How to get the best deals on Gatwick airport car parking

“How to get a discount on Gatwick airport car parking” is a difficult and long-winded question.

This article has a particular focus on the ‘miles and points’ angles but there should be an option for everyone below.

We ran a similar article on the best deals on Heathow airport car parking last month which is here.

Save money on official Gatwick airport parking

The official Gatwick airport car parks (click here) are certainly not the cheapest option but are convenient.

Official Gatwick Parking offers a 10% discount to anyone who signs up to the myGatwick offers site.  You can learn about how myGatwick works in this article.

Earn Avios from offsite airport parking

You will usually save money by parking at an unofficial car park near an airport, although the trade off is a longer transfer time to and from the terminal.

ParkVia is the British Airways Executive Club parking partner and you earn 5 Avios per £1 when you book with them. You do not need to be flying with British Airways.  The booking page for these offers is here.

Earn Virgin Points from offsite airport parking

Virgin Flying Club has partnerships with Holiday Extras and Purple Parking.  Full details are on the Virgin Atlantic site here.

All Flying Club members get a discount – even those on the free Red level – and you will earn 250 to 500 Virgin Points depending on what service you book. ‘Meet and Greet’ is available.

Use Tesco Clubcard vouchers for offsite airport parking

If you are stuck for a good way to use your Clubcard points, Tesco Clubcard has a partnership with airport parking group APH.  You can see details of the deal here.

You receive 2x the face value of your Clubcard vouchers if you redeem them for APH parking.

Use Zipcar Flex and avoid parking altogether

If you are a member of the Zipcar car sharing club, you may be familiar with Zipcar Flex. This allows you to pick up a Zipcar as usual and take it on a one way journey, with no requirement to drop it back at its original location.

The only rule is that the place where you drop the car has to be an approved Zipcar Flex location. You can find these at Heathrow and at Gatwick Airport’s North Terminal.

This HfP article tells you more about how Zipcar Flex works at London Gatwick although you should check the current pricing.

Earn hotel points with ‘hotel and parking’ packages

I wrote an article here on the semi-secret ‘park and fly’ rates offered by IHG One Rewards via a little-known corner of their website. You may find that you can book a hotel room for the night before plus solve your parking problem for less than the cost of an official car park.

The benefit of booking an ‘official’ IHG package rather than using a consolidator like Holiday Extras is that you will earn IHG points for your stay and your elite benefits should be provided if you have status.  The booking page is here.

Another option is Bloc Hotel, located inside (literally inside) the South Terminal. It offers Park, Sleep, Fly packages in partnership with Official Gatwick Parking, using either the North or South short stay car parks. Guests also receive fast-track security vouchers.

Get an ‘under the carpet’ deal at one of the Gatwick hotels

Some of the hotels at Gatwick sell their parking spaces – with no obligation to book a room – via the JustPark website or the YourParkingSpace website.

For a three week stay or longer, a monthly subscription slot booked via YourParkingSpace is likely to be the cheapest option. You can cancel your subscription with 30 days notice.

…. or borrow the drive of someone nearby

If you want a really cheap deal, there are also private individuals on JustPark and YourParkingSpace who rent out their driveways.

Conclusion

There is no simple answer to the cheapest airport parking at Gatwick Airport or indeed elsewhere in the UK.

It is all about the trade off between the distance from the airport and the price you want to pay. If you would need a hotel the night before anyway, then a ‘hotel plus parking’ package is probably your best option – but remember that these packages, unless booked direct, are unlikely to earn hotel points or give you elite status benefits.

If you are price conscious, then don’t be distracted by the points on offer from various operators like Holiday Extras. Focus on the bottom line price.

If you are spending your employers money, of course, the official Gatwick car parks are the quickest and easiest choice as well as arguably the most secure.

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How to get FREE car rental status and other benefits via UK credit cards (March 2025)

If you hire a car in the UK, you can get special benefits (discounts, upgrades, free additional drivers etc) if you have elite status with a car rental programme. You can get elite status for free via certain American Express cards.

The Platinum Card and American Express Business Platinum

The Platinum Card from American Express and American Express Business Platinum come with two free car hire status cards. Your supplementary Platinum cardholder can also receive status in their own right.

From Avis, you receive President’s Club status in Avis Preferred. This gets you up to 25% off standard rates, a free additional driver and a guaranteed one class upgrade. For weekend rentals you will receive a two class upgrade, subject to availability.

From Hertz, you receive ‘Five Star’ status in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards. This gets you up to 15% off standard rates, a free additional driver and a one class upgrade, subject to availability.

Hertz also offers Platinum cardholders a 4 hour grace period on rentals. Your final day is treated as 28 hours, so a 1pm pick up with a 5pm return the following day is only charged as one day, not two days. We wrote about the Hertz / Platinum 4 hour grace period here.

The Platinum Card also comes with full car hire insurance with no obligation to pay for the rental via American Express. You can refuse any attempts to sell you additional insurance at pick up. This benefit has substantial value if you rent on a regular basis.

You can find more details on the two Platinum cards, and apply, in our full reviews linked below. You can apply here for the personal card and here for the business card.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 8th April 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Business Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to 120,000 points. You receive 80,000 points when you spend £12,000 within three months and a further 40,000 points if you spend on the card between Month 14 and Month 17. Points convert 1:1 into Avios and many other programmes. Click here to apply.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold is an excellent card in its own right. You receive 20,000 Membership Rewards points for signing up (convert to 20,000 Avios amongst other things), four airport lounge passes and £120 of Deliveroo credit. Even better, your first year is free.

There are two car rental benefits:

• you receive Preferred Plus status in Avis Preferred

• you receive a special package with Hertz – 10% off best available rates at participating locations, a one class upgrade for rentals of 5 days or more, subject to availability, and no additional driver fees

Find out more about the benefits of American Express Preferred Rewards Gold in our review. You can apply here.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.