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How to Get Cheap Heathrow Parking: 9 Honest Tips

Turning up at Heathrow's own long stay car park costs about £271.20 for a week; pre-booked Park & Ride on urbook starts from £63.60. These nine honest tips show budget and weekend flyers how to pay less.

11 October 2026

Heathrow parking from £38.40 for 1 day or £63.60 for 7 days on urbook (Park & Ride, prices checked 11 October 2026). Compare and book at urbook.co.uk – first booking? Use URFIRST10 for £10 off or WELCOMEUR for 10% off (one code per booking).

Heathrow is one of the most expensive UK airports to park at if you just turn up. The good news: a few simple habits can cut the cost by more than half. Here are nine honest tips, with real prices, for budget and weekend flyers.

How much does it cost to park at Heathrow?

Turning up at Heathrow's own long stay car park costs £46.80 for the first day and £37.40 for each extra day – about £271.20 for a week. Pre-booked on urbook, Park & Ride starts from £63.60 for 7 days.

Here is how the options compare. urbook prices are the lowest "from" prices listed on urbook, checked 11 October 2026; the airport price is the drive-up rate published on heathrow.com for the Terminal 5 long stay car park (now called Heathrow Park & Ride), checked the same day. Prices change with dates and demand.

Option1 day7 daysHow you get to the terminal
Airport long stay, paid on the day£46.80£271.20Airport shuttle bus
Park & Ride on urbookfrom £38.40from £63.60Transfer to the terminal – see each listing
Self Park on urbookfrom £40.80from £69.60Park it yourself, keep your keys
Meet & Greet on urbookfrom £60.00from £81.60Hand your keys over at the terminal

urbook lists 5 Park & Ride car parks, 2 Self Park car parks and 4 Meet & Greet services at Heathrow, with Park & Ride from £63.60 for 7 days as of October 2026.

9 honest tips for cheap Heathrow parking

1. Never just turn up

Paying on the day is the most expensive way to park. In the table above, a week of drive-up long stay costs about four times the cheapest pre-booked Park & Ride price. Even booking the night before usually beats the gate price.

2. Book as early as you can

Cheaper spaces sell first, especially around school holidays. If you know your dates, book now – with Cancellation Cover you keep some flexibility (see tip 8).

3. Compare parking types, not just car parks

Park & Ride is usually the cheapest. Self Park costs a little more but you keep your keys. Meet & Greet costs the most but saves the most time. Pick the cheapest type that fits your trip – our guide Meet & Greet vs Park & Ride explains the trade-off.

4. Check how you get to the terminal

The cheapest price is only cheap if it gets you to your flight on time. On every urbook listing, check how the transfer to the terminal works and whether it is included, and allow extra time for it.

5. Look at a full week, not the daily rate

Pre-booked prices fall per day the longer you stay. On urbook, Park & Ride is from £38.40 for one day but from £63.60 for seven – around £9 a day. Price your exact dates rather than multiplying a daily rate.

6. Avoid the drop-off charge – or use it wisely

If someone drops you at the terminal instead, Heathrow charges £7 per visit to the forecourt (from 1 January 2026). Our Heathrow drop-off charge guide explains how to pay and the free option. For a short trip, a door-to-door Heathrow airport transfer can work out better than parking.

7. Travel outside peak weeks if you can

Half-term and Christmas weeks are the busiest and cheap spaces go fast. If your dates are fixed, book even earlier – see our Heathrow half-term parking guide.

8. Know the cancellation rules before you pay

Cheap is no good if a change of plan costs you the lot. Add Cancellation Cover at checkout and you can cancel online up to 24 hours before drop-off for a full refund. (Bookings made before 26 October 2026 keep 48 hours.) Without cover there is no online cancellation. The cover fee itself is not refundable.

9. Use a first-booking discount

New to urbook? Code URFIRST10 takes £10 off, or WELCOMEUR 10% off, your first booking (one code per booking). Check the total at checkout – it includes any extras you choose, such as Cancellation Cover.

Is the cheapest Heathrow parking worth it?

For most budget and weekend flyers, yes – as long as you allow time for the transfer. Park & Ride and Self Park give the lowest prices; pay more for Meet & Greet only if time matters more than money.

How booking on urbook works

Three steps, and it is your booking to manage – urbook, your booking, sorted.

  1. Enter Heathrow, your terminal and your dates on the urbook home page.
  2. Compare Park & Ride, Self Park and Meet & Greet side by side and pick one.
  3. Pay securely and manage your booking online at any time.

Every provider is vetted, prices show no hidden fees, and payment is secure. You can send our help form at any time, and our phone line runs 7 days a week, 08:00–20:00.

Compare and book at urbook.co.uk – first booking? Use URFIRST10 for £10 off or WELCOMEUR for 10% off (one code per booking).

Going on holiday? Book it on urbook too – see holiday packages.

Last checked: October 2026.

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Holiday packages to the UK, Europe, Nepal, Sri Lanka and India · All airport services · All travel guides · Book at urbook.co.uk

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