Dublin Airport Long Term Parking

Leaving your car at the airport for a week or a fortnight is a different decision from parking for an afternoon. Shuttle times, security, what happens if your flight home is delayed and how the price builds up over several days all matter more than they do on a short stay. This guide covers every long term car park serving Dublin Airport, how long-stay pricing works and what to check before you book.

Dublin Airport's two official long term car parks are Express Red and Holiday Blue, both run by DAA with about 8,000 spaces each. Holiday Blue is usually the cheaper of the two, and Express Red is the closest, with a shuttle of about five minutes. Independent long-stay parking is also available nearby, mainly at Park2Travel and at airport hotels.

For any stay of more than a day, pre-book. Without a booking, DAA charges €25 per day at Express Red and €20 per day at Holiday Blue. Pre-booked through us, a week starts from €56.99 at Holiday Blue, and the most popular car parks sell out on peak dates.

Long Term Car Parks at Dublin Airport

DAA does not accept large commercial vehicles or vehicles with trailers in any of its car parks. Details checked against operators' published information on [DD Month YYYY].

The Official DAA Long Term Car Parks

DAA's long-stay car parks sit on the airport campus and are served by free, wheelchair-accessible shuttle buses to both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Both have around 8,000 spaces and 24-hour security.

Express Red

Express Red is the closest long term car park to the terminals and the one most travellers choose when time matters more than price. The shuttle takes about five minutes and runs every ten minutes, 24 hours a day. On your return, shuttles leave from Zone 9 of the Terminal 1 Bus Park and from Zone 21 at Terminal 2.

There is no height restriction, which makes Express Red the most practical DAA option for high-top vans and campervans. Trailers are not permitted, and the minimum pre-booked stay is 24 hours. Express Red also has the largest block of accessible parking among the long-stay car parks. Full directions, zone layout and facilities are on our Express Red car park page.

Holiday Blue

Holiday Blue is DAA's value long-stay car park and the usual choice for budget-conscious travellers on longer trips. Shuttles run every 15 minutes and take around 15 minutes to reach the terminals, so the total journey is longer than from Express Red. HGVs are not allowed. If you arrive without a booking, drive-up spaces are limited, and you must use the same card at the entry and exit barriers. On return, shuttles leave from Zone 8 of the Terminal 1 Bus Park and from Zone 21 at Terminal 2. Read our full Holiday Blue car park guide.

Terminal 2 Surface Car Park

DAA also sells the Terminal 2 Surface Car Park, an outdoor car park about five minutes' walk from both terminals. It needs no shuttle, but it is priced in line with the short-term car parks, so for stays of several days Express Red and Holiday Blue are usually much cheaper.

If you are deciding between the two main long-stay car parks, our Holiday Blue vs Express Red comparison sets out exactly what the extra cost of Express Red buys.

Independent Long-Stay Alternatives

DAA's car parks are not the only long-stay options. Independent operators outside the airport boundary compete on price, and since March 2025 there has been a large one within a few minutes of the terminals.

Park2Travel is run by APCOA on the former QuickPark site on Old Airport Road in Cloghran. It reopened on 10 March 2025 with over 6,100 spaces, and its free shuttle runs 24 hours a day, taking about six minutes to reach the terminal. When the CCPC analysed long-stay prices in June 2025, Park2Travel averaged 21% less than Express Red and 3.6% less than Holiday Blue. Read our Park2Travel Dublin Airport review.

Hotel long-stay parking is sold by the Clayton Hotel and others near the airport, either as parking only or with an overnight stay. Compare packages on our Dublin Airport hotel parking page, and other independent sites in our guide to off-airport parking at Dublin.

How Much Is Long Term Parking at Dublin Airport per Week?

Pre-booked through us, a week of long term parking starts from €56.99 at Holiday Blue, €66.99 at Express Red and €70.99 at Park2Travel. Without a booking, a week costs €175 at Express Red and €140 at Holiday Blue at DAA's drive-up rates.

Our lowest year-round price for each stay length. Prices vary by date and are higher during school holidays, Christmas and summer. Search your dates for the live price.

DAA and the independent operators all use demand-based pricing. Pre-booked stays are charged per 24-hour period, but DAA extends your exit time on the final day to match your entry time at no extra cost, so set your times accurately and make use of that flexibility.

Price rankings between car parks also change from date to date. A typical 10-day price snapshot published by Irish travel sites in 2026 illustrates how much the options can vary for the same stay:

Source: published price snapshots from chill.ie and kennco.ie, 2026; drive-up rates from DAA.

In that snapshot, Park2Travel came out highest, while the CCPC's 2025 analysis found it cheaper than both DAA car parks on average. Our own checks for 2026 and 2027 dates also found DAA's car parks cheaper off-peak. The findings do not contradict each other: a single set of dates and an average over time measure different things. No long term car park is always the cheapest, which is why comparing prices for your own dates is worth doing.

Three ways to reduce the cost of a long stay:

• Book as early as possible. DAA and Park2Travel accept bookings up to 12 months ahead, and prices rise as car parks fill.
• Check timings carefully. Moving your entry or exit by an hour can change the number of days charged.
• Compare on-airport and off-airport for your dates. The cheapest option in July may not be the cheapest in November.

More on paying at the barrier is in our guide to parking without a booking, and current offers are on our discount codes page.

Booking and Entering a Long Term Car Park

When you pre-book a DAA long term car park, your registration number is your ticket. The barrier reads your licence plate on arrival and no paper ticket is issued. If the barrier does not lift, or you are driving a different car from the one booked, scan the QR code on your confirmation from the Dublin Airport app or email. You can arrive up to four hours before your selected entry time.

DAA bookings can be amended or cancelled free of charge up to four hours before your arrival time, through Manage My Booking, with refunds processed within five business days. DAA charges no booking fee. Independent car parks set their own amendment and cancellation terms, which are shown before you pay.

Getting from the Car Park to the Terminal

The shuttle journey is only part of the time you need. DAA advises allowing up to 40 minutes in normal traffic to reach Express Red, find a space, unload and transfer to either terminal. For Holiday Blue, with its longer shuttle and lower frequency, allow more. At peak times, add a further margin.

Before you leave your car, save your location using the My Parking feature in the Dublin Airport app, or photograph your zone and space number. Our guide on how early to arrive when parking gives a timing plan for each car park.

What Happens If You Return Late from Long Term Parking?

If you stay longer than your booking at a DAA long term car park, the extra time is charged when you leave. Use the help button near the exit barrier, or at the pay stations in Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 Arrivals, and a member of the team will confirm the additional charge.

DAA says it will try to apply the best available rate for the overstay when the original parking was pre-booked. If you know before you return that you will be staying longer, contact DAA customer service on 01 944 0440 to extend your booking.

For independent car parks, overstay terms differ. Park2Travel offers a 3-hour grace period, then charges extra time by QR code, and charges any additional day at its drive-up tariff. Check the terms before you travel.

Leaving Your Car for an Extended Period

Security. Express Red and Holiday Blue have 24-hour security. DAA's terms still require you to lock your car and secure its contents, so do not leave valuables on display. See is Dublin Airport parking safe?

Flat batteries. A car left standing for one or two weeks, particularly in winter, is more likely to have a flat battery on your return. DAA's on-site car parks team can help with flat batteries and flat tyres; call +353 1 944 4828 or use an intercom.

Car cleaning. Crystal Valet offers four valet options, priced from €59 to €179, which can be booked when you pre-book your parking.

Electric vehicles. Holiday Blue and Express Red each have two 50 kW chargers near the exit, and Park2Travel can arrange charging on request. Do not rely on charging during a long stay. See EV charging at Dublin Airport.

Accessible Long Term Parking

DAA states that accessible parking options are available at all of its car parks. Among the long-stay car parks, Express Red has the largest provision, with 65 accessible bays across its zones, located close to the shuttle stops. All long-term car park shuttles are wheelchair accessible. Blue Badge holders can get a reduced rate by requesting a PRM code before booking. Full details are in our guide to disabled parking at Dublin Airport.

Long Term Parking for Vans, Campervans and Trailers

• All DAA car parks: no large commercial vehicles or vehicles with trailers.
• Express Red: no height restriction.
• Holiday Blue: HGVs not permitted; height limit not published.
• Park2Travel: entrance height of 4.40 metres.
• Clayton Hotel: the underground car park has a 2 metre height limit.

See our guide to van and campervan parking at Dublin Airport.

Frequently Asked Questions

For every parking option at the airport, return to our main guide to Dublin Airport parking.