Most people book their flights months in advance, spend ages comparing hotels, and then completely forget about parking until about a week before they’re due to fly. Sometimes days before. I’ve been that person, and it’s a genuinely stressful way to start a holiday.
The thing is, parking is one of those costs that creeps up on you when you leave it late. Prices go up closer to the travel date, the convenient spots fill up, and you end up either paying way over the odds for the closest car park or saving a few quid on something miles away that involves a 25-minute shuttle and a lot of standing in the cold with your luggage. Neither is a great start to a trip.
The Case for Booking Ahead (Even If You’re Not a Planner)
I know not everyone is the sort of person who has colour-coded travel spreadsheets (no judgement if you do, honestly). But airport parking is one of those rare things where even the most spontaneous traveller benefits from a bit of forward planning. It’s not about being organised for the sake of it. It’s just that the prices genuinely are better early on, and you have far more choice.
If you’re flying from Liverpool John Lennon Airport, the difference between booking a month out versus booking the day before can be significant. We’re talking potentially £20 or £30 difference depending on the car park and the dates. That’s lunch money, or a round of drinks at the airport, or just money you didn’t need to spend. When you book airport parking through the official airport site, you can also compare options side by side rather than scrambling for whatever’s still available.
There’s also something to be said for just knowing it’s sorted. One less thing sitting in the back of your mind while you’re trying to remember whether you packed the chargers.
What You’re Actually Choosing Between
Airport car parks aren’t all the same, which sounds obvious but catches people out. The main split is usually between short stay and long stay options. Short stay is right next to the terminal, which is brilliant if you’re dropping someone off or being picked up, but it’s pricier for anything longer than a few hours. Long stay is further out, but there’s usually a bus or shuttle to get you to the terminal, and the cost over, say, a week can be considerably lower.
Meet and greet is a third option and it’s exactly what it sounds like. You drive up to the terminal, someone takes your car and parks it for you, and when you land, it’s brought back to you. It costs more, but if you’re travelling with young kids, a lot of bags, or you just want to remove any faff from the situation entirely, it can be worth it. Liverpool Airport does offer this, and it books up. Especially in school holidays.
Some people swear by off-airport parking companies, and look, some of them are perfectly fine. But it’s worth knowing what you’re signing up for. Your car is sometimes driven to a remote location, parked in a field or an industrial unit, and collected by a driver you’ve never met. The better companies are reputable, the worst ones are an insurance nightmare waiting to happen. Parking through the official airport site at least gives you a clear idea of exactly where your car is going.
Timing Your Booking
There’s no magic answer for exactly how far in advance you should book, but most experienced travellers would say at least four to six weeks before departure for popular travel periods. If you’re flying over Christmas, Easter, or the summer school holidays, even earlier. Prices and availability both get worse the closer you get.
It’s also worth double-checking your booking confirmation has the right dates. It sounds like an embarrassingly basic thing to say, but arrival and departure dates get mixed up more often than you’d think, and realising the error in the car park at 5am is not the vibe you want.
Honestly, sorting the parking is one of those small things that makes the actual travel day feel so much less chaotic. You know where you’re going, you know what you’re paying, and you can just get on with the holiday.
DISCLOSURE – This is a collaborative post.
