Research Report · October 2026 · Holiday Extras · research hub
Parking Prices Fall
as 'Farewell Fees' Soar
Airport parking costs less than last year, but the charge to drop someone off now exceeds the average nightly parking rate.
average nightly parking rate across 23 UK airports
year-on-year change in national average nightly rate
average cost of a 7-night parking stay
saving for early bookers vs last-minute bookers
A rare piece of good news for holiday budgets
In a year when the cost of almost everything has climbed, airport parking is moving in the opposite direction. Holiday Extras analysis of bookings across all 23 UK airports shows half-term parking is fractionally cheaper in 2026 than it was in 2025, a small but genuine reprieve for families already navigating rising travel costs.
The contrast with terminal drop-off charges could hardly be sharper. While parking costs ease, the Government has announced a review into 'rip-off' drop-off fees after the RAC found 16 of the top 20 UK airports raised their charges in the past year, with average prices rising by a third to around £7. At some airports a momentary kerb-side stop now costs £10.
When it costs more to drop someone at the kerb than to park your car overnight, something has gone seriously wrong. We welcome the Government's review and hope it results in charges that reflect reality rather than a captive-audience premium.Matthew Pack, Group CEO, Holiday Extras
The maths is stark: a £7 drop-off fee each way adds up to roughly £14 for a few minutes at the terminal doors, more than the £13.03 it costs on average to leave your car for an entire night. This report sets out exactly where parking is cheaper, which airports buck the trend, and how booking early can stretch the saving further.
How we compiled the data
Pricing data is drawn from Holiday Extras bookings and live inventory checks across all 23 UK commercial airports for the half-term 2026 travel window, compared against the equivalent period in 2025.
| Data source | Holiday Extras booking platform & live inventory |
| Airports covered | All 23 UK commercial airports |
| Comparison period | Half-term 2026 vs half-term 2025 |
| Primary metric | Price per night (GBP) & 7-night total (GBP) |
| Matched-basket analysis | Same product, stay length & booking window. Available for 19 of 24 data points; national figure covers 65.4% of bookings |
| Matched-basket coverage | Broad: 9 airports · Partial: 9 airports · Insufficient: 5 airports · National composite: 1 |
| Early-booker analysis | Customers booking 60+ days ahead vs last-minute on matched bookings |
| Limited-sample flag | Applied to 3 airports (12.5%) where 7-night sample is thin. Figures treated with caution |
National parking prices are down on every measure
The headline national average fell from £13.10 per night in 2025 to £13.03 in 2026, a drop of 0.5%. A 7-night stay now averages £85.68, down from £86.67. Crucially, the same result holds on a like-for-like matched-basket basis, which strips out any mix effects from changes in product or booking behaviour.
Down from £13.10 in 2025 (-0.5%)
Down from £86.67 in 2025 (-1.1%)
Like-for-like, same product & booking window
Average pre-discount rate; customer discount averages 5.6%
The pre-discount per-night average of £14.37 versus the post-discount figure of £13.03 confirms that customers are capturing a real benefit of around 5.6% off list price, broadly stable year-on-year (5.58% in 2026 vs 5.74% in 2025). The discount is consistent across most airports, with the median sitting at 5.9%.
Every major national parking metric is lower in 2026 than 2025: per night, per 7-night stay, and on a like-for-like matched-basket basis.
Short breaks also get cheaper: costs by stay length
The saving is not confined to the classic week-long holiday. Across 3-night, 5-night and 7-night stays, prices are down compared with last year, making half-term an unexpectedly good moment to drive to the airport.
| Stay length | 2026 price | 2025 price | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 nights | £64.80 | £66.08 | -£1.28 |
| 5 nights | £75.95 | £77.23 | -£1.28 |
| 7 nights | £85.68 | £86.67 | -£0.99 |
| 8 nights | £90.21 (mean) | n/a | n/a |
| 14 nights | £123.21 (mean) | n/a | n/a |
The 3-night and 5-night national figures are drawn from the UK combined row and represent the most robustly sampled data points. Eight-night and 14-night averages are computed from airports with sufficient data (21 and 18 airports respectively) and are presented as indicative means rather than direct year-on-year comparisons.
Where parking has got cheaper, and where it hasn't
The national average masks wide variation at airport level. Several major airports have seen significant price falls, while a handful, most notably Teesside International and Bristol, have moved sharply in the other direction.
Biggest per-night price falls (2025 vs 2026)
Biggest per-night price rises (2025 vs 2026)
Teesside International is the sharpest outlier in the dataset: up 58.3% per night and 68.2% on a 7-night stay. The matched-basket coverage is flagged as insufficient here, so the true like-for-like shift may differ, but the direction is clear. Bristol rose 20.7% per night and 15.8% on the matched basket, a significant increase that holds up on a controlled comparison. Birmingham is down 13.9% per night (7-night cost now £89.03), though its airport supply context is unusual: the airport-managed supply has been withdrawn and legacy reservations remain, which may be influencing the pricing trend.
Glasgow remains the most affordable airport on the overall per-night measure at £7.26, down 4.7% year-on-year. Aberdeen is cheapest for a 7-night stay at £43.12 (down 22.3%), followed by Manchester's best product, Maple Park and Ride, at £49.17.
Aberdeen is 22.3% cheaper per night than last year, making a 7-night stay just £43.12, the lowest 7-night total of any UK airport.
Airport-by-airport: full 7-night price ranking
The table below shows every airport's 7-night total for 2026 alongside the cheapest named product and its per-night equivalent, giving travellers a direct comparison before they book.
| Airport | 7-night total | Per night avg | YoY % | Cheapest product (7n) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London City | £132.44 | £30.61 | -5.1% | Main Stay London City Airport £132.44 |
| Heathrow | £132.91 | £17.65 | +4.8% | Purple Parking £108.14 |
| Bristol | £110.34 | £17.79 | +20.7% | Silver Zone Bristol £98.71 |
| Bournemouth | £109.59 | £15.95 | -4.0% | Long Stay Car Park 3 £108.21 |
| Exeter | £105.65 | £14.46 | -2.6% | Long Stay Car Park 4 £94.87 |
| Newcastle | £95.64 | £13.13 | +0.4% | Long Stay Newcastle £85.99 |
| Liverpool | £95.18 | £14.02 | +11.4% | In2 Car Parks £70.54 |
| Cardiff | £92.93 | £13.62 | -6.6% | Express Park Cardiff £85.82 |
| Norwich | £94.14 | £13.81 | +3.0% | Long Stay Norwich £92.71 |
| Birmingham | £89.03 | £13.99 | -13.9% | Airparks Birmingham £73.42 |
| UK Average | £85.68 | £13.03 | -1.1% | n/a |
| Stansted | £80.91 | £14.18 | +3.6% | Long Stay Stansted £65.22 |
| Luton | £81.25 | £12.30 | +3.8% | Airparks Luton £71.94 |
| Gatwick | £81.27 | £11.12 | -5.2% | Cophall Parking £62.51 |
| Leeds Bradford | £81.50 | £12.19 | +0.7% | Park2Travel £68.94 |
| Southampton | £82.56 | £19.21 | -1.8% | n/a |
| Humberside | £82.99 | £12.79 | -3.5% | Long Stay Humberside £82.99 |
| Manchester | £77.98 | £11.61 | -7.4% | Maple Park & Ride £49.17 |
| Edinburgh | £71.80 | £10.40 | +16.1% | Secure Airparks D&G £66.83 |
| East Midlands | £72.51 | £10.36 | +0.8% | Jet Parks 2 £49.88 |
| Teesside Intl | £64.54 | £9.65 | +58.3% | Long Stay Teesside £64.54 |
| Southend | £63.27 | £9.56 | -5.8% | Diamond Parking £63.12 |
| Glasgow | £52.15 | £7.26 | -4.7% | Skyport Glasgow £51.63 |
| Aberdeen | £43.12 | £7.43 | -22.3% | Airparks Express £43.12 |
Note on data quality: Seven-night figures for Southampton, London City and Humberside are based on limited samples and should be treated with caution. Matched-basket coverage is insufficient for 5 airports, meaning like-for-like YoY comparisons are not available for those locations.
Book early and pay significantly less
Booking 60 or more days ahead of travel delivers a meaningful discount against last-minute prices. On a nationally matched basis, early bookers paid 9.2% less in 2026, equivalent to around £7.46 off a typical 7-night booking. At some airports the gap is far wider.
The early-booking premium is most pronounced at Bristol (25.7%) and Stansted (23.3%), both airports with high demand and limited parking capacity relative to passenger volumes. Gatwick is a rare exception where the 2026 early-booker saving turns negative at -3.8%, suggesting last-minute availability has improved or discounting patterns have shifted.
Early bookers (60+ days ahead) saved an average of 9.2% nationally, and up to 25.7% at Bristol, compared with last-minute purchasers.
What this means for travellers and the industry
Five practical takeaways from the 2026 half-term parking data for travellers, airports and policymakers.
Pre-book parking: it costs less than you think
At £13.03 a night nationally, pre-booked airport parking is cheaper than a round-trip drop-off charge at many airports. Travellers who factor in drop-off fees should compare total costs before deciding whether to park or be dropped off.
Book early, save more
Booking 60+ days ahead saves 9.2% on average and up to 25.7% at high-demand airports like Bristol. Setting a diary reminder when booking a holiday to simultaneously book parking can make a material difference to the total holiday cost.
Shop around: the cheapest product is often well below the airport average
At Manchester, the cheapest product (£49.17) is 37% below the airport's 7-night average (£77.98). Comparing options on a marketplace rather than booking direct with the first result can yield significant savings.
Drop-off fees need regulatory scrutiny
When a momentary kerb stop costs more than a night's parking, the market is clearly not functioning well for consumers. The Government's announced review is timely and should consider transparent, proportionate fee structures.
Watch the outliers: not all airports are getting cheaper
Teesside International (+58.3%), Bristol (+20.7%) and Edinburgh (+16.1%) have seen sharp rises. Travellers at these airports should check prices early and consider whether alternative transport or nearby airports offer better value.
Data coverage matters for like-for-like comparisons
Matched-basket analysis is unavailable or only partial for more than half of individual airports. Headline YoY figures at those airports may reflect product-mix changes as much as genuine price movements, so treat them as directional rather than definitive.
About Holiday Extras
Holiday Extras is the UK's leading provider of airport travel services, including parking, hotels, lounges and transfers at all major UK airports.
This report is based on Holiday Extras booking and pricing data across 23 UK airports for the half-term 2026 travel window, compared against the equivalent period in 2025.
For press enquiries contact [email protected]
Research note
Pricing data is drawn from Holiday Extras live inventory and confirmed booking records. Matched-basket analysis controls for product type, stay length and booking window. National figures cover 65.4% of all Holiday Extras UK airport parking bookings. Seven-night figures for three airports are based on limited samples and are flagged accordingly. Early-booker analysis compares customers booking 60+ days ahead against last-minute bookers on equivalent matched products.
© Holiday Extras 2026. All rights reserved.
