While many travellers focus on flights and lodging, recent research shows that airport parking can represent an unforeseen expense for Europeans during their holidays.
Although the Easter holidays began with challenges such as airport strikes and increased flight costs caused by the conflict in Iran, a significant number of Europeans are still anticipated to travel.
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Airlines such as easyJet have predicted this Easter will be their highest traffic period so far, offering close to 30,000 flights across Europe.
Data from Eurostat indicates that the largest growth in air passenger numbers within the EU occurred between March and April last year, with an increase of 18.9%.
While budgeting for flights and accommodations is standard, many overlook the expense associated with airport parking.
According to a recent analysis by the motorway toll portal VignetteSwitzerland.com, the UK and the Netherlands feature the highest parking fees among the 30 busiest airports in Europe.
London Stansted Airport is identified as the most costly airport in Europe for 24-hour parking, with fees around €66 (£57.99).
Nonetheless, parking costs vary among airports within the same city.
For example, parking at London Stansted may cost almost twice as much as at London Heathrow, which is the busiest airport on the continent.
Manchester Airport ranks as the second priciest airport for parking at approximately €58 per day, followed by Amsterdam Schiphol, where the daily fee is €55.
The variation in parking charges across European airports is also significant.
The 24-hour rate at London Stansted exceeds Copenhagen Airport’s rate by almost 50%, which stands at about €35.75 (DKK 267), and it is notably higher than Oslo Gardermoen Airport’s fee of roughly €34.88 (NOK 412).
Waiting times before boarding may be longer than anticipated
Differences extend beyond parking costs: Manchester and London Stansted airports are among the three UK airports experiencing the most substantial Easter flight delays.
UK Civil Aviation Authority data reveals that nearly one-third of flights at both airports were delayed by more than 15 minutes throughout the Easter period.
Within the European Union, Athens and Lisbon airports reported the highest number of delays in April 2025, attributed to aerodrome capacity constraints, according to Eurocontrol, the EU’s air traffic control agency.