If you’re flying out of Leeds Bradford Airport and wondering whether to book the Long Stay car park, here’s our thoughts after using it for our latest trip abroad.
I’ve flown out of Leeds Bradford twice this year — it’s our local airport and I love how compact and friendly it is. On our last trip we booked the Premium Short Stay Car Park – you can read what I thought about that here.
Booking and Arriving
I always book online ahead of time — the earlier you do it, the better the deal. You pop your dates in on the LBA website and it’s easy to book. When you arrive, the ANPR camera recognises your number plate and the barrier lifts like magic.
There are plenty of spaces, though if you’re flying out at busy holiday times, it’s worth giving yourself a bit of extra time to find one. We flew at 6am – it was very quiet!
Transfers to the Terminal from the Long Stay Car Park
Once you’ve parked up, it’s a short wait for the shuttle bus, which trundles to the terminal in about three minutes. Our bus arrived within a few minutes of us getting to the bus stop. There’s a covered bus stop if the weather’s rotten too!
The driver was friendly and helped a few people with their cases — always nice when you’re wrangling kids and carry-ons!
Safety and Peace of Mind
One of the things we like best about the Long Stay is that it’s on the airport grounds, so you’re not leaving your car miles away in a mystery field. The car park is fenced, well-lit, and covered by CCTV, which definitely helps you relax while you’re sipping that first airport coffee (or beer if you are like my friend, Lisa!)
Price and Value
Compared to the Short Stay or the Mid Stay, the Long Stay offers the best value for trips of a week or more. Prices do vary, but if you book early, it can be surprisingly affordable — and it feels good knowing your car’s close by when you get back.
If you’ve got loads of luggage or little ones in tow, the convenience is absolutely worth the few extra pounds over an off-site car park.
Coming Home
After our flight back, the shuttle picked us up just outside Arrivals (find the bus stops and go to the furthest one on the left). We were back to the car in no time. The barrier lifted automatically again on exit, and we were soon on our way home — tired, happy, and already planning the next trip!
All in all, we think the Leeds Bradford Long Stay Car Park is a fab, stress-free choice for families and couples heading off on holiday.
On this trip we also reviewed the Six Eight One Lounge, and you can read that review here.
