What types of airport parking are there?
So, you’re looking for airport parking for your next getaway, but there are so many options? What do they all mean? And which is the best one to book? Don’t fear as we’ve got you covered with our mini guide to the different types of airport parking!
Meet and Greet Parking
Meet and greet, or valet parking, is the perfect choice for people who prefer to drive straight to the airport and not have to use transfers. Using meet and greet is simple, you just drive to the drop off point at the airport where you’ll hand over the keys to the parking company’s valet driver, who will take care of parking your car whilst you carry on into the airport. On returning, simply give the parking company a call and they’ll have your car waiting for you to pick up. Meet and great? More like meet and great!
Park and Ride Parking
Unlike meet and greet, park and ride services are usually based at a site a little further away from the airport. Using a park and ride car park is easy, just follow the directions to the car park, park up and hand over your keys at the office on site and then you’ll be transferred to your airport terminal on a shuttle or minibus. These transfers are usually very short distances that take between 5 – 20 minutes and are often available on demand. An added benefit of park and ride services is that they tend to be a bit cheaper than other options, so perfect for the budget conscious traveller!
Long and Short Stay Parking
Short stay car parks are generally found on site at the airport, and usually require you to self park. Essentially, you’ll drive onto the car park, find a space as you would normally and keep hold of your keys. Short stay car parks are best for if you only need parking for a few days and want to be able to walk straight from the car park to the terminal. You’ll often find however that with this convenience comes higher prices.
Long stay car parks generally operate in a similar way but tend to be based further away from the terminal, or off site completely. Once parked you’ll catch a free bus that will make stops at each terminal.
Many airports operate their own on-site short and long stay car parks, however there are some external companies that offer similar services too, so it’s worth researching the company before you book to make sure they are reputable.
As we mentioned over in our other post about what airport parking is, you’ll generally be looking to book either long stay or short stay depending on the duration of your trip.
Hopefully you now know a little bit more about the different types of airport parking! You can find a variety of services and secure your spot in advance using our search tool here.