Flights to and from Luton were suspended on Tuesday evening (10 October) and will remain grounded until at least 3pm on Wednesday, the airport has said.
Images and footage from the scene showed flames leaping from the upper floors of Terminal Car Park 2 during the night, leaving a burned out shell come the morning.
At its height, more than 100 firefighters were in attendance, along with three aerial platforms and support from local police and ambulance crews.
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue confirmed firefighters were called to the scene at around 8.45pm and by 9.30pm were dealing with a "rapidly escalating fire".
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In an update issued at 9am, the fire and rescue service said crews had worked hard through the night to control and extinguish the fire.
At 10am, it confirmed it has scaled back its response and downgraded the situation from a major incident. An investigation into the cause will get under way later.
"A number of agencies have been released from the scene and we continue to work with colleagues from the airport and police," said Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue.
"The fire service will continue to be on the scene for the rest of the day. An investigation into the cause of the fire will begin once it is safe to do so."
Day-time images from the scene show how a substantial section of the structure has collapsed, with dozens of cars littered among the twisted, charred debris.
Chief fire officer Andy Hopkinson told the BBC it is thought the fire started in a diesel car before spreading through the car park. He added up to 1,500 vehicles may have been in the car park at the time of the fire, and stressed it was his belief the fire had been accidental.
No members of the public were injured; four firefighters and one member of airport staff were taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation. Another person was reportedly treated and discharged at the scene.
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According to flight schedule analyst Cirium, around half of the flights scheduled to arrive into Luton on Wednesday (145) have so far been cancelled, around the same number as cancelled departures. The cancellations predominantly affect Luton’s main carriers – easyJet, Wizz Air and Ryanair.
Passengers continue to be advised to avoid the area, and to check the status of their flights before journeying to the airport, with both departures and arrivals halted.
Berkhamsted agent Ashley Quint, director of TravelTime World, warned it would likely take a considerable period of time for operations to return to normal.
"In reality, very few flights will actually operate today," he tweeted. "Aircraft [are] already scattered around the country following last night’s diversions to Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool, Manchester and Stansted. [It] will take time to get everything running again."
He added: "Beyond the initial problem of the fire, Luton airport’s next challenge is to get the airport operational again. Passenger drop off is the big immediate issue."
’Do not attempt to travel’
Luton airport issued its own update at around 9.30am on Wednesday: "Emergency services remain on the scene following last night’s fire in Terminal Car Park 2," it said.
"Our priority remains supporting the emergency services and the safety of our passengers and staff. We’re working hard to get the airport operational as soon as possible. All flights are currently suspended until 3pm on Wednesday 11 October.
"Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport at this time, as access remains severely restricted. Passengers should contact their airline for information regarding their flight."
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Aviation minister Charlotte Vere tweeted: "I’m very grateful to emergency service staff who worked hard to put out the fire at Luton sirport last night and this morning.
"I urge everyone to follow Luton Airport channels for travel advice. We remain in touch with operators, Luton airport and the CAA for updates."
