Top Tips for Airport Parking
Let’s face it: compared to the excitement, promise and glamour of almost all other aspects of preparing for a holiday, parking at the airport is probably the least attractive. But consider the problems that can arise when trying to park in any other situation. Unexpected difficulties can often arise and can result in serious delays. When you’re catching a booked flight those are delays you cannot afford. By taking a little time to undertake some research and make the right choices you can avoid stress, anxiety and possibly even missing your flight. Here are some Top Tips for Airport Parking to help:
- Don’t leave booking too late
With all of the other things to think about when planning a holiday, many people leave it to the last minute before they think about parking. This is going to cause not only stress and worry but it will also cost you hard cash. Peak holiday times not only mean increased costs of flights and accommodation, but filter through to pretty much everything else, including parking charges. As would be expected, parking charges increase as spaces become scarcer. Early booking can reduce charges and by tackling a booking several months before your flight you can relax and spend more time researching in order to find the best deal. Try to ensure that your booking can be cancelled, however, to reflect any unforeseen changes that may arise. The reason this is number one in these Top Tips for Airport Parking is that it is so important; failure to book early limits choice and forces you to accept what is available rather than what would be your first choice.
2. Choose a secure car park
Whether you are going to be leaving your vehicle for a day, weekend or a week or more, you want to know that it is going to be safe while you do so. Spend some time researching possible car parks that meet your needs. Has the one that appeals to you most been independently inspected? Does it have, for example, the ‘Park Mark’? This is a system whereby parks are assessed for both security and levels of maintenance. It is a Police crime prevention initiative and whilst absolute guarantees of security can never be given, choosing a park with the Park Mark accreditation offers some peace of mind.
3. Study different car parking packages
There are several different options available, so choose what suits you best:
-Park and Ride. This is just the same as the shopping scheme. Your car is parked in a location a short bus ride from the airport. This makes it cheaper as it is not on-site at the airport. Shuttles transfer you after parking. Both airports and independent operators offer this service.
– Parking at the airport. This is usually the most expensive option as you are very close to the terminal.
– Meet and greet. This is a medium-priced option. A driver meets you at the airport terminal, usually helps you with luggage, then drives your car to the car park and secures it. The process is reversed on your return. This option offers much convenience as you stop at the actual terminal but don’t pay the highest price and you don’t have to worry about the bus trip between the car park and terminal. Very useful for those with small children, busy business people and those with restricted mobility.
4. Best way of shopping around: use consolidators
Although this is listed last it is one of the most important. It is really important to shop around, but you can take a lot of the work out of doing so by using consolidators such as SkyParkSecure. Consolidators are similar to price-comparison websites: they gather information about different car parking products available for different airports and compare details and pricing, making it easy to identify the product that best suits your 
needs and budget without having to do the leg work yourself. SkyParkSecure’s map feature is particularly helpful if you’re concerned about how far away from the airport the car park you’re thinking about booking is.
