Gatwick Parking - Truth or dare!

The new ownership of Gatwick Airport came as a breath of fresh air for the airport development.

They brought new airlines and encourage the already establish airlines to come with new routes and extending the already vast list for tourist or business destinations.

If you didn’t travel from Gatwick in the last couple of years, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the new arrangements Gatwick set for its travellers.

But all came with a price that ain’t cheap by any means. It’s understandable, as any business when you invest you expect a turner over on your investment.

This can easily be seen on the official Gatwick Airport Parking. Only yesterday I read an article that a week parking at Gatwick North Terminal came at the ‘bargain’ price of £154.00.

‘Rip-off’ they shouted, and so would I if they quote me that price. It’s nearly the same cost as my flight if not more.

We all look at Gatwick airport official car parks first when we want to book. The stories that you hear about the off-site car parks at Gatwick send chills down your spine.

What I can say is – DON'T TARNISH THEM ALL WITH THE SAME BRUSH.

I browsed the internet to see what off-site Car Parks are at Gatwick Airport and what they can offer.
I looked over forums for travellers that used Gatwick Parking and see what they‘ve experienced.

There are companies that park cars on residential streets near Gatwick airport or on the near by cities such as Horley, Crawley, even Horsham (which is over 10 miles from Gatwick Airport).
Read in forums that people got letters from Tesco or Sainsbury to tell them they’ve had their car parked over the 3 hours limit , when their cars should’ve been parked in ‘a secure car park’ .
People praised just two or three car parks that were off-site Gatwick airport, but only one of them caught my eye. And that was Tudor Rose Airport Parking.

They offer Valet parking / Meet and Greet Parking at Gatwick Airport.
Their web site is fairly easy to browse through. They offer a very straight forward service. You can see transparency on to their products and offers; no hidden extras nor unpleasant surprises.
You can see where your car will be parked; photos of their car park are published on their web site. Their drivers are uniformed and have a photo ID; they even published with whom their drivers are insured.

It’s easy to see why people praised them and why they are in business for the last 20 years.

So if you fly from Gatwick don’t be put off by the stories of off-site car parks that go around.

There are good, reputable companies at Gatwick that can offer you a secure, reliable and prompt service at a reasonable price.

Airport Car Park

Do you need it?

Even if you do it the right way, airport parking can be expensive. The longer you're away the pricier it gets, so quickly weigh up the alternatives. Aside from bribing a relative into dropping you off with promises of duty-free bounty, it's usually cheaper to:

Use non-specialist train services

Whilst dedicated 'Airport Express' train services are costly, the same lines are often also used by normal rail services, so you can travel the same route much more cheaply, though it's likely there will be extra stops.

Consider a pre-booked taxi

Local taxis can be a cheap option if you've heavy luggage. Don't rely on getting taxis at the airport for the return leg, as most airports give a monopoly to one firm, which bumps prices up as there's no competition.

Arrange with your local firm in advance to be collected, giving your flight number so it can vary pick-up time accordingly, and it's usually MUCH cheaper.

Get a coach

Dedicated airport coaches are often cheapest for getting to the airport, but there's a trade-off, since they usually take the longest.

Leaving your car at home can be costly

While alternative transport methods are cheaper, watch out if you usually park on the street using a residents' parking permit or equivalent. Outrageously, if the parking bay your car is in is suspended, councils don't usually accept the excuse that you were on holiday and didn't check.

An obvious alternative is to give a trusted neighbour a key so they can keep an eye out and move the car for you. It's worth considering the insurance position of this though. It's likely it'll be covered by your insurance's 'third party emergency' driver's cover, though it's debatable whether avoiding a parking fine is an emergency.

If not and they have fully comprehensive insurance then often, although not always, it includes what’s called driving other cars cover. This provides them with third party cover in case there's an accident.

Park in a council's special car park

Some councils operate special car parks where for around £5-£10 a day you can leave your car when you're on holiday to guarantee no fine. This is an ill-disguised money-making scheme that boosts council funds due to the fear of parking penalties, but it may be a necessary evil for some.

Best buys:

Cheap airport parking

For some, airport parking works out as an economical and hassle-free route, yet without a little prior thought you can end up paying substantially over the odds. There's a simple rule:

The earlier you book your airport parking, the more you're likely to save

Book well in advance and you could cut the cost by up to 50%, though the exact saving depends on the time of the year. However, even if you've forgotten do to this:

Don't just turn up at the airport - booking first, even on the day of your flight, can save you money.

The most expensive prices are almost always for those people who just drive in, park and pay. If you get on the web and pre-book first, even if it's just before you head out (or your partner does it from a smart phone in the car) you'll usually save.

Step 1: Use car parking compare websites

The easiest way to find cheap parking is by using one of the special car parking comparison websites, that search the web to find you the best deals. There are a number of these, but most of them tend to turn up similar results. However, due to commercial relationships some share with certain parking operators, it's possible to shave a few percent of the cost here and there.

Step 2: Check hotel-with-parking deals

Many airport hotels offer room packages that include parking for the length of your trip. This is great if you live a long way from the airport, or have a super-early flight. Better still, they often only cost a little more than the parking alone and occasionally have even been cheaper in the past - so you could view this as parking with a hotel room thrown in.

Do check how transfers to the terminal are arranged; while many hotels offer a 24-hour complimentary service, some charge separately for the journey. It's also worth looking at the more general Cheap Hotel Deals guide to see if you can beat the price.