Renting a driveway or garage has been put forward as an “unconventional option” to avoid steep airport car parking charges.
The suggestion was made by consumer group Which? after an analysis of 16 airport car parks revealed “eye-watering” differences in prices for a week in August when paid on the day against booking four months in advance.
Holidaymakers could pay as much as £583 for on the day, week-long bookings but make average savings of £150 when planning ahead
Overall, the consumer champion found that holidaymakers could stand to save £150 on average with forward planning.
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Which? Travel editor Rory Boland said: “When you’re planning a holiday, sorting out your airport parking can easily slip down your to-list, but our research found leaving it to the last minute can come with a serious financial sting.
“Take the time to shop around and compare the options on offer – comparison sites can be a great starting point – and book early wherever possible to lock in the best price. It’s also worth comparing off-site and onsite options, as further away doesn’t necessarily mean cheaper.
“It can also be worth considering some more unconventional options like renting someone’s driveway or garage for the duration of your trip – though with less guarantee of your vehicle’s security, this option may not be for everyone.”
The research found that a week’s stay booked four months in advance was charged at £95 at Manchester airport’s multi-storey car park, compared with £406 on the day of departure.
While booking four months in advance would cost £190 at Heathrow, paying on the day would cost £583 – an increase of 207%, according to the study.
Parking at Birmingham airport cost 161% if booking on the day, taking the price from £150 to £392.
Gatwick rates were found to be 70% more, with the price rising from £106 when booked in advance, to £180.
Which? also found in a check on prices at 11 airports that on four occasions the on-site option worked out cheaper than the less convenient off-site option.
Two car parks at Gatwick’s North and South terminals beat off-site options by £1, and when booked in advance, Luton’s long-stay car park was £3 cheaper than the off-site option.
Which? also found examples where on-site parking cost just a few pounds more for the added convenience – for example Stansted’s long stay car park was £77 when booked in advance, compared with £75 at the off-site equivalent.
However, on-site parking does not always have the shortest transfer time. Though Edinburgh’s official ‘Plane Parking’ costs £10 less than the cheapest off-site option, the advertised transfer time is slightly longer than the off-site alternative, Which? discovered.