
Cheap airport parking
Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester & more
Airports can make more from parking and shopping than planes. Leave it until the last minute to park your car there while you're on holiday and it can cost a fortune, but book the right way and you can halve the cost in minutes.
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While the majority of this guide covers general tips and blagged deals for cutting the cost of airport parking, this first section is dedicated to coronavirus-related booking tips for those planning to travel, plus cancellation tips for those who had already booked airport parking only for their trip to be moved or cancelled.
If you're looking for similar info on flights and hotels, see our Coronavirus travel rights guide.
Airport parking need-to-knows
Before you start looking for a cheap deal, here are the key must-knows:
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.
Top comparison sites with discounts – MSE Blagged
Provider | Discount via our link (no booking fee unless stated) |
Holiday Extras* | 10%-40% off |
Airparks* | 10-40% off |
SkyParkSecure* | 8%-35% off (i) |
Looking4Parking* | 5-35% off (ii) |
Other sites worth checking for a comprehensive search | |
Airport Parking & Hotels* | 16%-20% off |
FHR* | 3%-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 populated in the promo code box.
(ii) Use the code AWMSEPLUS if it's not already populated 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 the Rent 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 DEALS IN THE MSE FORUM | |
Heathrow |
Gatwick |
Manchester & Liverpool | Birmingham/East Midlands |
Edinburgh | Luton |
Glasgow | Stansted |
West/SW England | NE England |
Add your suggestions/read others by clicking 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) |
Saving by pre-booking |
---|---|---|---|---|
Birmingham |
£92 | £24 | £60 | £68 |
Gatwick | £145 | £45 | £62 | £100 |
Heathrow | Off-peak dates: £194 Peak dates: £221 (2) |
£48 | £82 | Off-peak dates: £146 Peak dates: £173 |
Manchester | £385 | £21 | £71 | £364 |
Stansted | £210 | £41 | £102 | £169 |
1. Prices from official airport parking. 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 & transfer. Prices for August 2022.
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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