Is Park & Ride cheaper than Meet & Greet?

Generally, yes. Park & Ride tends to be cheaper because you're parking away from the terminal and taking a shuttle bus. However, the difference varies by airport and travel dates. Occasionally, Meet & Greet can even work out cheaper.

How much more expensive is Meet & Greet parking?

It depends on the airport, operator and dates you're travelling. If you want to get a better idea, come and see our pricing table, it compares Meet & Greet Vs Park & Ride and updates every Monday.

Do you leave your keys with Park & Ride?

Usually no, but it’s definitely worth checking. At Cheap Airport Parking we state whether each option requires you to leave your keys.

Is Meet & Greet airport parking safe?

Yes, but you need to choose a reputable operator. Sadly as with most things, a few bad apples spoil the bunch and the ‘parking cowboys’ tend to be the ones you hear about. A little bit of research can go a long way to avoiding such situations.

How much extra time should I allow for Park & Ride?

Allow time to park, catch the shuttle bus and reach your terminal. Transfers typically take around 5 to 20 minutes, depending on the car park, but you should also account for waiting times and potential traffic. Always check the operator's instructions.

Is Meet & Greet worth it for families with young children?

It certainly can be! Avoiding a shuttle bus with suitcases, pushchairs and tired children can make life a lot easier.

Park & Ride vs Meet & Greet Airport Parking Prices

This is one of the most common questions that we get from our customers and we thought it worthy of putting together an automatically updating table!

Our table below updates every Monday to show you the difference in price between the cheapest Park & Ride option and the cheapest Meet & Greet option (available at Cheap Airport Parking) at our most regularly booked airports.

Park & Ride Vs Meet & Greet Pricing Table

Manchester

Park & Ride: £54.99Maple Park & Ride
Meet & Greet: £85.95VIP Meet & Greet
Difference: +£30.96 (+56%)
Cheaper option: Park & Ride

Gatwick

Park & Ride: £56.90Cophall Parking Super Saver
Meet & Greet: £85.99Sure Parking Meet & Greet
Difference: +£29.09 (+51%)
Cheaper option: Park & Ride

Heathrow

Park & Ride: £179.95Maple Express Park & Ride
Meet & Greet: £135.00Edward Lloyd Meet & Greet
Difference: £44.95 (-25%)
Cheaper option: Meet & Greet

Stansted

Park & Ride: £95.00I Love Park & Ride
Meet & Greet: £101.00Official Meet & Greet
Difference: +£6.00 (+6%)
Cheaper option: Park & Ride

Luton

Park & Ride: £80.99APH Drop & Go
Meet & Greet: £119.99Maple Meet & Greet
Difference: +£39.00 (+48%)
Cheaper option: Park & Ride

Birmingham

Park & Ride: £99.99Birmingham Airport Car Park 5
Meet & Greet: £119.99Maple Parking Meet & Greet
Difference: +£20.00 (+20%)
Cheaper option: Park & Ride

Liverpool

Park & Ride: £90.99Imagine Park & Stroll
Meet & Greet: £135.00Imagine Meet & Greet
Difference: +£44.01 (+48%)
Cheaper option: Park & Ride

Park & Ride vs Meet & Greet price comparison across UK airports
Airport	Park & Ride	Meet & Greet	Difference	% More	Cheaper Option
Manchester	£54.99Maple Park & Ride	£85.95VIP Meet & Greet	+£30.96	+56%	Park & Ride
Gatwick	£56.90Cophall Parking Super Saver	£85.99Sure Parking Meet & Greet	+£29.09	+51%	Park & Ride
Heathrow	£179.95Maple Express Park & Ride	£135.00Edward Lloyd Meet & Greet	£44.95	-25%	Meet & Greet
Stansted	£95.00I Love Park & Ride	£101.00Official Meet & Greet	+£6.00	+6%	Park & Ride
Luton	£80.99APH Drop & Go	£119.99Maple Meet & Greet	+£39.00	+48%	Park & Ride
Birmingham	£99.99Birmingham Airport Car Park 5	£119.99Maple Parking Meet & Greet	+£20.00	+20%	Park & Ride
Liverpool	£90.99Imagine Park & Stroll	£135.00Imagine Meet & Greet	+£44.01	+48%	Park & Ride

Prices checked on 19 October 2026 for a 7-day stay (26 October 2026 at 09:00 to 2 November 2026 at 09:00). Live prices may differ, run your own search for accurate, up to date results.

And.. The results are in.

Meet & Greet is generally going to be more expensive than Park & Ride - it costs an operator more to put on this service.

From time to time Park & Ride may come in as the pricier of the two options, but as a general rule it will be the other way around.

Is Meet & Greet worth paying a premium?

Horses for courses! Meet & Greet is designed to offer you a highly convenient option where you’ll be dropped off at the terminal, in most cases meaning your transfer involves just a short hop (walking is permitted) to the terminal.

If this sounds good, you should probably consider Meet & Greet.

Others prefer Park & Ride. In that camp, we often find people who like to keep their keys and prefer that nobody else drives their vehicle. If this is you, be aware that not all Park & Ride services allow you to keep your keys.

Editor’s take

Tom Waite

Final thoughts, Meet & Greet or Park & Ride

We’re comparing apples to oranges. With Park & Ride it pays to allow plenty of extra time, whilst with Meet & Greet you can generally cut things a little tighter (perhaps slightly longer in bed for a morning flight…) But always plan to arrive at the airport with a minimum of 2 hours before your flight!.

If you’re booking Meet & Greet, you need to do even more due diligence in checking the reputation of the provider. This is because, by necessity, you will be leaving your keys and entrusting someone else to drive your car. You should do your research on the company, their insurance, how many miles they’ll put on the clock and ultimately, where your car will be taking its holiday while you take yours!

The Meet & Greet services offered at Cheap Airport Parking are reputable and if you’re in any doubt, you should do your own independent research on the third party review platforms. Generally, it’s immediately obvious who the cowboys are (due to consistent bad reviews) and unfortunately, it’s those operators who steal the headlines which often throw shadow over Meet & Greet in general.

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