Airport parking: Why it pays to plan ahead
For holidaymakers travelling to the airport by car, secure parking is an essential detail of the holiday itinerary that often goes unchecked. Panicking over parking arrangements at the last minute will not only raise your stress-levels come departure day, it can also leave you with a sizeable dent in your holiday budget.
Avoid costly ‘panic parking’ and get your holiday off to a smoother start by following our ‘Top Ten Tips’ for easier (and cheaper) airport parking:
1. Shop around:
Airlines and travel agents offer airport parking as an added extra - at a premium rate. Use the internet to shop around independently for the best deals on airport parking. There are a number of airport parking ‘comparison websites’ that will do all the searching for you. Comparison websites work by trawling the web to track down the cheapest deals available. Remember, spending just a couple of minutes online could greatly reduce the overall cost of your trip.
2. Book ahead and book online:
You will almost certainly pay more for your parking if just turn up at the airport on the day and pay ‘at the gate’. The best way to save money on airport parking is to book ahead and book online, and generally speaking, the earlier you book the more you will save. You can make savings of up to 60%* when you pre-book with an airport parking company such as Airparks.
For example, Airparks offer:
Gatwick parking from just £4.00 per day
East Midlands airport parking from just £2.50 per day
Newcastle airport parking for as little as £4.62 per day
3. Use the middleman:
Many consumers assume they will secure the best deals by ‘going direct’. However, with airport parking you can actually save more money by booking through a middleman. Online parking agents often negotiate better rates, allowing them to pass on bigger savings to the consumer.
4. Look for price guarantees:
Airparks offer a ‘Best Price Guarantee’ meaning that if you find an identical parking product cheaper within 7 days, they'll match the price or refund the difference*.
5. Choose the right car park:
When booking airport parking, there are two main types of car park to consider – ‘on site’ parking, which is the airport operators’ own car parks, and ‘off-site’ parking, which is any car park outside of the airport complex and operated by third-party companies. With off-site parking, shuttle buses are normally used to transport customers to the terminal building.
But don’t let the jargon fool you – in some instances off-site car parks are closer to the terminal building than the on-site options and just as quick and convenient.
6. For less stress, consider ‘Meet & Greet’:
Along with on-site, off-site, short stay or long stay, there are some other airport parking options you may want to consider.
For example, Airparks offer an affordable ‘Meet & Greet’ service allowing you to start your holiday in style while avoiding the hassle of parking your car completely! Just make your way to the airport terminal where a friendly and professional chauffeur will be waiting to park your car for you. You can then go directly to check-in and enjoy a stress-free start to your holiday.
On your return the driver will be waiting for you with your car, so you can make your way home promptly and in the comfort of your own vehicle.
7. Time your flight:
Try to book your departure flight for later in the day and the return flight for the morning – this way you may be able to avoid paying for an extra day’s parking.
8. Security
You don’t want to spend your holiday worrying about the safety of your car, so it’s important to check that your chosen airport parking company has appropriate security measures in place. Fortunately, most airport car parks have guard patrols and CCTV.
Airparks car parks are secured under the definition given by the Association of Chief Police Officers accredited scheme for car parks. Airparks Services Ltd. has also been Quality Assured to ISO 9001 2008 for secured airport parking and passenger transfer services. Airparks also use CCTV, security fencing, barriers and stinger plates.
9. Arrive early:
On the day of travel, give yourself plenty of time to park. If you have chosen to ‘Park and Ride’, remember that you will need to allow time for the shuttle bus transfer from car park to airport before checking-in. It’s a good idea to find out the frequency of the car park shuttle buses in advance. After securing a great deal on parking, you don’t want to miss your flight!
10. Returning home:
Find out where you will need to go on your arrival at the airport to collect your car. If you need to use a shuttle bus, find out beforehand where it will pick you up – don’t assume it will be from the same place that it dropped you off.
For more information on airport parking options at great rates, visit: airparks.co.uk
* Subject to terms and conditions. For full details consult airparks.co.uk
