Airport parking usually means a choice between a long walk from a car park, a shuttle bus or paying terminal prices. Meet and greet is the alternative: you drive to the terminal, hand over your keys, and walk straight in. This guide explains how it works, using the information published by Maple Parking, a UK provider that describes itself as the largest independent meet and greet operator in the country. All details are as published on 26 October 2026 and should be checked at booking.
In this guide
- How Meet and Greet Works, Step by Step
- Why Choose Meet and Greet?
- Where Maple Operates
- What It Costs: Services at a Glance
- Maple Rewards: Silver, Gold and Diamond
- Meet and Greet or Park and Ride?
- Checks Maple Says It Makes on Your Car
- Valeting While You Are Away
- Business Travellers
- Before You Book: A Short Checklist
How Meet and Greet Works, Step by Step
Maple’s how-it-works page gives the process in two stages.
- On arrival: drive to the terminal in your own car and meet the driver. The brand says its staff are insured, uniformed and DBS checked. They do a quick inspection and take photos, and you walk into the terminal to check in.
- While you are away: the driver parks the car in a car park near the airport. Maple says its car parks are Park Mark awarded and manned or patrolled round the clock, with CCTV.
- On your return: call to let them know you have landed, and the car is brought to the meeting point at the terminal. You drive home.
Why Choose Meet and Greet?
The brand’s own list of reasons is short and practical: it is the quickest way to park because there are no airport transfers, you avoid long walks to a car park in the dark or rain, and it suits families, older travellers and disabled passengers. Maple also says all airport fees are included in the price, and that online booking is secure. As with any parking product, compare the quote with the alternatives for your dates.
Where Maple Operates
Maple’s how-it-works page says it runs its own meet and greet at Gatwick, Heathrow, Birmingham and Luton, and that its search tool can find parking at more than 20 other UK airports, with a price match promise on those products. Its site menu also lists Gatwick North and South, Stansted, Southend, Manchester and Southampton. Heathrow travellers should note a banner on the site reminding drivers that they may need to pay the ULEZ charge, so check before you travel.
What It Costs: Services at a Glance
| Service | What Maple says | Price (as published) |
|---|---|---|
| Meet and greet parking | Park Mark awarded car parks, insured and DBS checked drivers, meeting point outside the terminal | From GBP 26.95 inc VAT |
| Premium Wash (external) | Valet product, offered at selected airports | GBP 19.99 |
| Platinum Valet | Valet product, offered at selected airports | GBP 42.99 |
These are starting prices. What you pay depends on the airport and dates, so the quote form is the only way to see a real figure.
Maple Rewards: Silver, Gold and Diamond
Maple runs a loyalty scheme for customers who book directly with it. Its rewards page says you are asked to join during booking, and that members get 10 percent off their first booking. After that, direct bookings get a 16 percent discount at Silver level. Gold begins at five direct bookings, and Diamond requires at least 20 direct bookings. The brand notes that bookings made through booking agents do not count towards the scheme.
One thing to watch: the percentages on Maple’s home page differ from those on its rewards page. The home page shows 15 percent off for one to four direct bookings, 20 percent for five or more and 25 percent for 20 or more, with preferential seasonal rates at the higher levels. Because the two pages do not match, confirm the discount shown at checkout rather than relying on either.
The scheme matters if you fly several times a year, because the top tier requires 20 direct bookings. For an occasional traveller, the first-booking discount is the part most likely to apply.
Meet and Greet or Park and Ride?
Maple says it offers both meet and greet and park and ride at its airports. Park and ride means you leave the car yourself and take a shuttle to the terminal, which is the more traditional model. Meet and greet removes the shuttle, so it saves time at both ends of the trip, but the brand’s own page notes that prices start from GBP 26.95, so the best option depends on the airport, the trip length and how much you value convenience. Families with luggage and early morning flights are the cases where skipping the shuttle tends to matter most.
Checks Maple Says It Makes on Your Car
Maple states that every car is photographed and the mileage recorded before a driver takes it, so both sides have a record of its condition. It adds that drivers are mature, trained, regularly tested and hold full UK licences. If you have a pre-existing mark, take your own photos at handover as well, and keep a copy of your booking confirmation on your phone.
Valeting While You Are Away
Maple offers valeting as an optional extra at selected airports. The brand says vehicles are hand-washed and hand-dried with professional materials, and valeted between four and 24 hours before your return. If it is offered at your airport, it appears as an option during booking.
Business Travellers
Maple has a page for frequent business flyers. It describes a business meet and greet service and lists account features such as an online dashboard for receipts, one-click booking with details saved, priority parking and a single monthly payment across several bookings. The page says corporate accounts will be offered soon, so check whether they are live before you plan around them.
Before You Book: A Short Checklist
- Check that your airport is one Maple operates, or whether the product is a partner one.
- Compare the quote with other options for your exact dates.
- Confirm the loyalty discount at checkout, given the differing figures noted above.
- Read the terms on the booking page, including drop-off and return times.
- Keep your phone charged for the call when you land.
Ready to see what it would cost? Get a quote from the Maple Parking booking form, or compare the options on the Maple Parking site first.
Information was taken from the Maple Parking website on 26 October 2026 and may change. Some links in this article are affiliate links.
