Gatwick short stay is for a few hours beside the terminal. Long stay is for the days you are away, with a transfer to the building you fly from. Using short stay for a holiday is the mix-up that costs money. When the choice is clear, compare Gatwick airport parking for your dates.
When is Gatwick short stay the right product?
Short stay is the car park for a drop-off, a collection, or a meeting that lasts hours, not a week. It sits close to the terminal, so you are not waiting on a shuttle for a short visit. It is a poor fit for a holiday, because the car would sit in a terminal-adjacent car park for every day you are flying.
When is long stay the right product?
Long stay is the product for the trip itself. You park, take the transfer to your terminal, and collect the car when you land. Park and ride works the same way from a site off the terminal. Meet and greet is different again: you hand the keys over at the terminal and a driver parks the car.
Choose long stay when the car will sit there while you are away. Choose short stay only when you will be back the same day, or within a few hours.
North Terminal or South Terminal — does it change the car park?
Gatwick has two terminals, North and South. They are separate buildings. Book the product that serves the terminal printed on your boarding pass. A car park or shuttle timed for the other terminal means an extra transfer after you have already parked, which is the delay people do not budget for.
What should you check before you book?
- Hours or days. Short stay for hours. Long stay for the holiday.
- The terminal on the confirmation, matched to the terminal on your flight.
- Whether you keep your keys, and how you get back to the car on landing.
- The cancellation cutoff, in case the flight moves.
The right product is the one that matches the length of the stay and the terminal you actually use. Compare the live options for your own dates once that is settled.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Gatwick short stay and long stay?
Short stay is for a few hours beside the terminal, such as a drop-off or a collection. Long stay is for the days you are away, with a transfer to your terminal.
Can you use short stay for a holiday?
You can, but it is the wrong product. Short stay is priced and placed for a short visit. For a trip, book long stay or park and ride.
Does North or South Terminal change which car park you need?
Yes. Book a product that serves the terminal on your boarding pass. North and South are separate buildings, so the other terminal means an extra transfer.
Do you keep your keys in long stay?
On long stay and park and ride you normally park the car yourself and keep the keys. Meet and greet is the product where a driver takes the keys at the terminal.