UK's priciest airport car park charges drivers £520 for 1 week - how to slash fees

Parking your car at an airport in the UK is becoming increasingly costly, with motorists being faced with sky-high costs for the facility. Airport parking could set motorists back by more than £140 on average this summer, according to recent research.

With two-fifths of drivers planning to park their car at the airport when they're heading out on holiday and nearly half deeming airport parking too costly, independent car retailer Motorpoint has worked out the expected expenditure of vehicle ownersparking at airports across the UK.

After analysing parking costs from 25 UK airports, the used car retailer discovered that airport parking prices significantly fluctuate depending on your departure location, booking time, and chosen parking option. Even considering the cheapest parking options at each airport, prices differed by nearly £100.

London Southend (SEN) offered the priciest parking option, with motorists having the option to shell out a hefty sum of £520 to park their car in the Short Stay Car Park for the 7-day period covered by the research, from 6am on Saturday, August 2 to 10pm on Saturday, August 9.

Despite the substantial cost of airport parking, motorists were twice as likely to drive themselves rather than arrange a lift, hire a taxi or use public transport, with almost a third (31%) favouring the convenience of driving to the airport, as per the new survey. To assist motorists in reducing airport parking costs, Ben Custard, driving expert at Motorpoint, has shared three essential tips.

With a staggering two million drivers confessing to leaving their airport parking arrangements until the eleventh hour, Ben underscores the importance of not delaying this crucial task.

He advises: "It's a good idea to book your airport parking at the same time you book your flights, as space is limited and prices tend to increase as your holiday approaches. If you can book early as possible, you might be able to park for under £10 a day - even in peak season at some airports.

"If your plans change and you find yourself needing to park at the airport, it's always worth trying to book online even when your holiday is imminent. Airports tend to charge considerably more to park without a reservation, meaning you could find yourself paying double the price advertised online."

Ben also suggests motorists consider how close they really need to park to the terminal.

"If travelling with young children, it might be worth paying extra to be closer to the terminal, but opting for a less convenient parking option can offer you big savings.

"When looking at airport parking options online, they'll tell you exactly how long it'll take you to get from the car park to the terminal. Consider what would be realistic for you to walk with your luggage, or opt for a shuttle option, which will likely be cheaper as you'll be parking further away."

The driving expert adds: "While park and ride options are often the cheapest, be mindful that you could find yourself having to queue for your transfer to departures, so it's worth building in plenty of extra time."

"While it's always a good idea to shop around to make sure you're getting the best price possible, booking direct can often unlock savings and promotions that you'd otherwise miss.

"Quite a lot of airports will offer you a discount on your parking when you sign up to their newsletter, and could send you further promotions once you're subscribed. While the initial discount will likely only apply to your upcoming trip, it can still be a great way to keep costs down - particularly if you're flying from an airport you don't usually frequent."

Ben further advises: "It's worth checking if you have access to any other perks and discounts, maybe through your bank, breakdown cover provider or workplace, as they can sometimes offer discounts on airport parking - helping reduce the cost further.