Parking at the airport for three weeks or more feels like it should cost a fortune. In practice, the price per day falls the longer you stay, and a month away often costs less than people expect. What changes on a long trip is the car itself: a battery left for weeks, an MOT or tax renewal that falls while you are away, and a return date that is more likely to move. This guide covers what long stays cost, which parking suits them, and how to leave the car so it starts when you get back.
What a long stay costs
We looked at the car park bookings made through us for arrivals since January 2024. The typical (median) price per day fell steadily with the length of the stay:
- One to three days: £17.16 a day.
- One week (7 or 8 days): £9.09 a day, or about £72 in total.
- Two weeks (14 or 15 days): £6.78 a day, about £100 in total.
- Three to four weeks (21 to 27 days): £5.81 a day, about £131 in total.
- Four weeks or more: £3.86 a day, about £138 in total, though only 24 bookings were this long.
So the second week typically added about £29, and the third and fourth weeks together about £31 more. Long stays are unusual: only 96 of the 6,149 car park bookings in that period were for three weeks or more, so prices vary more than for a week away. Search your real dates to see what yours will cost.
Park & Ride or Meet & Greet for a long stay
For stays of two weeks or more, our bookings show only a small gap between the two:
- Park & Ride: £6.26 a day.
- Meet & Greet: £6.90 a day.
On a three-week trip, that is about £13 more for Meet & Greet, for handing the car over at the terminal and having it brought back when you land. With cases for a month, that can be worth it. Our Meet & Greet or Park & Ride guide compares the two, and what happens to your car with Meet & Greet explains the handover.
MOT and tax: check the dates first
Before a long trip, check when your MOT and vehicle tax run out, because one may fall while you are away.
- The car must have a valid MOT and tax when you leave it. Our booking terms require it, and with Meet & Greet a driver takes your car on the public road.
- You cannot drive the car on the road once the MOT has run out, except to a pre-arranged MOT test or to somewhere it is being repaired. The fine is up to £1,000. If the MOT runs out while you are away, you cannot simply drive it home from the airport.
- Get the MOT early. You can have an MOT up to a month, minus a day, before it runs out and keep the same renewal date.
- Tax needs a valid MOT. If your tax is due while you are away, renew it before you go, with the MOT in place.
You can check both for free at gov.uk with your registration number.
The battery: the long-stay problem
The AA says most modern cars with a healthy battery should last at least two weeks without being started. Beyond that, it recommends starting the car once a week and running it for about 15 minutes, or using a battery maintainer.
At most car parks you cannot do either, because the keys stay with the staff: our booking terms ask you to leave them for all bookings unless the car park says otherwise. So for a trip of three weeks or more:
- Have the battery checked before you go, especially if it is more than a few years old or the car has been slow to start.
- Make sure you have breakdown cover that includes a home start, or covers you wherever the car is parked, in case it does not start when you get back.
- Turn off anything that draws power, such as a dashcam wired to stay on.
Leaving the car for weeks
- Fill the tank. The AA advises topping up the fuel before leaving a car for a long period, as a full tank does not attract condensation.
- Take photographs of the car and the mileage before you hand it over. After a month, it is easy to forget the scratch that was already there. Our guide to damage in airport parking explains why it matters.
- Take everything valuable with you.
- Your insurance continues to cover the car while it is parked, as it would at home.
When you get back, the AA advises checking the tyre pressures before you drive, and testing the brakes gently in the first few miles, as they can pick up a little surface corrosion when a car is left standing.
If your return date changes
Over a long trip, plans move. You can change your dates by logging in to your account, or by emailing us with your booking reference and new dates. If the new dates cost more, you pay the difference; if they cost less, the difference is refunded. A flexible booking can be cancelled up to 72 hours before your arrival for a full refund. See the cancellation FAQs.
For when to book, our guide to the cheapest time to book airport parking shows that your travel dates matter more than how early you book. Then compare every car park at your airport for your dates.
Frequently asked questions
Is long-stay airport parking cheaper per day?
Yes, much. In our bookings since 2024, a stay of one to three days cost a median £17.16 a day, a week £9.09 a day, and three to four weeks £5.81 a day.
How much does a month of airport parking cost?
It varies by airport and dates, but in our bookings since 2024, stays of three to four weeks cost a median of about £131, and stays of four weeks or more about £138. Search your dates for the real price.
Will my car battery go flat if I leave it at the airport for a month?
It might. The AA says most modern cars with a healthy battery should last at least two weeks without starting. For longer, have the battery checked before you go and make sure your breakdown cover will help if it will not start.
What if my MOT runs out while I am away?
You cannot drive the car on the road with an expired MOT, except to a pre-arranged MOT test or for repairs, and the fine is up to £1,000. Get the MOT done before you go: up to a month, minus a day, early keeps the same renewal date.
Is Meet & Greet worth it for a long stay?
Often. For stays of two weeks or more, our bookings show Meet & Greet at a median of £6.90 a day against £6.26 for Park & Ride, so about £13 more over three weeks.
Sorted before you fly.
