Most of the stress of flying happens before the airport: the booking you meant to make, the postcode you did not save, the liquids you repacked at the security belt. This checklist puts everything in time order, from the day you book to the gate, so each job turns up when you can actually do it.
Before You Fly (formerly Sky Parking Services) compares airport parking, lounges and hotels at UK airports, so where a job can be sorted here, the item links straight to the page. Tick what you can, skip what does not apply, and you will arrive sorted before you fly.
When you book
The best time to sort parking is the day you book the flights. Prices are at their lowest and every car park still has space.
- Book your parking now, not later. Compare every car park at your airport for your real dates. The same space costs more the closer you get to travel, and the cheapest car parks fill first in school holidays.
- Pick the parking type that matches the trip. Park & Ride usually has the lowest daily rate for a week or more away. Meet & Greet suits families, heavy luggage and early starts. On-airport parking is the shortest walk for a quick trip. Your airport's parking page compares the three, for example at Manchester, Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Birmingham.
- Choose the flexible rate if there is any doubt about the dates. Flexible bookings can be cancelled up to 72 hours before arrival for a full refund. Non-refundable rates are a few pounds cheaper and cannot be changed. The cancellation FAQs explain the difference.
- Enter the right vehicle registration. Many car parks read your number plate on arrival. If you might travel in a different car, you can change it later, but it is easier to get it right now. See vehicle questions.
- Decide whether a lounge is worth it. A lounge turns a two-hour wait into something closer to a rest, and pre-booking is cheaper than paying at the door. See what is available at your terminal, for example Manchester lounges or Gatwick lounges.
- Consider a hotel for very early flights. If you would be leaving home before 4am, a night at an airport hotel can cost less than the taxi and gives you a proper sleep.
- Check your passport expiry today. Some countries require months of validity beyond your return date, and renewals take time. Check everyone's, including children's.
The week before
This is the admin week. None of it takes long, and all of it is easier at the kitchen table than in the car.
- Re-read your parking confirmation email. It contains the car park's address and postcode, the operator's phone number, and the exact drop-off and return instructions. If you cannot find it, check your spam folder or contact us with your name and travel dates.
- Confirm your terminal with the airline. Airlines move between terminals, and your car park, lounge and drop-off point are all chosen by terminal. Check the airline's booking page, not an old email.
- Look up the drop-off charges at your airport. Most UK airports charge to stop outside the terminal, and some charge to collect too. Knowing the price, the time limit and where the free alternative is saves a fine. Our airport guides cover the big airports in depth.
- Check visas and travel authorisations. Several countries now require an online authorisation before you fly, even for a short holiday. Apply early.
- Note when online check-in opens. Checking in early means a better choice of seats and a shorter queue at the airport.
- Give the car a once-over. Fuel for both journeys, tyre pressures, washer fluid, and no warning lights you have been ignoring. A breakdown on the way to the airport is the one problem no booking can fix.
- Save the car park postcode in your sat-nav now. Use the postcode from your confirmation, not the airport's general postcode. Airport sites are large and the two can be miles apart.
The night before
Pack, charge and set the alarm. Everything you do tonight is a decision you do not have to make at 5am.
- Pack hand luggage for security. Liquids, gels and aerosols in containers of 100ml or less, and keep them where you can reach them. Rules on bags and electronics vary between airports, so check your departure airport's security page rather than assuming it matches last time.
- Download boarding passes and screenshot your bookings. Flights, parking and any lounge or hotel. Signal in multi-storey car parks is unreliable, and a screenshot needs none.
- Separate your car key. For Meet & Greet, the driver keeps the key while you are away, so take house keys and anything else off the ring tonight.
- Charge everything, including the power bank you will want on the flight home.
- Set the alarm around the car park, not the airport. Work backwards: your airline's check-in deadline, then the time from the car park to the terminal. Allow 25 to 35 minutes for Park & Ride (parking, waiting for the shuttle and the transfer), 10 to 15 minutes at the drop-off zone for Meet & Greet, and a 5 to 10 minute walk for on-airport parking. Then add your journey time and a margin for traffic.
- Check for an evening-before bag drop. Some airlines let you check bags in the night before at certain airports. If yours does, the morning is just security.
- Put the confirmation where you will find it. Printed in the glovebox or starred on your phone.
The morning
Leave on time and follow the instructions you already have. The morning is for driving, not deciding.
- Follow the car park postcode and the operator's directions. Airport signs point to official car parks and drop-off zones; your confirmation points to your car park. Trust the confirmation when the two disagree.
- Do not use the terminal drop-off zone unless that is your meeting point. It is charged, timed and busy. Meet & Greet instructions say exactly where the driver meets you, which is sometimes a dedicated car park rather than the forecourt.
- Photograph the car at handover. Four corners and the mileage. It takes a minute and settles any question about damage on your return. The security FAQs explain how claims work.
- Note where you parked. Level, zone and bay. A photo of the nearest sign beats memory after a fortnight away.
- Check the shuttle stop for the return. Look at where the bus drops you at the terminal. That is where you will be standing, tired, on the way back.
At the airport
You are now on the airline's timetable. The one thing left to protect is time.
- Check the screens before you queue. Desk numbers change. Find your airline's check-in or bag drop on the departures board first.
- Go through security as soon as you have dropped bags. The shops and food are the same on either side; the queue is only on this side.
- Get your tray ready in the queue. Coat off, pockets empty into your bag, liquids and anything the airport asks you to remove on top.
- Use the lounge entry window. Lounge bookings have a timed entry, often two to three hours before departure, so arrive within it and settle in.
- On the way home, call before you walk. Once you have your bags, call the operator's number from your confirmation. Park & Ride sends a shuttle; Meet & Greet brings the car back to the drop-off zone. Inspect the car before you leave and report anything straight away. The car park FAQs cover returns.
Frequently asked questions
How far ahead should I book airport parking?
For school holidays and Christmas, as soon as your flights are confirmed: those weeks cost more however early you book, and booking early gives you the widest choice. For an ordinary week, booking a week or two ahead costs about the same as booking months ahead. Our guide to the cheapest time to book has the figures.
What happens to my parking if my flight is cancelled?
On a flexible rate outside the 72-hour window, cancel online for a full refund. Inside the window or on a non-refundable rate, contact us with your booking reference as soon as you know; we can sometimes arrange a credit with the operator. The cancellation FAQs set out the rules.
How early should I get to the car park?
Count back from your airline's check-in deadline and allow 25 to 35 minutes for Park & Ride, 10 to 15 minutes for Meet & Greet, and a 5 to 10 minute walk from on-airport parking. Then add your journey and a margin for traffic.
Do I need to print my parking confirmation?
Not usually. Operators have your booking and registration on their system, and a screenshot on your phone is enough if anything needs checking. A printed copy is a sensible backup where signal is poor.
Can I change the car I am travelling in?
Yes. Email us your booking reference and the new registration before you travel. Some operators check the registration at the barrier or at handover, so it needs to be right before you arrive. More in the vehicle FAQs.
Sorted before you fly.
