Forget to pre-book airport parking for the Easter getaway and you could end up paying £100s more – with some airports proving cheaper to park a plane than a car.

It's not the most glamorous aspect of your trip, but getting carried away with the excitement of heading away and forgetting to pre-book could add more than £300 to the cost of 7 nights' airport parking. Airport parking specialist APH.com has therefore revealed the true cost of 'turn-up-and-park' airport parking across the UK available at www.aph.com/prebook.

It's not something anyone would choose to do, but forgetting to pre-book airport parking is a predicament many could find themselves in. From first-time parents swapping public transport for the ease of their own car, to first-jobbers who've shed their student backpack, it's easy to leave parking off the 'must-do' list.

Highlighting the financial frights of forgetting to pre-book parking, APH.com's research found parking a plane for a week at many UK airports is cheaper than doing the same for a car at turn-up-and-park prices in official airport car parks.

Forget to book at Heathrow and you could pay £416.50 for a week - £325 more than pre-booked parking.

Arriving at the airport and following signs to the nearest car park might seem a simple solution, but doing this at Heathrow could end up costing £416.50 for seven nights' parking – around £325 more than a seven-day reserved space.

It's not just Heathrow that'll leave your wallet emaciated, London City Airport will set you back £357 for a week's Long Stay parking and a terrifying £427 for the Short Stay option. Pre-booking a space could save nearly £300; enough to buy return flights to Dubai!

Looking beyond London airports, travellers are just as likely to suffer sky-high bills elsewhere – arriving unannounced at Bournemouth Airport's official car park will cost £152 for a week's parking, while pre-booking will slash the bill by more than £100.

East Midlands, Liverpool, Southampton and Edinburgh are further examples of regional airports where you can save up to £290 by pre-booking your airport parking.

Turn-up-and-park rates compared with pre-booked airport parking
The following table shows gate-rate parking in both long- and short-stay car parks compared with pre-booked stays via APH.com at all major UK airports. The prices apply to a week's parking over the East holiday period.

What if your car was a plane?
You'd be forgiven for thinking that parking a plane at your local airport would be more expensive than doing the same for your humble motor car. However, it seems this is not always the case.

Comparing the price of parking an Audi A3 hatchback, with a light aircraft of the same weight, APH can reveal some of the airports where parking a plane for a week is considerably cheaper than doing the same for a car at gate rates in official short-stay car parks - some of the worst offenders are highlighted in the above infographic.

A high-res version of the pre-booked vs gate rate prices infographic pictured below is available here Download full infographic here (PDF 1mb).

Airport parking explained
Find the best option for your trip from the options below...

Off-airport parking
Fully manned car parks at nearby secure sites, usually within 20 minutes of the airport and often offering the best prices. Simple to use; drive to the car park, leave your keys at reception and then hop on a transfer bus to the terminal building.

On-airport parking
Located within the airport complex offering fast and convenient parking, either a short walk from the check-in desks or just five minutes on a transfer bus. Easy to use and you normally keep your keys.

Meet and greet parking
The ultimate airport parking solution, perfect for anyone in a rush, weighed down with bags or travelling with children. Drive to the meeting point, drop your keys with the chauffeur then it's a short walk to the check-in desks - your car will be parked in a nearby compound.

For further information on Airport Parking and Hotels (APH),
Visit www.aph.com or call 01342 859515.
ENDS

About Airport Parking and Hotels (APH)
Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) is an award winning airport parking operator and retailer, after winning the Best Airport Parking Company for a seventh year running at British Travel Awards 2016. This year APH also celebrated its 36th year as a retailer and operator of pre-booked airport parking and travel extras. APH offers parking at all major UK airports as well as airport hotels and airport lounges. As well as supporting the World Land Trust through the purchase of more than 1,000 acres of endangered rainforest, APH is also a proud corporate sponsor of the University of Southampton Centre for Cancer Immunology, where the world's most eminent experts come together in the quest to find new and innovative treatments.

Media Enquiries
Sarah Salord / Libby Hughes / Jennifer Jones / McCluskey International / 020 8747 2170 / aph@mccluskey.co.uk