Official Mid Stay Car Park Stansted Airport

Official Mid Stay Car Park and Official Long Stay Car Park are both run by Stansted Airport on its own site. With both, you park the car yourself, keep your keys and take a free bus to the terminal, day or night. The airport says both have been awarded the Park Mark, and both are labelled Semi-Flex on our site.

The main difference is how long you have to be away and how often the bus comes. Official Mid Stay Car Park has a 3-day minimum stay, and its bus runs every 10 minutes and takes about 7 minutes. Official Long Stay Car Park has a 5-day minimum stay, and its bus runs every 15 minutes. Both minimums are subject to availability.

Official Mid Stay Car Park can also be used without booking, subject to spaces, at £48 per 24 hours. Official Long Stay Car Park is pre-book only.

Verdict: Away for 3 or 4 days? Official Long Stay Car Park isn't an option, so it's Official Mid Stay Car Park. For anything longer, these two are closely matched. Go with whichever is cheaper for your dates, they're both sound options, though a slightly more frequent bus may be worth a small price difference to you.

Our current price snapshot (a 7-day stay, from 16th Nov to 23rd Nov 2026) shows Official Long Stay Car Park was £72.99 whilst Official Mid Stay Car Park was £69.99. So Official Long Stay Car Park is £3.00 more expensive than Official Mid Stay Car Park.

Official Mid Stay Car Park and Official Short Stay Blue Zone are self-park car parks on Stansted Airport's own site, so you keep your keys and a number plate reader works the barrier. Both are labelled Semi-Flex on our site.

The main difference is bus or no bus. From Official Mid Stay Car Park, you go to the nearest bus stop and take a free shuttle that runs every 10 minutes and takes about 7 minutes. From Official Short Stay Blue Zone, you walk to the terminal with no bus involved, and walk back to your car when you land.

Length of stay matters too. Official Mid Stay Car Park has a 3-day minimum, subject to availability. The airport says Short Stay has no minimum stay, and the shortest stay you can pre-book at Official Short Stay Blue Zone is 24 hours.

The upside to Official Mid Stay Car Park is that a car park with a bus usually costs less than one you can walk from, so it's a question of what skipping the shuttle is worth to you.

Verdict: Away for a night or two? Official Short Stay Blue Zone is the one, as Official Mid Stay Car Park won't take a stay that short. On a longer trip, where Official Short Stay Blue Zone is cheaper, it's probably an easy call. If Official Mid Stay Car Park is cheaper, it's probably the better value for the sake of a short bus ride.

Our current price snapshot (a 7-day stay, from 16th Nov to 23rd Nov 2026) shows Official Short Stay Blue Zone was £79.99 whilst Official Mid Stay Car Park was £69.99. So Official Short Stay Blue Zone is £10.00 more expensive than Official Mid Stay Car Park.

With Official Mid Stay Car Park and Official Short Stay Green Multi-Storey, you stay in charge of the car: you find a space, lock up and keep your keys. Both are managed by Stansted Airport.

The main difference is what happens between the car and the terminal. Official Short Stay Green Multi-Storey has a covered walking route to the terminal, which is a real plus if you're wheeling cases through bad weather. Official Mid Stay Car Park means waiting at a bus stop and a ride of about 7 minutes, although the shuttle is free and comes every 10 minutes.

Height could decide this one. Official Short Stay Green Multi-Storey is a multi-storey with a 2m limit, so a tall vehicle can't use it. Commercial vehicles aren't accepted at either car park.

Verdict: Driving something over 2m? Official Short Stay Green Multi-Storey is out. Otherwise, where the price difference is small, the covered walk at Official Short Stay Green Multi-Storey is probably worth it. If Official Mid Stay Car Park is noticeably cheaper for your dates and your trip is at least 3 days, it's probably the better value - it's a judgement call.

Our current price snapshot (a 7-day stay, from 16th Nov to 23rd Nov 2026) shows Official Short Stay Green Multi-Storey was £89.99 whilst Official Mid Stay Car Park was £69.99. So Official Short Stay Green Multi-Storey is £20.00 more expensive than Official Mid Stay Car Park.

Official Mid Stay Car Park and Official Short Stay Premium Orange are both official Stansted car parks where you park yourself and keep your keys, with no sign-in desk, as number plate readers work the barrier.

The main difference is distance. The airport calls Official Short Stay Premium Orange the closest Short Stay car park to the terminal, and you walk there and back. Official Mid Stay Car Park relies on a free shuttle that takes about 7 minutes, so you'll want to build the wait and the ride into your morning.

If getting around is harder for someone in your party, Official Short Stay Premium Orange is one of the zones with Blue Badge bays, on a first come, first served basis. At Official Mid Stay Car Park, the courtesy bus is fully accessible to wheelchair users, and the driver can help you on and off.

Verdict: Tight for time or travelling with small children? If the price difference is small, parking within walking distance at Official Short Stay Premium Orange is probably worth it. If Official Mid Stay Car Park is noticeably cheaper and you've got a few spare minutes, the shuttle is a fair trade.

Our current price snapshot (a 7-day stay, from 16th Nov to 23rd Nov 2026) shows Official Short Stay Premium Orange was £99.00 whilst Official Mid Stay Car Park was £69.99. So Official Short Stay Premium Orange is £29.01 more expensive than Official Mid Stay Car Park.

Official Mid Stay Car Park and Official Short Stay Premium Red are self-park options on the airport's own site, and neither takes commercial vehicles. You keep your keys at both, and both are labelled Semi-Flex on our site.

The main difference is where the car ends up. The airport says Official Short Stay Premium Red is right next to the terminal at Stansted, so it's just you, your bags and a walk. With Official Mid Stay Car Park, you lock the car, head to the bus stop and ride for about 7 minutes.

There are booking differences as well. Official Short Stay Premium Red is pre-book only, with a minimum charge of 24 hours. Official Mid Stay Car Park has a 3-day minimum stay, but you can also turn up without booking if spaces allow, at £48 per 24 hours, although the airport says that costs more than booking ahead.

Verdict: If you hate the thought of a bus after a late flight home, Official Short Stay Premium Red may be worth the extra to you - it's a judgement call. If Official Mid Stay Car Park is the cheaper one on your dates, it's probably the better value. If Official Short Stay Premium Red is cheaper, it's probably an easy call.

Our current price snapshot (a 7-day stay, from 16th Nov to 23rd Nov 2026) shows Official Short Stay Premium Red was £119.00 whilst Official Mid Stay Car Park was £69.99. So Official Short Stay Premium Red is £49.01 more expensive than Official Mid Stay Car Park.

Official Mid Stay Car Park and Official Short Stay Premium Yellow are both pre-bookable, keep-your-keys car parks run by Stansted Airport, and you don't sign in at either. Both are labelled Semi-Flex on our site.

The main difference for most drivers is the walk versus the bus. The airport says Official Short Stay Premium Yellow is right next to the Arrivals area, so there's no shuttle. Official Mid Stay Car Park's free shuttle runs every 10 minutes, and the journey takes about 7 minutes.

A delayed flight is the other thing to think about. At Official Mid Stay Car Park, the airport's FAQ says you can leave up to 6 hours late at no charge, and after that it's £48 a day. The airport's terms give Official Short Stay Premium Yellow no 6-hour grace period, so the booking ends at your exit time and extra time is charged at the turn-up tariff.

Verdict: Coming home to a long drive and want the shortest possible route to the car? Official Short Stay Premium Yellow may be worth the extra to you. If your return flight is one that often runs late, or Official Mid Stay Car Park is cheaper for your dates, Official Mid Stay Car Park probably makes more sense - it's a judgement call.

Our current price snapshot (a 7-day stay, from 16th Nov to 23rd Nov 2026) shows Official Short Stay Premium Yellow was £119.00 whilst Official Mid Stay Car Park was £69.99. So Official Short Stay Premium Yellow is £49.01 more expensive than Official Mid Stay Car Park.

Official Mid Stay Car Park and I Love Park & Ride both use a bus to reach the Stansted terminal, and both buses run 24 hours a day.

The main difference is your keys. At Official Mid Stay Car Park, you park and keep them. At I Love Park & Ride, you leave them at reception, and the car may be moved to and stored in another I Love car park. Some drivers will be uneasy about that. On that point, I Love Park & Ride's drivers are fully insured, and the site has 24-hour staff, barriers, fencing, CCTV, lighting and regular patrols.

The buses work differently too. I Love Park & Ride's runs on demand: you call from arrivals when you land, and the bus can't wait more than 5 minutes, so you need to be ready. Official Mid Stay Car Park's shuttle simply runs every 10 minutes. If your car starts from an app, I Love Park & Ride makes a daily charge unless you leave a key of some form that lets the driver move it.

I Love Park & Ride is Flexible, so you can cancel or amend free of charge up to 24 hours before your parking period begins. Official Mid Stay Car Park is labelled Semi-Flex.

Verdict: If keeping your keys matters to you, Official Mid Stay Car Park is the one. If it doesn't and I Love Park & Ride is cheaper for your dates, it's probably an easy call. Where Official Mid Stay Car Park is cheaper, you get to keep your keys for less.

Our current price snapshot (a 7-day stay, from 16th Nov to 23rd Nov 2026) shows I Love Park & Ride was £77.00 whilst Official Mid Stay Car Park was £69.99. So I Love Park & Ride is £7.01 more expensive than Official Mid Stay Car Park.

Official Mid Stay Car Park and APH Park & Ride both get you to the Stansted terminal by road, with no extra to pay for the ride and a service running 24 hours a day.

The main difference is who parks the car. With APH Park & Ride, you pull into a customer bay, confirm your booking at reception and leave your keys, and a fully insured driver takes it from there. With Official Mid Stay Car Park, you pick your own space, lock up and walk to the bus stop with your keys in your pocket.

Getting back works differently as well. At APH Park & Ride, you call from the Arrivals Hall for a minibus of about 5 minutes, then collect your keys at reception, and staff will help load and unload your luggage. At Official Mid Stay Car Park, you just catch the shuttle back, which runs every 10 minutes, and the barrier reads your number plate as you leave.

Verdict: If you'd rather not give up your keys, Official Mid Stay Car Park is the natural choice. If you don't mind, and you like the idea of a hand with your bags, APH Park & Ride makes sense. Otherwise, go with whichever is cheaper for your dates, they're both sound options.

Our current price snapshot (a 7-day stay, from 16th Nov to 23rd Nov 2026) shows APH Park & Ride was £80.00 whilst Official Mid Stay Car Park was £69.99. So APH Park & Ride is £10.01 more expensive than Official Mid Stay Car Park.

Official Mid Stay Car Park and Maple Parking both get you to the Stansted terminal by bus. Maple Parking runs its own car park on Thremhall Avenue, while the airport runs Official Mid Stay Car Park itself.

The main difference is the arrival routine. Maple Parking's staff greet you, take you through a photographic vehicle inspection that usually takes 3 to 4 minutes, then keep your keys and park the car. If handing over a car worries you, that photo record is reassuring, and Maple Parking says its staff and drivers are CRB-checked and its drivers fully insured. At Official Mid Stay Car Park, you do the parking and keep the keys.

The bus to the terminal takes around 5 minutes from Maple Parking and about 7 minutes from Official Mid Stay Car Park, so there's little in it. A bigger group should note that Maple Parking's transfer is included for up to 4 passengers.

Verdict: Where Maple Parking is cheaper, it probably makes sense to choose it, unless handing over your keys is an issue for you or there are more than 4 of you. If Official Mid Stay Car Park is cheaper, it's probably worth it, as you'd be keeping your keys for less.

Our current price snapshot (a 7-day stay, from 16th Nov to 23rd Nov 2026) shows Maple Parking was £67.99 whilst Official Mid Stay Car Park was £69.99. So Maple Parking is £2.00 cheaper than Official Mid Stay Car Park.

Official Mid Stay Car Park and Official Meet & Greet are both the airport's own products, and the airport says both have been awarded the Park Mark. Cars stay on its site, in secure car parks with CCTV, patrols and fencing.

The main difference is the effort at each end of your trip. With Official Meet & Greet, you drive into a dedicated area of the Short Stay car park beside the Stansted terminal, park in your lane, lock up and hand your keys in at reception, then walk to the terminal. The airport says its drivers are fully qualified and insured. With Official Mid Stay Car Park, you park yourself, keep your keys and take a shuttle of about 7 minutes.

On your return, Official Meet & Greet's car is waiting close to the reception where you collect your keys. It also has a dedicated drop-off area close to the terminal that suits Blue Badge holders.

The upside to Official Mid Stay Car Park is that parking it yourself usually costs less than having a driver do it, leaving you to weigh up whether the convenience is worth the extra.

Verdict: Early flight, kids in tow or heavy bags? Where the price difference is small, Official Meet & Greet is probably worth it. If Official Mid Stay Car Park is noticeably cheaper, and you'd rather hang on to your keys, Official Mid Stay Car Park is probably the better value.

Our current price snapshot (a 7-day stay, from 16th Nov to 23rd Nov 2026) shows Official Meet & Greet was £77.00 whilst Official Mid Stay Car Park was £69.99. So Official Meet & Greet is £7.01 more expensive than Official Mid Stay Car Park.

Official Mid Stay Car Park and I Love Meet & Greet both take care of the trip to the terminal at Stansted, one with a free shuttle and the other by meeting you on the terminal road.

The main difference is who drives the car. With I Love Meet & Greet, you ring 10 minutes out, follow the Express Set Down signs to Zone C and a chauffeur takes over, leaving you a 2-minute walk to the terminal. You'll need to leave a physical key or key card, because the drivers need one to move the car, and those drivers are fully insured. With Official Mid Stay Car Park, you keep your keys and catch a bus that takes about 7 minutes.

The forecourt has its own rules. I Love Meet & Greet's quoted prices include the airport access fee. Express Set Down has no barriers or payment machines, the airport's charge there is £10 for up to 15 minutes, and you pay it online or by phone by midnight the day after your visit. You also have 10 minutes to leave the forecourt on your return before charges fall to you. None of that applies to Official Mid Stay Car Park, whose shuttle is free.

Verdict: If walking straight to check-in is what you're paying for, I Love Meet & Greet is hard to beat where the price difference is small. If you'd rather avoid the forecourt rules and keep your keys, Official Mid Stay Car Park probably makes more sense - it's a judgement call.

Our current price snapshot (a 7-day stay, from 16th Nov to 23rd Nov 2026) shows I Love Meet & Greet was £135.00 whilst Official Mid Stay Car Park was £69.99. So I Love Meet & Greet is £65.01 more expensive than Official Mid Stay Car Park.

Neither Official Mid Stay Car Park nor APH Meet & Greet involves a long transfer at Stansted: one is a shuttle of about 7 minutes and the other a short walk from the forecourt.

The main difference is the handover. APH Meet & Greet is run by I Love Meet & Greet on APH's behalf. You ring about 10 minutes out, follow the signs to Express Set Down Zone C, leave your keys with the chauffeur and walk to the terminal in 2 minutes. With Official Mid Stay Car Park, you do the parking and the bus does the rest.

Charges are different too. APH Meet & Greet's price includes the airport access booking fee but not the £10 exit fee on your return, which you pay to the airport online. The shuttle from Official Mid Stay Car Park is free.

If a stranger driving your car is the concern, APH Meet & Greet's drivers are fully insured, and the storage compound has barrier-controlled entry, floodlighting, CCTV, patrols and 24-hour staff.

Verdict: Needing extra help or wanting minimal walking? APH Meet & Greet may be worth the extra to you, once you've allowed for the exit fee. If you're happy with a short bus ride, Official Mid Stay Car Park is probably the better value where it's cheaper for your dates.

Our current price snapshot (a 7-day stay, from 16th Nov to 23rd Nov 2026) shows APH Meet & Greet was £140.00 whilst Official Mid Stay Car Park was £69.99. So APH Meet & Greet is £70.01 more expensive than Official Mid Stay Car Park.

Official Mid Stay Car Park and Bubble Meet & Greet both store your car securely while you're away, behind fencing and CCTV.

The main difference is how much you have to do on the day. Bubble Meet & Greet, a brand delivered by I Love Meet & Greet, needs a phone call when you're 10 minutes away, then a chauffeur meets you at Express Set Down Zone C at Stansted, about a minute's walk from the terminal. At Official Mid Stay Car Park, the barrier opens, you choose a space and head for the bus stop.

Timing matters on the way home. Bubble Meet & Greet's car can stay on the forecourt for no more than 10 minutes, and the airport's excess fee for missing that is £50, so you'll want your bags together before you collect it. Bubble Meet & Greet also won't take trailers, commercial vehicles, taxis or anything with more than 9 seats.

Verdict: If you want to step out of the car and be in the terminal almost immediately, Bubble Meet & Greet does that, and where the price difference is small it's probably worth it. If you'd rather keep your keys and avoid the forecourt clock, Official Mid Stay Car Park is probably the safer choice.

Our current price snapshot (a 7-day stay, from 16th Nov to 23rd Nov 2026) shows Bubble Meet & Greet was £133.00 whilst Official Mid Stay Car Park was £69.99. So Bubble Meet & Greet is £63.01 more expensive than Official Mid Stay Car Park.

Official Mid Stay Car Park and I Love Meet & Greet with Valet are about as far apart as Stansted parking gets, although neither takes commercial vehicles.

The main difference is the level of service. With I Love Meet & Greet with Valet, you hand your keys to a chauffeur at Zone C on the terminal forecourt, the keys go in a secure key safe, and a valet is part of the booking. With Official Mid Stay Car Park, you park the car, keep your keys and take a free bus every 10 minutes.

The upside to Official Mid Stay Car Park is that it's plain self-parking, which usually costs less than Meet & Greet with a valet on top.

Verdict: If a terminal handover and the valet feel worth paying for, I Love Meet & Greet with Valet is a nice treat - it's a judgement call. If you just need somewhere to leave the car, Official Mid Stay Car Park probably does the job.

Our current price snapshot (a 7-day stay, from 16th Nov to 23rd Nov 2026) shows I Love Meet & Greet with Valet was £160.00 whilst Official Mid Stay Car Park was £69.99. So I Love Meet & Greet with Valet is £90.01 more expensive than Official Mid Stay Car Park.