Some airport car parks keep your keys, others let you keep them. Knowing which is which helps you choose the parking that suits you.
Which car parks keep your keys?
Meet & Greet and valet parking keep your keys, because a driver parks and retrieves your car for you. Park & Ride and self-park options let you keep your keys, as you park the car yourself and take the keys with you. The difference shapes both convenience and how you think about security.
Park & Ride: you keep your keys
With Park & Ride, you drive to the car park, park the car yourself, and take your keys on the shuttle to the terminal. Your keys never leave you, which some drivers prefer. It is also the cheapest option, from around £5 per day, with a free shuttle. The trade-off is the short transfer.
Meet & Greet: the operator keeps your keys
With Meet & Greet, you hand your keys to an insured driver at the terminal, who parks the car; they keep the keys, stored securely, and return them on your arrival. Reputable operators store keys in locked, often signal-blocking cabinets. It is the most convenient option, with no shuttle.
Is it safe to hand over your keys?
With a Park Mark approved, vetted operator, yes. They use insured drivers, document your car's condition at handover, and store keys securely away from the car. The risk comes from unaccredited firms, which our vetting removes. See our Meet & Greet key safety guide for the detail.
Our verdict
If keeping your keys matters to you, choose Park & Ride, the cheapest option too. If you prefer convenience and don't mind a vetted operator holding them securely, Meet & Greet drops you at the terminal. Either way, choose a Park Mark approved car park and apply BCP30.
More questions
Meet & Greet and valet parking keep your keys, as a driver parks your car. Park & Ride and self-park let you keep them, as you park yourself and take the keys. The choice shapes convenience and security.
With a Park Mark approved, vetted operator, yes. They use insured drivers, document your car's condition, and store keys securely away from the car. The risk is unaccredited firms, which our vetting removes.
Park & Ride and self-park options let you keep your keys, as you park the car yourself and take the keys on the shuttle. It is also the cheapest option, from around £5 per day. Apply BCP30 for up to 30% off.
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