The price of parking at Heathrow airport hit the headlines recently when a Which? Car survey was released claiming that travellers leaving their cars at the airport can pay nearly three times as much as those parking at airports in the north of England.

The good news, though, is that there are ways in which you can easily ensure you’re getting the best possible deal when taking advantage of Heathrow airport parking. There are a number of parking options at the airport so the first thing to do is to familiarise yourself with the different options available to you.

From straightforward parking to park and ride and ‘meet and greet’ services, there are a whole host of alternatives to choose from so be sure to do your research. Also look into how long transfer times are between your chosen car park and the airport terminal from which you’ll be travelling from; you’ll need to factor that information in when working out the best time to set off for the airport.

Once you’ve found a provider that offers the right service for your needs, head to its website to look into pricing. By booking early, you can ensure that you make a significant saving over the price you would pay if you simply rolled up and paid on the day of departure.

Enter the dates of your trip – and the fact that you’re travelling from Heathrow if you’re using a site that offers parking at several different airports – and you’ll be presented with your options along with the relevant pricing. If you’re happy with what you’ve been offered you can enter your payment details there and then and it’ll all be booked, leaving you free to concentrate on getting everything else sorted for your trip.

If you want to be completely sure that you’re not paying over the odds for your airport parking, a good idea is to use a specialised comparison site. Simply enter the airport you’re travelling from and the dates you’ll be away for and you’ll be presented with the services offered by major airport parking providers along with the associated costs.

Be warned, though: the prices you’re quoted won’t necessarily be the same as the prices you’ll pay on the day if you leave it to the last minute, so always book early whenever possible.