You can plan the flights. You can hunt down the hotel deal. You can even pack like a pro.

Then, right at the end, airport parking happens. And if you leave it until the day you fly, it can be one of the fastest ways to overpay before your holiday has even started.

How much could you save? Here's the headline that matters: in 2025, one in 10 UK holidaymakers saved at least £100 by booking their airport parking in advance instead of paying on the day.

And that is just the starting point. According to data from travel extras specialist Holiday Extras, across all of its airport parking customers last year:

▶ The average saving was £202 versus the price they would have paid on the gate.

▶ Half of customers saved at least £150 by booking in advance.

▶ Nearly a third saved 75% or more compared with the on-the-day price.

airport parking
Booking in advance is often the best way to secure lower prices on airport parking. (Supplied)

Why paying on the day is so expensive: Airport parking prices work a lot like flights and hotels. The closer you get to departure, the fewer spaces are left, and the less likely you are to find a deal.

Paying on the day is often the most expensive option because it is the most convenient for the car park operator, not for the traveller.

If you have ever seen someone roll up to the barrier and wince at the screen, you already know the feeling.

THREE QUICK WAYS TO SAVE MONEY (without adding hassle)…

1. Book as soon as you book your flights: This is the simplest move. Locking in a price early, while there are more spaces available, tends to pay off. Most bookings can still be adjusted later if plans change.

2. Treat parking like part of the holiday budget: Saving £100 to £200 on parking is a dinner out, airport snacks for the family, a transfer, or the "we'll just do it" excursion that usually gets talked out of.

3. If travelling in peak periods, don't wait: School holidays and summer weekends are the danger zone. Availability tightens, and on-the-day prices can be brutal. Booking early is the best protection against a last-minute scramble.

airport parking
Holiday Extras has a range of parking options for every traveller and budget. (Supplied)

So, should holidaymakers always pre-book? In most cases, yes. Even for a last-minute trip, there are often still savings to be found by booking ahead rather than paying on the day. The key point isn't that everyone saves the same amount. It's that leaving it to the gate is usually the priciest way to do it.

Bottom line: For anyone chasing the easiest "money back" win on their next holiday, it's worth starting with the bit that normally gets left until last. Booking airport parking in advance, rather than on the day, could be worth £100 or more back in the traveller's pocket for the trip itself.

Notes and methodology: Savings were calculated by comparing the price each customer paid for their parking through Holiday Extras to either the gate rate for that car park, where a gate rate is available, or, if a gate rate is not available for that car park, the cheapest gate rate available at the same airport. Data calculated 1 January to 16 December 2025. The "1 in 10 UK holidaymakers" figure is based on 2,499,000 Holiday Extras customers saving at least £100 versus the on-the-day price, compared with 25 million people who flew out of the UK in 2025.

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