Gatwick Airport Parking for a Week: 2026 Prices Compared

Airport parking is one of those costs that can quietly double the price of a cheap flight. So how much does airport parking cost at Gatwick for a week? Anywhere from £60 to £200+ depending on where you park, when you book, and how far you’re willing to walk (or ride a bus). Here’s the full breakdown.

Official Gatwick parking: the options

Gatwick sells parking directly, with prices varying by terminal, season and how far ahead you book:

• Short Stay (North & South): closest to the terminals — but priced for hours, not weeks. A week here can hit £180–£250. Only makes sense if someone’s dropping you off.
• Long Stay: the standard week-long option, with a free shuttle bus to the terminal (5–10 minutes). Pre-booked a month ahead: roughly £85–£130 for 8 days in normal season; £130–£170 at peak (school holidays).
• Summer Special / off-site official: Gatwick sometimes sells cheaper deals further out — worth checking their site for promotions.
• Valet / meet-and-greet: hand your keys to a driver at the terminal. Convenient, around £120–£180 for a week — but read the reviews and check insurance carefully.

Book direct at gatwickairport.com — and book early. Prices rise steeply in the final week before travel; I’ve seen Long Stay jump £40 in the last 7 days.

Third-party off-site parking: the budget winner

Independent car parks near Gatwick (with shuttle buses) consistently undercut official prices:

• Typical price: £55–£95 for 8 days pre-booked
• Park-and-ride operators around Gatwick include well-known names with Park Mark security accreditation — look for this badge
• Meet-and-greet independents: £70–£110 for a week; check recent reviews obsessively

Compare prices on MoneySavingExpert or a comparison site, but book direct with the operator once you’ve chosen — it’s usually the same price with better cancellation terms.

Price factors that matter

• How early you book: the single biggest factor. 4–8 weeks ahead beats 4 days ahead by 30–50%.
• School holidays: expect peak pricing late July–August, Christmas, Easter and half-terms.
• Terminal: make sure you book for the right one (North vs South) — they’re a shuttle ride apart and booking the wrong side wastes time.
• EV charging: some car parks offer charging at a premium; book the EV option specifically rather than assuming.
• Cancellation terms: flexible bookings cost £5–£15 more but are worth it if your flight might change.

Is parking even the cheapest option?

Do the maths honestly. For a week:

• Parking: £60–£130 + fuel to Gatwick
• Train: advance tickets from London from £5–£15 each way per person — for solo travellers or couples, often cheaper than parking
• Taxi: £60–£100 each way from most of London — rarely beats parking for a week, but can win for short trips

Our comparison of taxi vs train from Gatwick to London breaks down the transfer costs in detail. For a family of four with loads of luggage, driving and parking usually wins. For one person with a cabin bag, the train wins every time.

Safety tips

• Use Park Mark accredited car parks (police-approved security standard)
• Don’t leave valuables visible; take photos of your car’s condition
• For meet-and-greet, check the company is genuinely based at Gatwick and read reviews from the last 3 months
• Keep your booking confirmation and the car park’s phone number on your phone

The bottom line

Budget £60–£100 for a week at a decent off-site park booked a month ahead, or £85–£130 for official Long Stay. Book early, pick the right terminal, and always compare against the train — for short trips and solo travellers, parking is often the most expensive way to get to Gatwick, not the cheapest.

Gatwick parking for different trip lengths

A week is the standard comparison, but the economics shift with trip length. Weekend (2–3 days): official Long Stay pre-booked can be £40–£60 — competitive, and the convenience may beat the train for couples. Two weeks: off-site parks often cap pricing or offer long-stay discounts — £100–£160 for 15 days is common, making the per-day cost much lower. Always price your exact dates rather than extrapolating from weekly rates.

Business travellers doing 1–2 nights should compare the Short Stay rate against a taxi: 2 nights in Short Stay (£60–£80) vs a £60–£100 taxi each way — the taxi often wins for short trips, especially expensed. Families on 2-week summer holidays: off-site park-and-ride at £120–£160 total is almost always the cheapest door-to-door option once you factor 4 people’s train fares.

Gatwick parking FAQs

North or South terminal — does it matter? Yes — they’re 5 minutes apart by free shuttle, but arriving at the wrong terminal’s car park adds 20–30 minutes of faff. Check your airline’s terminal before booking (easyJet: mostly North; British Airways: South; others vary).

Is meet-and-greet safe? Reputable firms are fine; cowboys exist. Use Park Mark accredited operators, read recent reviews, photograph your car’s condition and mileage at handover, and remove valuables. Never hand keys to someone who just approaches you at the terminal — pre-book only.

Can I charge my EV? Some car parks offer EV charging — book it specifically, as spaces are limited. Don’t assume; a flat EV battery on return is an expensive problem.

What if my flight is delayed? Most operators allow grace periods (typically 2–4 hours); beyond that, extra days are charged at the daily rate. Keep the car park’s number handy and call if you’re significantly delayed.

Is parking ever free? Not at the airport — but some airport hotels offer park-and-stay packages (one night’s hotel + up to 2 weeks’ parking) from £100–£150 total, which can beat parking alone if you’d stay over anyway.

Booking tactics: how to pay the lowest price

Gatwick parking uses dynamic pricing — the same space costs different amounts depending on when and how you book. Book 4–8 weeks ahead for the sweet spot (earlier isn’t always cheaper — prices are set in pricing windows). Compare, then book direct: use comparison sites to find the cheapest operator, then check the operator’s own site — it’s often £5–£10 cheaper direct (no commission) with better cancellation terms. Be flexible on dates: shifting your trip by a day can change the price band (weekday vs weekend, term-time vs school holiday).

Terminal matters: booking the wrong terminal’s car park and shuttling across wastes 30 minutes — check your airline’s terminal before booking (easyJet: North; BA: South). Cancellation: pay the extra £5–£15 for flexible cancellation — flights change, and non-refundable parking is money burned. Discount codes: search “[operator] discount code” before paying — 10–15% codes circulate constantly. Never drive up without booking — turn-up rates are 50–100% higher than pre-booked. The 10 minutes of comparison shopping routinely saves £20–£40.

Related reading

Compare with taxi vs train from Gatwick to London — for many trips the train wins — and see last-minute holiday deals to offset the parking cost.