How to get "sky high" savings at the airport
UK Holidaymakers spent over £60 million last year on unnecessary airport charges
- The volume of holidaymakers paying a premium for 'on the gate' airport parking doubled in 2024
- Holiday Extras saved its customers an average of £196 per trip in 2024 on airport parking alone
As holidaymakers rush to bag their breaks this Sunshine Saturday (4th January 2024), new analysis has revealed they could be losing over £600[1] a year on unnecessary airport charges that hit them once the holiday itself has been booked.
Data[2] from Holiday Extras, the UK's leading provider of holiday extras including airport parking, airport hotels, and airport lounges uncovered the pre-departure holiday spending habits of UK travellers and found that most could save a pretty penny by simply getting organised.
With sun-seekers planning 3 trips[3] in 2025, the savings could accumulate to £651 per person over the course of a year – more than a fifth of the average £3,020 per person spent on trips in 2024. But a little bit of planning can eliminate the costs, leaving them more money to spend on the most important thing: their holiday.
Airport Parking
Despite holidaymakers becoming more aware of the rising cost of holidays in 2024, analysis[2] from Holiday Extras found that the number of us booking airport parking on the day has more than doubled in the last twelve months, rising from 3% in 2023 to 7% last year.
Booking airport parking on the gate on the day of departure comes at a premium and often sees holidaymakers shell out much more than they would when booking in advance. Comparing the price each of its airport parking customers paid when pre-booking their parking last year to the gate rate of their car park, it revealed an average saving of £196.
Save £125 on airport parking
Last year Holiday Extras' customers saved more than half a billion pounds vs the gate rates by booking their airport parking in advance.
Airport parkingAirport Lounges
Once you've parked up, checked in and made your way through security, a quick loop around departures is enough to bust the budget before you even board, with the brand's research[2] revealing Brits are spending more at the airport as they wait to board than they ever have – with the average family shelling out £144 on pre-flight treats.
For the third time since the pandemic, Holiday Extras asked 1,000 holidaymakers who'd flown in the last three years what they did at the airport before boarding, and how much all of it cost. On average, travellers from the UK said they now spend £36 each while waiting for their plane – over a third (37%) more than they did in 2022, and two thirds (71%) higher than they did in 2020.
It's not just food and drink that holidaymakers are forking out on though; impulse-buys in duty free and airport wi-fi charges account for more of our spending than they have in previous years. Yet with airport lounges available from as little as £15, with most of the things we buy in the terminal building included in the price, the research suggests that not booking an airport lounge could actually be a false economy. Not only can holidaymakers enjoy a calm space to relax away from the bustle of departures, but save up to £21 per person at the same time.
Bag a free airport lounge
Holidaymakers spend so much waiting for a plane it's often cheaper to book a lounge
Airport loungesAirport Drop Off
Even if you're saving money by getting dropped off at the airport, hidden costs that hit holidaymakers before they've even entered the terminal building also add to the cost of jetting off.
Holiday Extras' analysis of airport drop off charges highlights a trend that sees sun-seekers paying a steep price to say goodbye to their loved ones before getting off, with substantial increases at seven of the top-ten UK airports over the last couple of years. Stansted Airport charges the most (£7) for the privilege, with 200% and 66% increases at Belfast and Birmingham airports respectively.
With the cost of dropping off your loved ones at the terminal rising, it has never been more important to plan ahead. To help holidaymakers keep their drop-off fee-free, Holiday Extras has shared top tips on how to avoid them in 2025, with an average saving of £5.27.
Hacks to avoid airport drop-off fees
There's more savings at the airport if you don't pay to get dropped off
Airport drop-off feesElizabeth Hogg, Chief Operating Officer at Holiday Extras said,
""The savings that have been highlighted through our analysis are all achievable through a bit of forward planning. Thinking about the things you'll need around the holiday itself is important, and booking early – as soon as you have booked your trip – is the best way to avoid higher costs closer to, or on the day of, your departure.
"We have long campaigned for people to understand the benefits of booking early, and it's surprising to see that more holidaymakers missed this essential step in holiday planning last year. We really encourage holidaymakers to think ahead, as every time they do that's more money they can spend on flights, meals, treats, and seeing the sights while they're away."
Holidaymakers could also consider that getting to the airport early for their flight means they're going to splash out on meals and duty free. That puts down the relative cost of staying overnight at an airport hotel and starting their holiday early with a stroll into the terminal just in time for their plane - meaning more people might have the a better holiday this year when they wake up fresh on day one rather than spending it in the early-morning dash to the airport."
[1] Based on the possible savings associated with airport parking and airport lounges, on the number of trips holidaymakers plan on taking in 2025.
[2] Airport parking data calculated 1st January – 16th December 2024. Airport lounge data based on a survey of 1,000 UK holidaymakers, completed in June 2024.
[3] Research with 1000 holidaymakers, completed on 18th December 2024.
