Airport Parking 101: All You Need to Know
While you are on vacation, visiting family and friends in a different country, or on a business trip, knowing that your car is in safe hands helps you focus on your activities without worries. Airport parking services come in numerous forms and packages. Knowing which one meets your needs is vital. Check out company reviews about car services to know more.
What is Airport Parking?
This simply refers to parking services where space is allocated to mostly air travellers to park their cars for a short period of time. This ensures the safety of a traveller’s car until his or her return.
Airport parking sites can either be located in the airport or outside. It depends on the parking service company to which a traveller is booked. This leads us to the types of airport parking available. Meanwhile, you can read about AnyVan and icarhireinsurance.com, two companies that offer essential car services to learn more.
Types of Airport Parking
There are three major types of airport parking. They are:
- Internal Parking
This is also referred to as on-site parking. This type of parking is situated inside the airport and close to the terminal which makes access very easy. They are mostly operated by the airport management itself.
All you need to do is drive into the parking lot where you would obtain a parking ticket and subsequently pay for the charges as stipulated. The short proximity between the parking space and the terminal makes it more ideal for travellers, especially those with heavy luggage.
One downside is that reservations are not possible with airport-owned parking, it is more of a first-come, first-serve affair. And they often get filled up easily given the huge number of people who travel constantly.
Popular airports parking like the Manchester airport parking, Stansted and Luton airport parking easily get full due to high patronage by travellers. This means that they are quite expensive. But safety is ensured as most have surveillance cameras installed including security personnel. - External Airport Parking
External Airport parking simply implies that the parking service is situated outside the airport’s premises. They are mostly private-owned. This type of parking is further divided into two. They are: - Privately Owned Airport Parking
This is operated by a company other than the airport. Such parking agencies are located outside the airport but not too far away.
They are less crowded and do not quickly get full due to lower patronage as compared to internal airport parking. This means they are cheaper. They also allow reservations through their online platforms. Security is okay too since the vicinity is less crowded.
One disadvantage is the distance to the airport terminal, but this is somewhat remedied by the presence of transportation services that convey travellers to and from the airport. - Hotel Airport Parking
These are parking lots operated in and around hotels that are still close to the particular airport which a traveller intends to patronize. Parking and payment aren’t much different from the others. Cost sometimes depends on how high patronage is. It is also not as secure as others. - Valet Airport Parking
This type of parking service involves a well-trained driver (valet) who takes charge of your car at the terminal and parks it safely until you return. This person may be either associated with the internal airport parking or the other forms. In all cases, you will give and retrieve your car at the terminal eliminating any distance issues.
You can also pay for other added services such as repair, cleaning and car service. You can check this car service article for tips.
How much is Airport Parking?
Airport parking cost varies according to the type, duration and package. Aside from other disadvantages, the internal airport parking is the most expensive.
Reviews and comparing costs across airport parking online platforms both help you prepare and weigh your options.
The main purpose of airport parking is to ensure the safety of your vehicle no matter how long it takes before you return. Thus, you should ensure to obtain the service that is most suitable for you.
