Trying to find somewhere to put your car if you drive to the airport can be a stressful and expensive experience.
ADVERTISEMENTFinding airport parking is a pre-holiday anxiety that no one looks forward to.
When you turn up at the airport, it isn’t always clear where you need to go, which spots are free or how much you’ll have to pay and how to get to the terminal building. Then returning bleary-eyed from your flight home, you have to remember where exactly it was that you left your car.
Trying to find a bargain can end badly with scammers selling fake ‘meet and greet’ services, spots in unsafe car parks and even potentially leaving your vehicle in a stranger’s driveway.
Many of Europe’s airports are well connected via public transport so with a bit of pre-planning you might be able to avoid the nightmare of airport parking altogether.
But, if you absolutely have to take your car, then here are the European airports with the cheapest official parking, according to a recent study from OVO Network.
9. Henri Coandă International Airport, Romania
Romania’s busiest airport comes in at number nine on the list. More than 12.8 million people pass through this travel hub every year on their way to 121 different destinations.
The airport’s car park comes in at a cost of €30.32 per week and is conveniently located too, just 18km away from the capital city Bucharest.
Parking rates here are calculated based on how long you stay with a maximum of 30 days costing €93.
8. Charles de Gaulle International Airport, France
A week of parking at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport will set you back €30. Surprising when you consider how expensive France’s capital city can be.
Just 26km outside of Paris, it sees nearly 69.5 million travellers pass through every year.
It has two open air car parks which serve all of the terminals. They are located a little way away from the airport building but you can catch a free light rail service once you’ve dropped off your car.
7. Orio al Serio International Airport, Italy
The cost of parking for seven days at Orio al Serio Airport in the north of Italy is €28 earning it seventh place on this list.
It is Italy’s third busiest international airport welcoming 12.3 million passengers each year.
Here, ‘ViaMilano’ is the official parking and there are more than 8,000 spots available. You can pre-buy a pass online with prices starting at just €4 per day.
6. Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, Hungary
Parking for a week at Budapest’s international airport will set you back €23.25. Around 13 million people pass through this busy airport every year travelling to 142 different destinations.
Just three to ten minutes away from the terminal by foot, this holiday parking is fairly close by depending on which car park you choose. It’s a little cheaper if you opt to leave your car further away but prices overall are pretty reasonable.
5. Adnan Menderes International Airport, Turkey
It will cost you €21.51 to park for seven days at Adnan Menderes International Airport in Turkey. Serving the city of İzmir in the western extremity of Anatolia, it sees nearly 13 million passengers every year.
There are several car park options here ranging from a multi-storey close to the international terminal to open car parks and even valet services.
ADVERTISEMENT4. Alicante International Airport, Spain
Leaving your car at the airport in this popular sun soaked destination will set you back €21.34 per week.
Though a number of private parking options are available even closer to the airport building, the long stay lot is located just a few minutes walk from the new terminal. Most of the spaces are covered to keep your vehicle out of the Alicante sun with designated areas for oversized vehicles and camper vans.
3. Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, Turkey
Sabiha Gökçen International Airport is one of two international airports that serve Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey. The cost of parking here for a week is €20.09.
There are more than 4,500 spaces available in a four floor parking garage within walking distance of the terminal building.
2. Antalya Airport, Turkey
The cheapest Turkish airport on this list, offering parking for seven days at Antalya Airport near the Mediterranean coast comes in at a cost of €17.23.
ADVERTISEMENTWith space for around 2,000 cars and minibuses, the car park is just a three minute walk from the terminal buildings. A rate calculator on the airport’s website allows you to work out how exactly much it will cost before you decide to drive.
1. Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport, Italy
The cheapest parking across Europe’s airports can be found at Italy’s busiest airport. It will cost you just €13.50 for seven days.
For extended trips, there is a long stay car park, 10 minutes away via shuttle bus. You can also leave your car in the multi-storey car park in front of the terminal - more convenient but also more expensive.
If you don’t need to stay for long they also offer an appropriately named ‘Kiss & Go’ area for drop-offs under 15 minutes.
