Make sure you drive down the cost of your holiday this year by getting the best rate for airport parking. Tina Leonard looks at the options.
Car Parking
If you live somewhere near an airport bus service then this is going to be best value but if you have to bring the car you also have plenty of options.
There are the official airport car parks and an addition there are independent ‘airport’ car parks close by and many hotels offer airport parking too.
There are plenty of offers available at the moment and prices are often “from” a certain amount per day, so don’t just check the per hour rate; instead look online and put in the dates you want to park for, at what airport and see what offers come up.
A handy website is www.parksmart.ie which allows you to search for best options between independent car parks at Dublin, Cork, Shannon, Galway and Belfast airports.
Price of parking from 21st July to 28th July
Dublin airport
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Official airport long term Blue car park (10 mins away) €38.50 (€5.50/day). Offline €7.50/day, €52.50 / week.
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Official airport long term Red car park (5 mins away) €50 (€7.14/day). Offline €9.50 / day, €66.50 / week.
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Park & Fly (10 mins away) - €38.50 / week.
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Quickpark.ie - €7/day = €49. €8.50 day offline, €59.50 / week.
- Bewleys Hotel €52.50 / week
Others
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Airside Parking €28 (€4/day) plus €1 each way for transfer
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Premium Inn Park and Fly (5 mins) €28 (€4/day, normally €6)
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Metro Hotel Park & Ride €28 (€4/day)
- Crowne Plaza Hotel Park & Fly €30 (€5/day, normally €7)
Cork airport
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Official airport long term €49 (or €9.50 / day)
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Cork Air Park Services €45 (plus car wash).
- Airport View Parking, from €34 N/A
Shannon airport
Official airport long term €47.50 (or €9.50 / day)
Bunratty Castle Hotel Park & Fly €37.07 online (€8 / day) 15 minute transfer, free hourly shuttle from 7.30am to 2pm, otherwise the hotel will arrange a taxi at an extra cost (approx €18).
Navigating the airport
Once you’ve got the best parking deal, and arrive at the airport on the shuttle bus, you’re journey really is only beginning.
Larger airports like Dublin can include long walks so you have to factor in that time but also your ability to cope with long distances.
Be warned the walk in Terminal 2 can be lengthy – if you are being dropped off by the car park shuttles, you will have to go up two escalators to security check and then down another escalator or lift to the departure gates which can be a five minute walk away.
