What Official Budget Parking is
Do not let the name mislead you. Southend's Budget car park, the old Mid Stay, is not the cheapest place to park when you book ahead. It is a couple of minutes' walk from check-in, and it is the only car park at the airport that accepts vehicles over 2.0 metres tall or 5.0 metres long. For a campervan or a high van, it is the only official choice.
Budget is the car park the airport used to call Mid Stay. It sits a couple of minutes' walk from the terminal, closer than Standard and a little further than Superior and Premium.
Its defining feature is size. Standard, Superior and Premium all have height and length limits, so every larger vehicle, from a campervan to a long-wheelbase van, is directed here. Blue Badge spaces are available, and the airport notes that Premium's Blue Badge bays are closer to the terminal than Budget's.
Pre-booked, Budget costs more than Standard on our sample dates. The airport's names describe its turn-up tariffs, where Budget's short-stay steps are the cheapest; for a trip booked ahead, Standard is the lower price for an ordinary car.
Where you'll park
London Southend Airport sits on the edge of Southend-on-Sea, beside Rochford, about 40 miles east of central London. Follow the airport signs, then Budget. Some signs and bookings may still say Mid Stay.
Allow a few extra minutes for manoeuvring a large vehicle into a bay.
- Official Budget Parking
A couple of minutes from the terminal - London Southend Airport (SEN)
Eastwoodbury Crescent, Southend-on-Sea SS2 6YF
Included with your space
The main points of Official Budget Parking.
Security on site
The airport describes its car parks as secure, well lit and regularly patrolled. It does not publish a Park Mark statement for them, so we do not claim one. Leave valuables at home or take them with you.
- Well Lit, per the Airport
- Regularly Patrolled, per the Airport
- Official London Southend Airport Car Park
- Card and Contactless Payment Only
Why Budget is not the cheapest
The airport chose its new names with turn-up drivers in mind. For a quick visit, Budget has the gentlest charges: it starts with a low fee for the first half hour and climbs in steps up to a day. That is why the airport points drivers meeting a flight towards it for longer waits.
Pre-booked stays price differently. For a week away in an ordinary car, Standard parking costs less and is only a minute or two further. Book Budget when you need its size allowance or its slightly shorter walk.
Mid Stay, renamed
London Southend Airport renamed its car parks: Long Stay is now Standard, Mid Stay is now Budget and Short Stay is now Superior. Premium kept its name. Older guides, sat-nav favourites and some booking sites still use the old names.
Campervans, vans and long cars
A vehicle over 2.0 metres tall or 5.0 metres long can only use Budget, per the airport. That covers most campervans and motorhomes, high-top vans, and some long estate cars with a tow bar and bike rack. Measure before you travel, including anything on the roof or the back. The car still has to fit within a marked bay.
Meeting a flight from Budget
For collecting someone off a delayed flight, Budget is the airport's own suggestion. The Express zone allows only ten minutes, and Superior's charges jump sharply after the first ten. Budget's steps are gentler, and the walk to arrivals is short.
Quick checks before you go
Budget is simple once you know why you are there.
Height and length, with roof loads.
Bookings may say Mid Stay.
No cash anywhere.
Southend is a cashless airport and its car parks read number plates, so bring a card and make sure the registration on your Budget parking booking is the car you drive. Bookings made with us can be cancelled until 72 hours before arrival.
The outbound trip
Departure day at Official Budget Parking, step by step.
- Follow the airport signs to Budget (formerly Mid Stay).
- The camera reads your plate.
- Park within a marked bay and keep your keys.
- Walk to the terminal in about two minutes.
The homeward leg
Back at Southend, collecting the car takes minutes.
- Walk back from arrivals.
- Pack the car and drive out.
- The camera reads your plate; pay any extra by card.
Points to check
Small things about Official Budget Parking that matter to some drivers.
Budget is the old Mid Stay, and not the cheapest pre-booked.
The only Southend car park that takes them.
Up to 72 hours before arrival on bookings made with us.
Our code sits in the booking form already. You see the saving before you pay.
Budget price
On our sample dates Budget sits between Standard and Premium once our code is applied.
| Parking | 8 days, standard | 8 days, our code | A day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official Budget Parking | £106.05 | £74.23 | £9.28 |
Our sample dates are 7–14 November 2026. Search at the top for yours.
Pay less for Official Budget Parking. Enter your dates at the top, compare and book with 30% off applied. Bookings made with us can be cancelled up to 72 hours before arrival.
Get Quote NowOfficial Budget Parking: what people ask
Yes. The airport renamed Mid Stay as Budget. It is the same car park, a couple of minutes from the terminal.
Budget is closer to the terminal, about two minutes on foot, and it is the only Southend car park that takes large vehicles. The name is the airport's, and it does not mean the cheapest.
Yes, in Budget. Vehicles over 2.0 metres tall or 5.0 metres long can only use Budget, per the airport.
The airport suggests Budget for longer waits, and Superior when you need a little more time than the Express zone gives.
No. Southend is a cashless airport; pay by card or contactless.
Everything else at Southend
Every other Southend product we sell, priced for the same eight days.
Every Southend product is on our London Southend Airport parking page. For a lower price in an ordinary car, see Official Standard Parking.
| Operator | Car park | Type | Transfer | 8-day price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Diamond Park & Ride Off-Airport · Rochford |
Park & Ride | Keys at reception, bus about 5 min | £32.92 £4.12/day |
 |
Purple Parking Park & Ride Off-Airport · Rochford |
Park & Ride | Keys at reception, bus about 4 min | £35.72 £4.47/day |
 |
Diamond Park & Ride with EV Charging Off-Airport · Rochford |
Park & Ride | Charged before you return, bus about 5 min | £59.80 £7.48/day |
 |
Official Standard Parking On-Airport · Official |
Park & Walk | Walk 3–5 min | £63.21 £7.90/day |
 |
Official Premium Parking On-Airport · Official |
Park & Walk | Opposite the terminal | £88.20 £11.02/day |
 |
Official Superior Parking On-Airport · Official |
Park & Walk | Directly opposite the terminal | £105.70 £13.21/day |
*Our code applied to an eight-day stay, 7–14 November 2026. A row without a link has no guide page yet. For other dates, use the search above.