Wow, that was a great holiday. You’ve brought back so much shopping, and eaten so much food, that getting your car out of the airport car park is proving to be a bit of a struggle. In fact the car’s stopped. No, wait – it’s the driver who’s frozen in horror, staring at the display on the exit barrier. £320 for two weeks’ parking?
That figure’s not made up. It’s what you’ll pay at Heathrow airport’s Long Stay car parks if you don’t book your parking in advance. Yes, that’s right, book in advance. It takes five minutes and could more than halve the cost.
At any UK airport, you can book parking through the airport’s website, but a better bet is an heathrow airport parking agency which will offer you all the different options, not just the airport’s own car parks. Take your time to look at what’s on offer. The airport’s car parks will be within the airport grounds, but there are plenty of off-airport car parks run by reputable operators which are just as good. If you’re keen to get the cheapest deal, these are probably your best bet, as they will almost always be less expensive than parking at the airport.
Any reputable off-airport car park will provide regular free buses to and from the airport 24 hours a day. Sometimes on-airport car parks are within walking distance of the terminal – but sometimes they’re not, in which case they’ll provide you with a bus too. You’ll pay more for a car park where you can walk to the terminal, but it’s quicker and easier than getting the bus. Many airports also offer a meet and greet service, where a chauffeur collects your car outside the terminal, parks it for you, and brings it back when you return from holiday. This will be the most expensive option, but again, it’s very quick and easy – and people who’ve used it say it’s worth the money.
Check out the security at the car park too. It should be well-lit, with barriers, fencing and maybe CCTV, manned 24 hours a day and regularly patrolled.
Another option is to stay in an heathrow hotel and choose a package that includes parking while you’re away. It means you don’t have to get up so early to drive to the airport, or worry about getting stuck in traffic and missing your flight – and it’s also a lovely, relaxed way to start your holiday. You can often get a good quality hotel with parking for not much more than you’d pay for parking alone – sometimes even less.
