Revealed: Budapest ranks as Europe’s best airport for parking
New research from Compare the Market reveals the world’s best airports for parking based on the auto theft rate and average pricing. Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, Istanbul Airport and Václav Havel Airport Prague were the top three best airports. Geneva Airport, Orly Airport and Heathrow Airport ranked at the bottom of the list.
Which airports have the best airport parking?
Whether travelling for business or pleasure, many of us use airport parking to park our cars while we head on our journey. But which airports have the best airport parking? With Google searches for ‘airport parking costs’ up by +402%¹ in the past year, new research from Compare the Market has revealed Europe’s best (and worst) airport parking based on national auto theft rates and the airport’s average pricing.
Budapest Ferenc Liszt Airport in Hungary ranked as the best, while Geneva Airport in Switzerland ranked as the worst of those analysed. Five Spanish airlines ranked in the top 10, with Budapest Ferenc Liszt Airport taking the top spot.
| Rank | Airport | Weekly Parking Cost (EUR) | Car Theft Rate |
| 1 | Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, Hungary | 36.46 | 32.3 |
| 2 | Istanbul Airport, Turkey | 36.40 | 38.7 |
| 3 | Václav Havel Airport Prague, Czechia | 41.17 | 33.1 |
| 4 | Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, Spain | 40.00 | 50.6 |
| 5 | Palma de Mallorca Airport, Spain | 44.00 | 50.6 |
| 6 | Málaga Airport, Spain | 45.00 | 50.6 |
| 7 | Alicante–Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, Spain | 52.00 | 50.6 |
| 8 | Copenhagen Airport, Denmark | 66.91 | 20.3 |
| 9 | Hamburg Airport, Germany | 49.00 | 59.0 |
| 10 | Valencia Airport, Spain | 53.00 | 50.6 |
Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport in Hungary takes the top spot overall with a weekly parking cost of €36.46, which is super affordable compared to other airports on the list. What’s more, Hungary has a car theft rate of 32.3 incidents per 100,000 vehicles, ranking lower in theft risk compared to others on the list. Istanbul Airport in Turkey follows closely behind, offering slightly cheaper parking at €36.40 but with a higher national car theft rate of 38.7.
In the middle of the pack, Václav Havel Airport Prague in Czechia charges €41.17 weekly for parking and Czechia has a car theft rate of 33.1. Spanish airports dominate the list with Spain’s lower theft rates of 50.6 and cheap parking, including Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (€40), Palma de Mallorca Airport (€44), Málaga Airport (€45), Alicante–Elche Miguel Hernández Airport (€52), and Valencia Airport (€53).
Northern European hubs like Copenhagen Airport in Denmark and Hamburg Airport in Germany round out the list with significantly higher parking costs of €66.91 and €49, respectively. However, Denmark boasts the lowest theft rate on the list at 20.3, while Germany has the highest at 59.0, making Hamburg a notable outlier in terms of risk despite being less expensive than Copenhagen.
Geneva Airport was revealed as the worst for parking, however, French airports take up the most spots on the list
Below are the top 10 worst European airports for parking, according to the data:
| Rank | Airport Name | Week Parking Cost (EUR) | Car Theft Rate |
| 1 | Geneva Airport, Switzerland | 141.42 | 216.9 |
| 2 | Orly Airport, France | 111.00 | 252.4 |
| 3 | Heathrow Airport, UK | 132.94 | 189.9 |
| 4 | Charles de Gaulle Airport, France | 88.80 | 252.4 |
| 5 | Zurich Airport, Switzerland | 100.26 | 216.9 |
| 6 | Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, France | 81.40 | 252.4 |
| 7 | Bristol Airport, UK | 89.47 | 189.9 |
| 8 | Manchester Airport, UK | 89.43 | 189.9 |
| 9 | Venice Marco Polo Airport, Italy | 77.00 | 213.0 |
| 10 | Marseille Provence Airport, France | 50.00 | 252.4 |
Geneva Airport in Switzerland tops the list as the most expensive, charging an eye-watering €141.42 per week for parking while also recording an alarming car theft rate of 216.9 incidents per 100,000 vehicles. Similarly, Orly Airport in France charges €111 weekly and has an even higher theft rate of 252.4, one of the worst among major European airports.
Heathrow Airport in the UK ranks third with a weekly parking cost of €132.94 and a theft rate of 189.9, closely followed by Charles de Gaulle Airport in France, which is slightly more affordable at €88.80 but shares Orly’s concerning theft rate of 252.4. Zurich Airport in Switzerland is also among the most expensive, charging €100.26 per week, paired with a high theft rate of 216.9.
French airports dominate the list with additional entries such as Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (€81.40) and Marseille Provence Airport (€50), both reporting theft rates of 252.4. Meanwhile, UK hubs Bristol Airport (€89.47) and Manchester Airport (€89.43) share identical theft rates of 189.9.
Compare the Market’s Executive General Manager of General Insurance, Adrian Taylor, notes that there are different levels of car insurance coverage, and with more coverage available at a higher price.
“There are policies that just cover damage you cause to other people’s property when driving, then there are policies that cover that, plus fire and theft. The top tier is comprehensive insurance, which covers these losses as well as damage to your own vehicle from other events such as accidents, storms and flooding,” says Mr. Taylor.
If you’re concerned about theft and wanting that to be covered, then its important that you check the policy wording to ensure that it’s an insured event and not excluded. This will help give you peace of mind when your car is parked at home or away from home, including when you leave your car at an airport car park when you travel.
To view the full list, please visit: comparethemarket.com
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