Cheap airport parking
Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester & more
Leave it until the very last minute to sort airport parking and it can cost a fortune to leave your car there while you're on holiday – you could pay as much as £350 for a week if you just turn up on the day. But by following our tips and booking the right way, you can slash the cost in minutes.
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Book flexibly where you can
If you're looking to book airport parking for a trip, flexibility is a key consideration, especially as we've seen in recent years how coronavirus, airline staff shortages and strike action can result in delayed/cancelled flights or unexpected travel restrictions.
Flexibility remains the safest option as things can still change quickly, and many travel insurance policies don't cover 'extras' such as airport parking. For more info, see our airport parking need-to-knows below.
What should I do if I've booked airport parking and I need to cancel?
If you've made a reservation and can no longer travel, for example, if your flight has been cancelled by the airline, it's worth checking if you can move or change your booking at no extra cost. Some airports and parking firms waived admin fees when travel was severely restricted due to coronavirus, though that's less likely to be the case now.
Yet even if the airport or firm you've booked with doesn't say it's offering free cancellation, it's worth getting in touch to ask if it will let you cancel or rebook as a goodwill gesture.
Will my travel insurance cover airport parking?
If you're not able to cancel your reservation you can try contacting your travel insurer, but many policies don't cover 'extras' such as airport parking in this scenario.
Also be aware that you may not be covered by your travel insurance at all if the UK Government or the government of the country you want to go to has put travel restrictions in place, or the Foreign Office is advising against travel to that country. So if you have to cancel, you may stand little chance of getting your money back.
For more on what policies do and don't cover, see our guide to Cheap travel insurance.
Airport parking need-to-knows
Before you start looking for a cheap deal, here are the key must-knows:
Book well in advance and you could cut the cost by up to a third, though the exact saving depends on when and where you're booking. But even if you've forgotten to do this:
Check comparison sites with discounts
The easiest way to find cheap parking is by using one of the special comparison sites that search the web to find you the best deals – and remember to check your booking is flexible in case you can't use it because of cancellation or future restrictions.
They'll often give you a cheaper price than you'll get booking direct – but we've also blagged a few extra per cent off the following comparison sites' prices.
We've ranked them by the size of the discount they offer, factoring in fees and range of airports covered too, but it's not an exact science and of course a bigger discount doesn't necessarily guarantee you'll get the best overall price. Prices change daily, therefore check a few to find the best price.
Once you've checked these it's also worth looking at renting a private parking space near the airport and hotel parking packages to see if you can further reduce the cost with either.
Note: The discount ranges in the table below are based on info given to us by the comparison sites listed, plus our own spot checks. But the rates can and do change fairly regularly, so you may find that those you're offered are a bit higher or lower than the maximum and minimum stated here.
Top comparison sites with discounts – MSE Blagged
Provider | Discount via our link (no booking fee unless stated) |
FHR* | 10%-45% off |
Holiday Extras* | 10%-40% off |
Airparks* | 10%-40% off |
SkyParkSecure* | 5%-28% off (i) |
Other sites worth checking for a comprehensive search | |
Looking4Parking* | 3%-23% off (ii) |
Airport Parking & Hotels* | 16%-20% off |
Better Car Parks* | 10%-15% off |
Important. Some airports charge an access fee for meet and greet services which isn't always included in the price, so check before booking.
(i) Use the code MSE001 if it's not already in the promo code box.
(ii) Use the code AWMSEPLUS if it's not already in the promo code box.
Check directly with parking operators too
It's sometimes possible to beat comparison sites by going direct. Compare direct prices with those you were quoted from the comparison sites above, then go with whatever's cheaper.
Rent a private space near the airport – or find another cheap alternative

Armed with the cheapest price for the big car parks, it's worth trying smaller, private ones to see if you can cut the cost further. eBay-style parking marketplaces allow those living close to airport car parks to offer parking on their own drives or spare land.
Overheads are low, which means prices are too, but there's a trade-off here. They usually lack anything like the level of security offered by the dedicated car parks.
There are numerous sites that list parking spaces, and you should be able to find a competitive price in a couple of minutes. Check out Just Park*, Park Let* and Your Parking Space, but for full help first read our Rent out your parking space guide.
Probe local knowledge for other options, such as train station car parks
It's also worth checking other local car parks in the vicinity of the airport as they may work out cheaper. For example, some forumites have reporting that parking at nearby train stations has saved them some cash.
Always carefully check the terms of any car park you leave your car at and consider whether the level of security it provides is satisfactory for you.
Plus to help you find the best local car parking we've set up a range of special discussions focused on each airport; please read them and add your suggestions.
Find hidden local airport parking in the MSE Forum
Birmingham/East Midlands | Edinburgh |
Gatwick | Glasgow |
Heathrow | Luton |
Manchester & Liverpool | Stansted |
North-east England | West/south-west England |
Add your suggestions and read those from others by clicking on the links above.
Check if hotel parking packages do better
Many airport hotels offer room packages that include parking for the length of your trip. This is great if you live a long way from the airport, or have a super-early flight. Better still, they often only cost a little more than the parking alone and sometimes even cost less – so you could view this as parking with a hotel room thrown in for 'free'.
Check how transfers to the terminal are arranged – while some hotels offer a 24-hour complimentary service, others may charge separately for the journey. It's also worth looking at the more general Cheap hotel deals guide to see if you can beat the price.
Typical weekly prices and savings
Airport |
On-the-day drive-up (1) |
Pre-booked (3) |
Pre-booked with hotel (4) |
Max saving by pre-booking |
---|---|---|---|---|
Birmingham |
£127 | £76 | £87 | £51 |
Gatwick | £180 | £83 | £144 | £97 |
Heathrow | Off-peak dates: £220 Peak dates: £250 (2) |
£54 | £138 | Off-peak dates: £166 Peak dates: £196 |
Manchester | £350 | £67 | £94 | £283 |
Stansted | £210 | £98 | £72 | £128 |
1. Cheapest listed official airport parking prices. 2. Peak dates listed on the Heathrow Airport website. 3. Prices from listed comparison sites. 4. Prices from listed comparison sites, including one night in double room pre-flight. Prices for July 2023.
Once you've found the lowest price at your chosen airport, it's worth checking if you can get cashback on top. If you've never used cashback sites, read the Top cashback sites guide first for a full explanation.
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