Airport Car Parking Costs Show Wide Discrepancies In 'Postcode Lottery'

Airport Car Parking Costs Show Wide Discrepancies In 'Postcode Lottery'

The most expensive UK airport parking costs three times more than the cheapest, while simply dropping off a passenger can set a driver back £8.50, a study has found.

The most expensive parking was found at Luton airport, where a two-week stay in their standard on-site car park came in at £191, the online investigation by Admiral insurance revealed.

Exeter was the cheapest, where an equivalent space cost just £65 for the same amount of time.

Meanwhile, the study found Stansted charges the highest drop-off rate at £8.50 for 15 minutes, followed by Luton and Doncaster at £8 and £6 respectively.

Six airports offered a free 15-minute stay.

Admiral compared three online car parking prices for an on-site space at each of 30 airports across the UK to cover a two-week break in the summer holidays, finding a "postcode lottery" for a 2.4 metre spot.

The average car parking rate for two weeks came in at £111, although those flying from Luton will pay £80 more.

The second most expensive airport was London City at £181, followed by Gatwick North at £175 and Gatwick South at £167.

Those flying from Heathrow terminals 2, 3 and 4 will pay £146, and £10 more at T5.

In comparison, six airports out of 30 offer a free 15-minute stay.

Also ranked in the most expensive airports for drop-offs are Luton at £8, Doncaster at £6 and Edinburgh and Cardiff, which both charge £5.

Admiral spokesman Alistair Hargreaves said: "We all know that an overseas holiday in the summer time can be costly, but our investigation has revealed that holidaymakers can end up feeling short-changed before they've even boarded the plane.

"This study demonstrates that airport parking prices are a postcode lottery with extortionate price discrepancies for the same 2.4 metre-wide car parking space, depending on where you are flying from.

"By planning ahead and researching other car parking options, such as those off-site and factoring these prices into the total cost of the holiday before booking anything, consumers can make sure there are no surprises."

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