Parking at Gatwick Airport

[LSainsbury]

Hi All,

I'm looking for car parking at Gatwick Airport (flying from North Terminal) in July.

I've had a look at the Gatwick Airport website and got a quote for about £80.

Anybody know of any good car parks / car parking around Gatwick?

Cheers
Lee

[Chris]

Was that on-site long stay parking? You'd be better looking for nearby off-site car parks. They'll shuttle you to and from the terminal in a minibus and will be a lot cheaper.

[alferret]

You'll be looking at around £5 per day off site. This would be a price average nationwide I reckon.

[Hugh]

Another option is stopping at an airport hotel the night before, which can often include parking for 7 or 14 days in the price.

[LSainsbury]

Originally Posted by foreverwar

Another option is stopping at an airport hotel the night before, which can often include parking for 7 or 14 days in the price.

We are going at 10.45am - a bit pointless stopping overnight for that but we could do with a stop on the way back as we land at 11pm and I don't fancy a drive back at that time.

Does anybody know if there are reverse park and fly hotels?
i.e. Drive to hotel, park car, fly and then come back and stay the night before driving home??

[Rob]

For off site parking at Gatwick, but something that is still a bearable shuttle ride by the transfer coaches consider the "summer special" or BCP (they may have changed their name). Both are about 10 minutes by the transfer coaches which seem to run 1/2 hourly or more frequent when busy. Further afield off site parking is available such as Copthorne, but that does add probably 20 minutes to the transfer to / from the airport, and may be less convienient too as it's the next junction and a way off that beyond the Gatwick M23 outside London. Check out the location on maps before booking, especially if there is only a quid or two in the price. Look out for card surcharges too on payment options. "on site" long term parking will still involve a bus transfer, so for the price difference off site can be worth while.

Unless you have a really long journey on the return, and you might be jet lagged too, I'd want to get in a car and drive home, not do another night in a hotel. Once my break is over I just want to get to my proper bed and sort myself out, rather than more faffing.

[soup dragon]

last time we flew from gatwick i used holidayextras.co.uk and stayed at the Russ Hill. Lots of parking and a large hotel. It cost us about £15 extra to park the car and stay overnight B&B than just to park. Shuttlebus service to and from the airport. Also allowed us to check in the afternoon before our flight so we wern't waiting at the airport for hours on the day of the flight.

[Pia]

I read on MSE once that people rent out their own driveways to people for a small fee

Article on comparisons for cheapest airport parking: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/tra...irport-parking.


Use this comparison site which offers a best price guarantee if you find it cheaper: http://www.holidayextras.co.uk/?agen...iliateid=91264.

or this one plus 5% discount using code MSEWEB http://www.airport-parking.co.uk/


Article on renting someone's driveway: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/sho...g-rental#cheap

Once armed with Park Let's best price, try comparing Parkatmyhouse* and Yourparkingspace, and if you're willing to dig a bit more, Gumtree*, for spots in the same area.

[Paul]

We used APH too, very good and flexible enough to be able to handle flight delays etc without penalising you with a massive late collection fee.

[Angua]

Used a drop off and collect service so the car was collected as we arrived at Gatwick & dropped off ready for our return all for around £80 including undercover parking.

[Saaf_laandon_mo]

Originally Posted by Pia

I read on MSE once that people rent out their own driveways to people for a small fee

I'm lucky because I have a very good friend with a huge driveway only 5 mins away from Gatwick. I just park there and get dropped off to the airport.

Before he bought his house I used to park in residential streets in Horley near his smaller driveway-less flat, and just call a cab to pick me up from where I had parked the car. On the way back I'd just get a cab to my parked car. So in effect total cost of parking would be two cab rides to and from Horley from Gatwick (about £7-10 each way).

[cookie_365]

Wouldn't it be cheaper and less aggravation to get a cab to the nearest rail station and go by train instead?

[AndyCambs]

Originally Posted by cookie_365

Wouldn't it be cheaper and less aggravation to get a cab to the nearest rail station and go by train instead?

Agreed - Gatwick is well served by train services from London Victoria, and the Thameslink services from London. Unless you want to pay through the nose and park at the airport, or pay for chauffeur parking, then any parking is away from the airport. So-called cheap parking, and you run the risk of the car not being in a secure place whilst you are away. There's been programmes on BBC Watchdog about it. Additionally the M25 and M23 can have horrendous delays which means if you are parking away from the airport, you run the risk of being late and missing your flight.

Train is generally more reliable, and you won't have the hassle of having to drive back home after a long flight back.

[LSainsbury]

Originally Posted by Rob

For off site parking at Gatwick, but something that is still a bearable shuttle ride by the transfer coaches consider the "summer special" or BCP (they may have changed their name). Both are about 10 minutes by the transfer coaches which seem to run 1/2 hourly or more frequent when busy.

Yeah - that was the quote I got - summer special or somthing similar.

Originally Posted by Rob

Unless you have a really long journey on the return, and you might be jet lagged too, I'd want to get in a car and drive home, not do another night in a hotel. Once my break is over I just want to get to my proper bed and sort myself out, rather than more faffing.

Wel it'll be about 85miles - mind you at 12:30am I don't think there will be much traffic compared to 9am!

---------- Post added at 20:51 ---------- Previous post was at 20:50 ----------

Originally Posted by Angua

Used a drop off and collect service so the car was collected as we arrived at Gatwick & dropped off ready for our return all for around £80 including undercover parking.

Who was that with, Angua?

---------- Post added at 20:52 ---------- Previous post was at 20:51 ----------

Originally Posted by cookie_365

Wouldn't it be cheaper and less aggravation to get a cab to the nearest rail station and go by train instead?

Naaa - we'd have to go into London and then back out again...

[Angua]

Finally remembered the name...Maple Manor Was 3 years ago but they seemed the best all round value at the time.