Overstaying your booked time at Gatwick Airport can be an expensive mistake, as the charges are designed to be punitive to keep the traffic flowing. In the Short Stay car parks, if you exceed your pre-booked duration, you will typically be charged the standard "drive-up" daily rate, which in 2026 can be as high as £60 to £70 per day for each additional 24-hour period. If you are in the Long Stay car park and stay past your booked exit time, you will usually be charged a "daily overstay rate" of approximately £25 to £30 per day. The most expensive overstays occur in the "Premium" or "Valet" parking areas, where the fees can escalate even further. If you know your flight is delayed or your plans have changed, it is often much cheaper to log into the Gatwick parking website or app and "extend" your booking manually rather than just showing up at the exit gate. The automated barriers use number plate recognition, so they will know exactly how long you have been there, and you will be required to pay the balance at the exit column before the barrier lifts.