The Leeds-Bradford Airport (LBA) is positioned approximately 8 miles (13kms) northwest of Leeds and about 7 miles (11kms) north of Bradford. The facility operates direct services all over Great Britain and Europe as well as linking long-haul flights through Paris, Amsterdam and London Heathrow. Leeds-Bradford International Airport consists of a single terminal building, handling arrivals and departures. The check-in area is situated in the chief concourse. The airport has links to local roads a and is signposted on many regional routes.
I use the airport many times for my business trips to Amsterdam and as I always arrive at the facility by private car I know by now the best parking options which are available at Leeds-Bradford Airport. Usually I'm away for a day or five and it's essential for me to park my car not too far from the airport. However, I not only used just one option here but I've nearly tried them all. The most parking sites provide adequate services which include good security and professional staff.
Both the short-duration and long-duration parking facilities won the prestigious Secured Car Park Award four years ago. Short-stay parking spaces are available within a short walk of the airport terminal. The short-stay parking lot is ideal for dropping off and picking up passengers and is best for parking durations of up to a two or three hours. The first 30 minutes are free of charge.
A shuttle bus service follows a route between the long-stay park and the terminal building from 6am to 10pm each day of the week. Travellers should pay their parking fee on return to their car; pay stations are positioned in the departures and arrivals concourse areas, where upon paying your fee you will be handed a validated exit ticket. There is a minimum stay of five days. Discounted rates are offered to passengers who pre-book their parking space in the long-duration facility.
Sentinel Security Car Park which is located in Yeadon about one mile (1.6kms) from the airport offers a good off-site car parking service with easy check-in procedures. The ride from their parking site to the terminal only lasts five minutes. AGS offers a similar off-airport service but they are located slightly further away (two miles) from the airport complex.
If you want to avoid shopping around the airport for information and parking fees I highly advice you arrange your car park space at the airport in advance online. It not only saves you time but most likely a couple of pounds too! Parking isn't cheap so a discounted rate is a nice present. The online providers can offer the most competitive deals on parking at Bradford-Leeds Airport. In addition, online booking procedures are safe, efficient and anybody can do it because it takes just a few clicks with your mouse. I parked my car here many times and used the on-site parking services as well as the off-site car parks. Once you have used the mentioned websites below I am pretty sure you will use them again and again.
There is more to the twin cities of Leeds and Bradford than cityscape. Flying into the airport that is located between the two offers the perfect chance to explore the moor land and smaller towns of Yorkshire in a hire car.
The village of Otley lies extremely close to Leeds Bradford Airport. Sitting in a valley this quaint Yorkshire town offers old world charm and a fine weekly market. On the slopes of the nearby hillside is a pub that is perfect for taking your hire car to, overlooking the valley it offers a brilliant view of Leeds Bradford Airport and the incoming aircraft, a must for anyone interested in aviation.
Within the Leeds Bradford Airport region lays the small hamlet of Esholt, this is well worth a visit for any soap fans as much of the Emmerdale series is shot in the village. Not too far from the airport this is an ideal day trip for those with a hire car as getting to the village can be troublesome due to its remote location.
Touring the moors in your hire car is one of the simple pleasures of Yorkshire. The barren landscape interspersed with stone villages offers some great views and vistas. The area between Leeds and Bradford can be described as quintessentially Yorkshire. Small towns such as Shipley and Skipton are fine examples of the stone villages and do not lie too far from the airport.
There is plenty to do in this historic county, for those who love the outdoors, the use of a car hire service from Leeds Bradford Airport acts as a brilliant gateway to the wilderness. For those who want to leave the hire car there is also plenty of activities, with cycling and horse riding tours you can get back to nature and really experience this unique landscape.
For nature lovers Yorkshire possesses the largest amount of natural parkland in the UK. The glory of touring through fields of purple heather during the summer months is the perfect excuse to see how much Great Britain really has to offer.
Flying into Leeds Bradford Airport also opens up the two cities. Driving around these cities is a simple affair so the use of a car hire service is ideal. Leeds has always got something going on and is a fantastic tourist spot. For the scholars there is the Royal Armouries Museum showing armament and uniform throughout history, a worthwhile excursion for the amateur historian. The nightlife in the city is some of the best in the UK so if you think yourself a partygoer, Leeds is the city for you.
Bradford has recently undergone a regeneration effort. Trying to shake of its image as an industrial mill town it is rapidly becoming more aesthetically pleasing. The new Museum of Media gives history of film and television and will keep youngsters entertained with fascinating interactive exhibits. The city centre is now also a shopping haven making the city a necessity on any list of attractions.
As previously stated flying into Leeds Bradford Airport is a gateway to this unique part of the UK. The use of a hire car makes a variety of attractions available and allows visitors to get the best from the region. If you would like to experience Yorkshire this is the area to visit, the heart of Britain's industrial revolution it is historically important while the regeneration efforts of councils have made this an excellent family holiday destination.
Both Andy Burrows & Thomas Pretty are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Andy Burrows has sinced written about articles on various topics from Finances, Insurance and Travel and Leisure. Travel writer A. Burrows travels by air from Leeds frequently on assignments and highly recommends pre-booking through the internet