These days of low costs flights offer fantastic savings for those able or willing to book in advance. Tickets to European destinations are now regularly available for less than the price of a meal out. And so it becomes increasing bizarre to find that the costs of parking at the departure airport for a few days or a couple of weeks can be actually much more expensive than the cost of the flight itself. But there are ways to keep these costs in check.

On-site parking at the airport is usually the most expensive option: so do you really have to park on-site? If so (and the convenience cannot be denied) then the best option is to book well in advance. In the same way as booking the flight in advance saves money, so also with car parking. Companies such as Airport Parking Offers or Holiday Parking UK actually have specific advance booking options for many onsite airport car parks.

However, if early booking is not possible, and you are looking for the best price, then off-site airport car parks are most definitely the best option. Most UK airports now have a proliferation of choice - and there are many online airport parking websites to cater for this demand, as well as several airport parking price comparison sites. Search on "compare airport parking" in any search engine will yield a number of these.

But of course, price isn't everything. It is important to have the peace of mind that your car will be properly looked after. The best advice therefore is to look for a company that has Park Mark accreditation. Park Mark is run by the British Parking Association and shows that a company has met all the standards required of its Safer Parking Scheme, which operates throughout Britain. The "Park Mark" logo ( a blue sign with a large white tick). This award and endorsement is given to safe, well-lit areas which have been inspected by the police as secure against trespassers.

An ideal way to save money on parking, as well as making the whole experience of getting to the check-in desk on time, is to consider an Airport Hotel. Again, these can be booked via many airport parking websites, with prices which include special bulk-buying discounts which these operators enjoy and can pass on, and which also include free car parking for the duration of the holiday. This can often work out at the same or similar prices to airport parking alone, with the added benefit of a good nights rest before the holiday.

Also, of course, this option is very useful for those late return flights. A great idea is to leave the car with the hotel, and pick it up on your return from holiday, after a nights rest at the hotel, a good breakfast and a relaxed drive home.