If you are going away during the October half term, you might be planning how you are going to get to the airport already.
Booking airport parking can be quite expensive so you will want to avoid paying any extra fees and for hours you might not need.
It can be hard to know what time you will be able to pick up your car from the long-stay car park even if your flight is on time.
A travel expert has revealed his tips on how to book airport parking to avoid any extra charges.
Tips on booking airport parking to avoid paying extra charges
Ricky Durrance, a travel expert from Teletext Holidays, has shared a few tips when it comes to booking airport parking.
He said: “The key is to be accurate.
“Because just a few extra hours can make a big difference to your bill.”
You should check if your car park charges in 24-hour chunks from the time you arrive or if it works by calendar days meaning if you get back to your car past midnight, it could cost you a lot more money.
It can be easier if your chosen car park charges by calendar day unless you are arriving back at night.
If your flight gets in at 11.30pm, you must leave time to get back to your car meaning you might be leaving the car park after midnight.
Some operators will allow a grace period before any overstay charges are applied so it is worth checking the car park’s booking terms before adding on an extra day.
You should also allow extra time to get off the plane, get through passport control, collect your bags, and get a shuttle bus if needed.
Try plotting your journey through the airport rather than booking around your flight times.
If you need to get a shuttle back to your car, check the timetable and allow a sensible buffer when picking your exit time from the car park.
However, if you are booking a car park that charges in 24-hour blocks, adding a lot of extra time to your parking hours can take you over your limit and you may have to pay for a whole extra day.
Ricky suggests checking if adding a buffer of a few extra hours without checking how long you will actually need to get through the airport will change the quoted price.
Ricky added: “Checking only takes a few minutes, but getting your timings right can save you real money.”
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Ricky continued that you should do some extra checks on whether you will be charged for an overstay if your flight is delayed.
Booking accurately and using a sensible buffer can help you save money and avoid booking for hours you do not need.
Will you be doing these checks before booking your airport parking the next time you go on holiday? Let us know in the comments.
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