Not many days now until my first flight to America in just over three years. All is going to plan and the little details are now being finalised.

To enter America you no longer have to take a COVID test within 24 hours of departure. You do however have to complete an attestation that you have had both vaccinations either a print out or online. There is also a contact tracing form to complete with an address or hotel where you will be staying.

In the three years since I travelled to the States the cost of airport parking has spiralled….hugely. This trip will be a 10 night requirement for parking and the easiest choice is Heathrow Airport Official Parking that offers coach transfers to the four terminals from the long stay car parks. The price is around £140.

A new charge to consider is the £5 per vehicle to enter through the tunnels of the motorways to drop off or pick up from the terminals and short term car parks. There are many companies jostling for your business that will meet and greet at your chosen terminal. Prices are around £84 plus the £5 that has to be paid so that they can drive your car back to you on your return.

Reviews for these surveys are mixed. Some passengers were left panicking when the driver didn’t turn up to collect the car from the meet and greet collection point. Others were aghast to find 100 miles added to their clocks which means either drivers were making use of the car whilst it’s unsuspecting owners were away rather than being parked in a safe and secure area.

Damage has been reported on cars because of the cramming of cars in these safe areas. Owners have also returning to filthy interiors from muddy feet where the cars have resided in muddy fields.

Truth is you really don’t know where or how far your car is going to be driven away from Heathrow for the duration of your holiday.

After much research and comparison using different discount codes it was decided to use a website called Your Parking Space

There are other parking websites that contributors offer a space on their property and you deal directly with them. The cost was £75 and the description said that it was close to bus transportation into Heathrow Airport Terminals 2 and 3.

If you are struggling to find decent parking at the airport have a look at this site (other similar sites exist). I went by public transport to Heathrow Airport and took the 105 bus (111 or 285 bus routes can be used) from the Central Bus Station and walked up to the house where we will be parking the car and then walked back to other side of the dual carriage way on Bath Road, the A4, to get the bus back to the airport. The road runs parallel to the runway so you can see the planes taking off.

I tell you it took longer walking from the Central Bus Station to the terminal than it was from the bus stop to the house. It was so easy and super quick and with the car being kept in a gated driveway we know it is going to safe and undamaged when we get back home.