Holidaymakers have been urged to avoid an easy mistake that could cost them more than £100 extra and only takes a few minutes to fix.
Airport parking is a necessity for many travelers, especially those traveling with children or elderly relatives.
But new research shows that the price of airport parking is rising, and leaving your reservation until the last minute can drive up costs even further.
Last August, parking at Bristol Airport normally cost £19.06 per day, whereas this August it will cost around £24.69 per day.
And at London Luton Airport, charges are set to rise from £16.02 a day last August to £20.28 a day this summer, according to research by Airport Parking Shop, conducted exclusively for The Sun.
So there’s never been a better time to save money on parking whenever possible.
However, around one in ten travellers leave booking airport parking until the day before they leave for holiday, and our research shows that doing so could double the cost.
Airport Parking Shop has found that booking parking at the last minute adds more than £100 to the price compared to booking two weeks in advance at several major UK airports.
Booking parking at London Gatwick Airport two weeks before flying in August last year cost £138.74 for seven days.
But if you had left your parking reservation until the day before your flight, the same number of days would have cost £276.64 – almost double.
This would leave you with an additional outlay of £137.90 in total.
And if you book a week’s parking at Birmingham Airport two weeks in advance, you’ll pay £105.43. But if you leave it to the last minute, you’ll have to fork out an extra £80, or £189.28 in total.
Meanwhile, booking parking two weeks in advance at Stansted Airport would save you £92.
Robert Lelukiewicz, Customer Service Manager at Airport Parking Shop, says: “Airport parking is one of the hidden costs of a holiday.
“In August, the highest average cost of on-site parking for seven days was at London City Airport at £165.03, followed by Bristol Airport (£141.31) and Gatwick Airport (£140.18).
“But leaving it until the day before your trip means this cost increases even further, and around 10% of travellers leave parking to the last minute, meaning they are missing out on savings.
“I urge all tourists to plan their parking spaces as early as possible to avoid higher prices.”
How can I save money on airport parking?
If you know you’ll be driving to the airport, it’s best to book parking as early as possible to get the best prices (see our price jump table above).
It is often also cheaper to park outside the airport than at the airport, if you don’t mind the short drive to the terminal.
Airport Parking Shop research found that parking outside Birmingham Airport was around £18 cheaper for seven nights if you parked off-airport compared to on-airport parking and booked two weeks in advance (£86.66 vs £105.77).
If you left it until the day before, you would save £36 on parking outside the airport, paying £185.36 to park at the airport compared to £149.10 to park nearby.
Make sure you shop around to get the best deal. Use a comparison website to compare prices from different suppliers.
If you’re already planning to stay at an airport hotel before you fly, take advantage of the free overnight parking available there to save yourself the cost of a day’s stay.
Smart ways to reduce costs at the airport
PREPARING before entering an airport could save you a lot of money.
Food prices tend to be inflated at airports, so bringing your own food for your family could save you a small fortune.
You can bring solid foods like sandwiches, chips and fruit through security, so pack a picnic for the airport, but use a clear container.
Want a ride to the airport? Avoid expensive airport parking charges (often around £5) and park in free parking zones. Some airports have a shuttle bus service from further afield where you can park for free.
Bring an empty water bottle – you can refill it once you’ve gone through security at most airports.
You can also bring a reusable coffee cup: Pret, for example, will give you a discount if you bring your own cup.
And one key thing to remember is that Duty Free isn’t always a good deal, so don’t be fooled into buying something you could get cheaper elsewhere.
And most importantly, don’t change money at the airport if you can avoid it – they usually have the worst exchange rates.
You’re likely to get a much better deal if you exchange your currency in advance closer to home.
If your local exchange does not have what you need in stock, you can usually order it several weeks in advance.
By Laura Purkess, Consumer Editor and Consumer Advocate, The Sun
