Quick answer
Yes, you can park a motorcycle at Gatwick, and you must use the dedicated motorbike bays in the Short Stay car parks at either the North or South Terminal. Bikes left in ordinary car spaces are removed for security reasons, so this is not a rule you can quietly ignore. Pricing follows the same structure as Gatwick car parking, and booking in advance is cheaper than rolling up.
Where the motorbike bays are
Gatwick provides marked motorcycle bays inside the Short Stay car parks at both terminals. They are the closest parking to the terminal buildings, which is one of the few genuine advantages of arriving on two wheels: you park where the expensive spaces are, then walk in.
Work out which terminal you are flying from before you set off. North and South Terminal car parks are separate sites and moving between them once you have parked means using the shuttle, which is straightforward but adds time you would rather spend on the other side of security.
The rule that catches people out: do not leave a bike in a standard car parking space. Gatwick removes motorcycles that are not in designated areas, and they treat it as a security matter rather than a parking offence. If you arrive and cannot find the bike bays, ask at a help point rather than improvising.
What it costs
Motorcycle parking at Gatwick is free at the dedicated motorcycle parking bays.
Is on-airport the only option?
For most riders, yes, and here is why.
Off-site park and ride car parks are the cheapest way to leave a car at Gatwick, but they are a much weaker fit for a motorcycle. Most off-site operators do not provide covered or secured motorcycle bays, several will not accept bikes at all, and the ones that do often park them in the open at the edge of a compound. You are then trusting your bike to a site that was not designed for it, and relying on a shuttle bus at both ends.
Meet and greet is similarly awkward. The service is built around a driver taking your vehicle away, which is not something most riders want to arrange for a motorcycle, and many providers explicitly exclude them.
If you do find an off-site operator that takes bikes, ask three questions before booking:
- Is the bay covered, and is the bike secured or just parked?
- Does the site hold Park Mark accreditation? This is the police-backed Safer Parking award, and it is granted to individual car parks rather than to companies, so ask about the specific site.
- What is the insurance position if the bike is damaged or stolen?
For most trips, the Short Stay motorcycle bays are the sensible answer despite the price, because they are supervised, they are right next to the terminal, and they are designed for the job.
What to do with your helmet
Gatwick does not provide motorcycle helmet lockers. This is the single most common frustration riders report, and it is worth planning for rather than discovering at the barrier.
Your options:
- Left luggage. The Excess Baggage Company operates storage in both the North and South Terminals, landside, before security. You can leave a helmet, and usually your riding gear as well, for the duration of your trip. It costs money per item per day, so check the rate against how long you are away.
- Take it with you. A helmet counts against your cabin baggage allowance on most airlines and is bulky enough to cause problems on a budget carrier. Check your allowance carefully before assuming this works.
- Lock it to the bike. Many riders do this, and many helmet locks are defeated in seconds. If the bike is going to sit for a fortnight, be realistic about that.
Riding gear is the bigger problem on a longer trip. A jacket, trousers, boots and gloves do not fit in a top box alongside a helmet, and they are not something you want to carry through an airport. For anything over a few days, left luggage is usually the least bad answer.
Practical tips for riding to Gatwick
Allow the same time you would in a car. The M23 approach is the same road and it queues in the same way. The saving on two wheels comes from filtering, not from a shorter route, and it is not something to depend on when you have a flight to catch.
Plan for the weather at both ends. You will ride home in whatever is happening when you land, potentially at two in the morning after a delayed flight. A dry ride out does not guarantee a dry ride back.
Photograph the bike and the bay when you park. It takes ten seconds, records the condition of the bike, and means you can find it again after ten days away in a car park you were only in once.
Use a disc lock or chain on top of the steering lock. Airport car parks are patrolled but a bike in a marked bay for two weeks is a visible, static target.
Check your insurance. Some policies treat long-stay airport parking differently from parking at home. It is worth a two-minute call rather than a conversation after the event.
Frequently asked questions
Can I park a motorbike at Gatwick Airport?
Yes. Use the dedicated motorcycle bays in the Short Stay car parks at the North or South Terminal.
Is motorcycle parking free at Gatwick?
No. Motorcycle parking is charged at the same rates as car parking. Some UK airports offer discounted or free bike parking, but Gatwick is not currently one of them.
Where are the motorcycle bays at Gatwick?
Inside the Short Stay car parks at both terminals. Check which terminal you are departing from before you set off, because the two sites are separate.
What happens if I park my bike in a normal car space at Gatwick?
It will be removed. Gatwick treats motorcycles parked outside the designated bays as a security issue.
Is there anywhere to store a helmet at Gatwick?
Not in the car parks. The Excess Baggage Company operates left luggage in both terminals, landside, and will store a helmet and riding gear for a daily fee.
Should I book motorcycle parking in advance at Gatwick?
Yes. Roll-up rates are the highest prices charged, and since bikes pay full car rates, the advance-booking discount is the main saving available to you.
Can I use off-site park and ride with a motorbike at Gatwick?
Sometimes, but many off-site operators do not accept motorcycles, and few provide covered or secured bike bays. Check directly with the operator and ask about Park Mark accreditation before booking.