Ok, so here’s the deal. One of my favorite things about Europe is that there are enough public transportation options that I don’t have to drive. Whether it’s because of road signs that I don’t understand or driving on the opposite side of the street, I prefer to hop in a taxi and do my best to relax. Still, I’ve had several people write me asking about airport parking; especially for those little weekend jumps from Britain to the Amsterdam, Pamplona or any number of quick trips.
Now, maybe you live in London, perhaps you’re studying abroad in Bristol and want to rent a car to get you to Gatwick airport or by chance you simply will have nothing to do with being chauffeured around in a taxi, you might even just be looking for London parking. Whatever the case, there are some handy websites that can find you the best deal and provide you with all the information you need to safely, cheaply and easily park your car at airports in Britain.
But why not just have your hotel concierge book your parking? Or, why not just ask Aunt Nester to call the airport for you? She lives in Oxford and has a cell phone. Simply put, you’ll save money doing this yourself. Using the web allows you to search various parking options based on the date you’ll be flying, airport, terminal and options like “park and ride” or “meet and greet parking”. Once you hit submit you can then organize the long list of options by price, customer satisfaction with the various car parks or transfer time. It’s really that simple. Let me give you an example.
Randomly choosing March 22-26 at Gatwick Airport I was able to find parking for about 21 GBP (approx 32 USD in March 2010). $6.50 a day!!! A great price to be able to drive straight home when you return. But using the web provided much more valuable information. I was able to determine which terminal I would be near, how far I’d actually have to take a shuttle (usually included in the price) and that I’ll have to leave my canoe at home due to restrictions…no kidding. 
Customer ratings are also quite useful, as anyone who has ever parked at an airport only to find a dinged and dirty car upon return knows.
The key to these great deals, as is the case with all travel bookings, is to book early. Once you narrow down your flight dates and times go right ahead and book your parking. Waiting will only cost you money and headaches. And, since you know your airline you’ll likely know your terminal. Being able to search for affordable airport parking using your terminal number to narrow your search will help to alleviate some of the pain the rest of the airport will put you through.
Want to make things even easier? For a price increase (I’ve found it to be about 3 times as much) you’ll be able to simply drive to the terminal and be greeted by a personal chauffeur who will take it from there. Just drop the keys off with staff, go on your trip and find your car waiting for you at the terminal when you return.
When it comes down to it there aren’t many of us just visiting Europe who will have a car to use Gatwick parking or Heathrow parking. But for those travelers who call Britain home Airport Parking websites can save you bundles of cash and hassle when booked early.
