheaper than parking on its own. If you have an early check-in, staying overnight takes all the stress out of getting to the airport on time. Compare the prices on the parking results page. You can click straight through from parking to hotels.

Tip 8: Feedback
Don't forget - when you get back from your holiday let us know how your parking went. Your feedback might even be published on our website. We will send you an e-mail after you book; you only need to click one button to rate the car park.

Tip 9: Different types of parking
There are several different types of airport parking. Remember Holiday Extras offers everything from the cheapest airport parking to covered parking and Meet and Greet parking. Whether you need to park your car for two weeks or just a couple of days we have something for you. So how does it all work and which will be the most suitable for you?

On-airport parking - This refers to parking within the airport boundary. Airports, however, are generally big places so always check the transfer times and distance to the terminal. In general the closer you are to the terminal the more you pay for the convenience.

Off-airport parking - This means it is located outside the airport boundary. Ironically, the transfer times for off-airport car parks can sometimes be less than the on-airport times, due to their location, so make sure you check.

Meet and Greet parking - Arguably the most convenient option for parking at the airport. This service means you are met at the terminal by a driver who will collect your car and take it to one of our approved secure car parks, leaving you free to check-in. When you return, your car will be delivered back to you at the terminal. Meet and Greet parking is great for large families with loads of luggage and for golfers, surfers and skiers. Services vary, so be sure to read the details.

Tip 10: And the golden rule...
Never, ever, ever turn up without pre-booking your parking. Airport car parks charge a premium for turning up on the day which can be up to 60% more than our internet prices. Remember - you can still save even if you only book your parking on the day of travel. If you see someone putting money into a parking machine at the airport, please do them a favour and mention us...£9 a day or £6 a day - you can choose.

[back to top]

See when airport parking is at its cheapest throughout the year

When is the cheapest time to park? You can see from the graph below the average cost of airport parking is cheaper at certain times of the year.


January - March
£39.67 in 2007 down -3% on 2006 at £41.06

April - June
£42.64 in 2007 down -7% on 2006 at £46.03

July - September
£48.36 in 2007 down -2% on 2006 at £49.19

October - December
£40.99 in 2007 up +4% on 2006 at £39.51