Heathrow, a little simpler.

First, check your arrival point

Heathrow lists Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5. Check your airline’s current terminal before reserving parking or a lounge. A hotel near one terminal may still need a transfer to another.

Four terminals, and the car park names changed

Heathrow has Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5. They are not close together, and picking the wrong one is not a small mistake — you'll be crossing the airport with your luggage.

There's a trap worth knowing about. Heathrow renamed its Short Stay car parks to Terminal Parking, but road signs around the airport and some signs inside the terminals still say Short Stay. Your booking might say one thing and the sign above the road says another. They are the same car park.

The options, and who each one is for

Terminal Parking — the multi-storey right by the terminal, connected by covered walkways. At Terminal 5, departures is the top floor and arrivals is the ground floor, and the walk is two to five minutes. This is the only official car park you can walk from. If you pre-book, the maximum stay is 99 days.

Height limits apply, so if you drive something tall, check the over-height bays on the ground level before you commit.

Business Parking — the option most people don't know exists. It sits closer to the terminals than Long Stay and runs a more frequent coach. It's available at Terminals 2, 3 and 5, and it's built for three or four day trips. If you're going away for a long weekend, this is usually the sweet spot between price and hassle.

Long Stay — the budget option. For Terminal 5 it's on the Northern Perimeter Road, with a transfer roughly every ten minutes taking about ten minutes.

Pod Parking — Terminal 5 only, and genuinely unlike anything else at a UK airport. Driverless electric pods carry you from the car park to the terminal in about six minutes, on demand, seven days a week. No waiting for a bus, no shared ride. Worth knowing: it doesn't include EV charging, so if you need to charge, look at Terminal Parking, NCP Flightpath or Purple Parking instead.

Meet & Greet and Valet — these differ in where you hand the car over. Meet & Greet drop-offs happen in the Terminal Parking car park. Valet drop-offs happen on the terminal forecourt. Check which one you booked, because turning up at the wrong place with a flight to catch is a bad morning.

Why there's no cheap car park next to the terminal

Worth understanding, because it explains the whole market. Any car park close enough to walk from has to be on airport land, and that land belongs to Heathrow. Independent operators can't get near the terminal, which is why they all sell park & ride and meet & greet instead. If a third party is offering you something they call "short stay", read carefully — it will involve a transfer.

Before you book, check these five

1. Your terminal, from the confirmation — airlines move between them
2. Whether you booked Meet & Greet or Valet, and which handover point that means
3. Vehicle height, if you drive a van, have a roof box, or a bike rack
4. Whether you need EV charging — Pod Parking doesn't have it
5. Return date, not just outbound

A night near the airport

For an early departure, compare the cost of a nearby room with your preferred arrival plan. Check how you will get from the hotel to the terminal at the time you need to travel.

• Confirm room occupancy, check-in hours and any early breakfast options.
• Ask whether the shuttle is included, pre-booked or paid separately.
• A “hotel with parking” offer may cover only your overnight stay. A holiday parking package needs to cover your full trip.

Make time for the lounge

Check that the lounge is in the departure area you can access. Entry rules, opening hours, maximum stay and child policies vary. Allow time for security and the walk to your gate before choosing an entry time.

Availability shown on a general guide is not a reservation. Confirm access for your flight and travel date with the provider.

Arrange the ride, both ways

Use the exact pickup and destination addresses when requesting a quote. Include everyone travelling, the size of your bags and any child-seat or accessibility requirements.

• Check the meeting point, contact number and waiting-time allowance.
• Ask how flight delays, parking charges and additional stops are handled.
• For your return journey, allow time to clear arrivals and collect bags.

Collect a car with the details checked

Airport car hire can be convenient, but the collection desk may be in the terminal, reached by shuttle or at an off-airport location. Check where to collect and return the vehicle before paying.

• Confirm driver age, licence and payment-card requirements.
• Compare the deposit, fuel, mileage and insurance terms—not only the headline price.
• Check opening hours and what happens if your flight arrives late.