Gatwick Long Stay parking starts around £60 a week pre-booked in 2026, with both North and South terminals having dedicated Long Stay lots. Off-airport Park and Ride can drop below £46 a week on promotional dates. Premium Short Stay sits at £75 per day for travellers who value proximity over price. Walk-up is brutal at £230 a week. Here is the 2026 picture.
The price brackets
| Product | Indicative weekly rate (pre-book) | Walk or shuttle |
|---|---|---|
| Off-airport Park and Ride | £46 to £85 | 5 to 15 min shuttle |
| Long Stay (on-airport, North or South) | £60 to £110 | 5 to 20 min shuttle |
| Off-airport Meet and Greet | £90 to £160 | 0 min, driver at forecourt |
| Short Stay | £150 to £225 | 5 min walk |
| Premium Short Stay (multi-storey) | £300 to £450 | 2 to 3 min walk, same level as departures |
| Walk-up at the barrier (Long Stay) | £230 | 5 to 20 min shuttle |
The walk-up to pre-book gap is the largest at any major UK airport. £170 difference for the same parking space over the same week. Pre-booking is the single biggest cost saver at Gatwick by some margin.
Cheapest official option: Long Stay
Long Stay is Gatwick own product, with separate lots for North and South Terminals. Pre-booked rates start around £60 a week, the first 2 hours of any visit are free, and a free shuttle runs every 10 to 12 minutes, taking 5 to 10 minutes from South or 10 to 20 minutes from North. Park Mark accredited.
The off-airport edge
Gatwick off-airport sites along the M23 and A23 corridor open at £46 a week pre-booked and run promotional discounts down to £35-£40 on quieter weekends. Quality varies, check Park Mark accreditation on the listing card before booking.
The Meet and Greet premium
Off-airport Meet and Greet sits at £90 to £160 a week. The Saver or Non-Flexible tier is typically 20 to 30% cheaper than the standard rate. The premium over Long Stay is real but the time saving on a tired return leg (30 to 45 minutes) is worth £20 to £40 to most family travellers.
The Short Stay trap
Short Stay at £150 to £225 a week is intentionally punitive. The hourly rate is sensible (£12 per 30 minutes), the weekly rate is not. Only book Short Stay for trips under 24 hours.
Premium Short Stay (when it is worth it)
£300 to £450 a week buys you a space on the same level as departures with a 2 to 3 minute walk to check-in. Justified only for tight-itinerary business trips of 1 to 2 nights where time saved on the return leg matters more than the headline price.
What moves the price most at Gatwick
- Pre-book vs walk-up. The single largest spread at any UK airport. Always pre-book.
- 4 to 12 weeks ahead. The cheapest window across every Gatwick product.
- Saver tiers. 20 to 30% cheaper, fine if your dates are firm.
- School holidays. Lift prices 15 to 30%. Book before the calendar peaks.
- Terminal-specific. Long Stay North vs South are priced separately, sometimes £5 to £15 apart for the same dates.
The honest one-line answer
For most Gatwick travellers in 2026, on-airport Long Stay at £60 to £110 a week pre-booked is the genuine cheapest sensible option. Off-airport Park and Ride beats it only on specific promotional dates. Meet and Greet wins for families on short trips. Premium Short Stay wins for 24-hour business. Whatever you do, book at least 4 weeks ahead, the walk-up rate is 200%+ more expensive.
See live prices and book
For real-time prices across every Gatwick car park including the separate North and South Long Stay lots and off-airport operators, see our Gatwick parking comparison page. For operational rules and product types in depth, see our Gatwick buyer guide.
How much does it cost to park at Gatwick?
Pre-booked off-airport parking at Gatwick starts from about £94 for eight days, which is roughly £11.81 a day all in, based on live prices across the 19 car parks we compare. Gatwick's own Long Stay is dearer, and turning up on the day without a booking is the most expensive way to do it by a wide margin. The saving comes almost entirely from booking ahead rather than from picking a particular car park.
How much is long stay parking at Gatwick?
Gatwick Long Stay is the airport's own product and sits at the higher end, typically £60 or more for a week when pre-booked. Off-airport park and ride operators a few minutes away come in lower for the same length of stay, which is why the comparison matters. Both are dramatically cheaper booked in advance than paid at the barrier.
What is the cheapest way to park at Gatwick?
Book off-airport park and ride, two to three weeks before you fly. That combination is what actually saves money at Gatwick. Meet and greet costs more but drops you at the terminal door, which is worth it on an early departure with cases and children. There is no single car park that is permanently cheapest, because operators reprice daily, so compare live prices for your own dates.
How much is short stay parking at Gatwick North and South Terminal?
Short stay at both terminals is priced for hours rather than days and becomes very expensive beyond a short visit. It suits a pick-up or a drop-off, not a holiday. If you are leaving the car for more than a day, long stay or an off-airport car park will be substantially cheaper, and both terminals are served by the same off-airport operators.
Is Gatwick parking cheaper if you book in advance?
Yes, and the difference is large. Prices rise sharply in the final fortnight before travel, so the same space booked two weeks out and booked on the morning of your flight are not remotely the same price. Booking early is the single biggest lever on what you pay at Gatwick.