Families going on holiday this half-term could end up paying more for airport parking than their flights
London City is the UK’s priciest airport car park, with a week’s parking costing almost £300
FAMILIES heading abroad this February half-term might want to consider alternative airport transportation, as new research shows the cost of parking at an airport can be more than the cost of a flight.
London City, for example, the UK’s most expensive airport car park, charges nearly £300 for a week's parking – over three times the cost of a return flight to Geneva (£96).
Thousands of British families are set to head to the slopes this half-term, and Geneva is the busiest ski airport in the Alps thanks to its close proximity to ski resorts including Chamonix Mont Blanc and Verbier.
But holidaymakers travelling to the Swiss city will have to pay over the odds to park their car at one of Britain's busiest airport, with the costs often outweighing the price of a flight.
According to research by peer-to-peer parking service spacehopper, which connects homeowners who have empty driveways with drivers who are looking for a place to park near the airport, a return flight from Liverpool to Geneva costs around £50, while a week-long car park stay at Liverpool airport costs £71.
Passengers flying from Gatwick pay £220 a week to park their car at the airport - more than the cost of three return tickets to Geneva (£186).
And those in Aberdeen must pay £150 for airport parking, far more than the cost of two return flights to Geneva (£94).
Families heading to a beach resort will also be paying more for parking than flying this half-term.
Bristol travellers will be charged £99.99 for a week's parking at the airport, while a return ticket to Malaga costs almost half that, at £51.50.
Holidaymakers are being urged to cut costs by finding alternative airport transportation - such as using public transport - or to consider renting a space on someone’s driveway, which, spacehopper claims, can be more than 90 per cent cheaper than standard airport parking.
For example, London City passengers can rent a driveway in nearby Docklands for only £55 a week – a saving of £243 (81 per cent) compared to the cost of parking at the airport.
Driveway spaces near Gatwick are available for only £19.50 a week – more than ten times less than the £220-a-week cost to park at the airport.
In some cases, homeowners will drop holidaymakers off to the terminal, too, so you won't have to lug your bags along the street.
Alex Walker, director of spacehopper, said: “Inflated parking costs really make the price of any holiday mount up, and it’s crazy that leaving your car in one place is more expensive than a flight covering hundreds of miles.”
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