Gatwick Airport parking: official car parks compared
London Gatwick Airport has 6 official car parks and parking options. Turning up for a week costs £230 (Long Stay, roll-up). A lift costs £10 for 10 minutes to drop off, or nothing using the free option.
Checked on London Gatwick Airport's own website on 1 November 2026. We're independent and don't sell parking.
Park or get a lift at Gatwick?
- Lift, terminal zones: £18 in airport charges (£10 to drop off, £8 to pick up), plus your driver's four journeys.
- Lift, free option: £0 in airport charges. Long Stay car parks: free for 2 hours, with a free shuttle bus to the terminals.
- Park for 7 days, turning up on the day: £230 (Long Stay, roll-up; worked out from the published rates: £38 for the first 24 hours, then £32 for each subsequent day).
For a week away, the cheapest parking we can see is £230. A lift costs nothing in airport charges using the free option, or £18 using the terminal zones. The real cost of a lift is your driver's time and fuel: put your mileage into the calculator below.
Lift or park: which is cheaper?
Being dropped off and picked up means your driver does the trip twice each way: four journeys. This adds that up using Gatwick's own charges.
15p a mile is a starting point; change it to suit your car. Parking prices change by date, so get a quote from the airport's own parking site.
Gatwick Airport's own car parks
Short Stay
Walk straight through to the terminal, about 4 minutes
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Roll-up, up to 30 minutes | £8.00 |
| Roll-up, 31-60 minutes | £14.00 |
| Roll-up, 1-2 hours | £18.00 |
| Roll-up, 2-3 hours | £21.50 |
| Roll-up, 3-4 hours | £26.00 |
| Roll-up, 4-5 hours | £31.50 |
| Roll-up, 5-6 hours | £40.50 |
| Roll-up, 6-12 hours | £60.00 |
| Roll-up, 12-24 hours | £70.00 |
| Roll-up, each subsequent day | £70.00 |
Same roll-up prices at North and South. No minimum or maximum stay. Keep your keys. Card-only payment machines at the exit barrier. Eight 22kW EV chargers: four in Short Stay North, four in Short Stay South. Overstay on a booking £50 per day.
Premium Short Stay
Dedicated area inside the Short Stay car parks with same-level access to the terminal
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Roll-up, up to 30 minutes | £12.00 |
| Roll-up, 31-60 minutes | £19.00 |
| Roll-up, 1-2 hours | £22.00 |
| Roll-up, 2-3 hours | £26.00 |
| Roll-up, 3-4 hours | £33.00 |
| Roll-up, 4-5 hours | £41.00 |
| Roll-up, 5-6 hours | £56.00 |
| Roll-up, 6-12 hours | £74.50 |
| Roll-up, 12-24 hours | £87.50 |
| Roll-up, each subsequent day | £87.50 |
Extra-wide bays. North Premium is on level 3 of Car Park 5; South Premium on level 2 of Car Park 3. Blue Badge holders pay the standard Short Stay rate for up to four hours. Overstay on a booking £60 per day.
Valet Parking
Drop the car off at the terminal, about a 2-minute walk; staff move it to secure on-site storage. Collect from the ground floor of car park 6 (North) or the second floor of the red car park (South)
No prices published as text on the official site: get a quote from the booking page.
Must be booked at least 24 hours ahead; no roll-up use. Optional EV charging and hand wash. Blue Badge holders can ask for a Blue Badge bay at check-in. Overstay on a booking £30 per day.
Mid Stay
6-minute walk to North Terminal via a covered walkway
No prices published as text on the official site: get a quote from the booking page.
Pre-book only; do not arrive without a booking. Mid Stay North is barrierless and uses ANPR. Keep your keys. Overstay on a booking £60 per day (North) or £15 per day (South).
Long Stay
Free shuttle bus, 24/7, every 7-12 minutes; Gatwick gives a 10-12 minute transfer (one FAQ says about 20 minutes from North Long Stay and about 10 from South)
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Roll-up, 0-2 hours | Free |
| Roll-up, 2-24 hours | £38.00 |
| Roll-up, each subsequent day | £32.00 |
Keep your keys. Pick-up or drop-off free for up to 2 hours. Card-only payment at the exit barrier. Blue Badge bays: 32 at North, 25 at South near the bus stops. Overstay on a booking £15 per day.
Robotic Parking
Gatwick lists a 6-minute walk or a 7-15 minute transfer; you leave the car in an extra-wide garage and robots park it
No prices published as text on the official site: get a quote from the booking page.
Pre-book only. Maximum vehicle height 2.3m; compatible with around 95% of vehicle models. Keep your keys. Overstay on a booking £15 per day.
Booking: Gatwick says the cost of parking varies by car park, date of travel and length of stay, and that pre-booking guarantees a space while drive-up customers may be sent to a more expensive car park. Bookings can be made up to a year ahead and changed or cancelled free up to 24 hours before arrival; phone bookings carry a £5 surcharge.
Meet and greet: Gatwick's official service is Valet Parking: drop the car at the terminal and staff move it to secure on-site storage. It must be booked at least 24 hours ahead.
Blue Badge: Blue Badge bays are in the Long Stay, Mid Stay and Short Stay car parks, first come first served. Blue Badge holders pay discounted rates (the standard Short Stay rate) in Premium Parking for stays under four hours; longer stays pay normal charges. To use a badge, park as normal and call 0800 678 3353 or use the intercom on the payment machines. Drivers collecting a passenger with reduced mobility can get up to an hour free at the Long Stay exit customer service office.
Electric cars: Eight 22kW chargers: four in Short Stay North and four in Short Stay South. EV charging is an optional Valet extra. A GRIDSERVE Electric Forecourt on Ring Road South has chargers 24/7.
Off-airport parking
Off-airport car parks and meet-and-greet firms are private businesses, not part of the airport. Many are fine and cheaper, but check before you book: where the car is actually kept, how the transfer works and how often it runs, whether the car park has the Park Mark Safer Parking award, the firm's cancellation terms and recent reviews. Meet-and-greet firms that aren't the airport's own can't use the terminal forecourt without paying the airport's charges like anyone else.
What London Gatwick Airport says: Gatwick warns about rogue operators that advertise airport or meet and greet parking but fail on security or vehicle care, and says some use 'Gatwick' in their name with no official link. It advises being wary of unusually cheap prices and checking BPA membership, Park Mark and Buy With Confidence. It names Maple Parking, Sure Parking, Tudor Rose, APH and I Love Meet & Greet as its approved operators.
Dropping off instead?
Prices, how to pay and the free option: Gatwick Airport drop-off charges. Picking someone up: pick-up prices.
Questions
What's the cheapest official parking at Gatwick Airport?
Turning up on the day, £230 for 7 days (Long Stay, roll-up; worked out from the published rates: £38 for the first 24 hours, then £32 for each subsequent day). Checked on London Gatwick Airport's website on 1 November 2026; online prices change by date.
How many car parks does Gatwick Airport have?
London Gatwick Airport lists 6 car parks and parking products: Short Stay, Premium Short Stay, Long Stay, Mid Stay, Robotic Parking, Valet Parking.
How much is short stay parking at Gatwick Airport?
Short Stay, up to 30 minutes: £8.
Is it cheaper to park or be dropped off at Gatwick Airport?
Being dropped off and picked up costs £18 in airport charges, or nothing using the free option (Long Stay car parks: free for 2 hours, with a free shuttle bus to the terminals). Parking for a week usually costs more than that, but a lift means four journeys for your driver, so it depends how far away you live.
Does Gatwick Airport have official meet and greet?
Gatwick's official service is Valet Parking: drop the car at the terminal and staff move it to secure on-site storage. It must be booked at least 24 hours ahead.
Is there free Blue Badge parking at Gatwick Airport?
Blue Badge bays are in the Long Stay, Mid Stay and Short Stay car parks, first come first served. Blue Badge holders pay discounted rates (the standard Short Stay rate) in Premium Parking for stays under four hours; longer stays pay normal charges. To use a badge, park as normal and call 0800 678 3353 or use the intercom on the payment machines. Drivers collecting a passenger with reduced mobility can get up to an hour free at the Long Stay exit customer service office.
Can I charge an electric car at Gatwick Airport?
Eight 22kW chargers: four in Short Stay North and four in Short Stay South. EV charging is an optional Valet extra. A GRIDSERVE Electric Forecourt on Ring Road South has chargers 24/7.
Sources
- gatwickairport.com
- gatwickairport.com
- gatwickairport.com
- gatwickairport.com
- gatwickairport.com
- gatwickairport.com
Prices are the ones London Gatwick Airport publishes as text on its own website, checked on 1 November 2026. Online booking prices change by date and demand, so get a quote before you go.