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Cost Effective Ways Of Parking


Posted: 13th January 2017 09:08

Parking at an airport is one of the most important factors that you will need to consider when you’re going on holiday. With many charges for pick-ups when they overstay just 10 or 15 minutes, people are quickly turning to parking as a cost-effective way to travel to the airport, when they don’t want to use public services such as National Express coaches. Here, we’ve put together a list of ways that you can save money on your parking at the airport when it comes to holidays or business trips abroad. 

Book In Advance
When you head to the airport, you’re going to want to ensure that you have booked your parking in advance. Not only will this save you a lot of money, it will also help to ensure that you have a parking space booked and they are expecting you. There is nothing worse than turning up to an airport and having no place to park. In addition to this, if you decide to pay on the day, you will often be paying premium prices of up to 50% more than what you would’ve done if you had booked online or phoned to book in advance.

Find Secure Parking Close To The Airport
One of the biggest mistakes that people tend to make when it comes to airport car parking is parking as far away as possible in order to cut the cost of the parking charge. However, in the case that there is no free shuttle bus, they may actually end up paying a lot more for transfers to and from the airport. If you can find secure parking close to the airport, you will often find that you will be saving both money and time, making this a far more cost effective option. Most UK airport parking facilities will also offer a transfer bus directly to the terminal from the carpark, making is an ideal option for your trip.

Long Stay Or Short Stay
If you’re going to need a parking space for longer than 24 hours, most parking companies recommend that you turn to the long stay car parks as these are generally a more cost-effective option. Short stay car parks normally charge you either by the hour, or by the day when it comes to parking, and this can very quickly add up. You may need to take into account any delays or flight cancellations that you may face, or whether you are likely to end up staying in the country that you are visiting for longer. The safest bet is to park in a long stay car park, so you aren’t under the pressure of any additional costs such as fines or clamps if you overstay in a short stay car park. If however, you know for certain that you’re only going to be away for a short while, then a short stay could be the more cost effective option for you.

Valet Service
One of the more expensive, but far more convenient car parking options is a valet service. While this is not always a possibility particularly at some of the larger airports, you may find that smaller airports such as Manchester airport will have a valet service. All you do is simply drive your car to the departure terminal, and an official chauffeur will take the car to a secure storage area, and then drive it back to you when you return. If you are in a rush, or you don’t mind paying a little extra for an extraordinary service, then valet parking is one of the most attractive options, although not necessarily cost-effective.