Parking at the airport is convenient when planning a holiday, or travelling for business. While it may be easier to ask a friend for a lift to the airport, or to use a car service such as Uber or Lyft, it is not always possible, and you will need to take your own vehicle to the airport. Parking at the airport can be costly if you do not take the time to research affordable options for parking there. Knowing where to park and even pre booking your parking can save you money, as well as helping you avoid a hefty parking bill. This can turn a fun holiday into a nightmare.
When looking at airport parking options, there are 3 things you need to consider:
- Cost
- Convenience
- Pre booking a parking spot
Taking these 3 things into account, you can sift through the available options, and find one that suits your needs and your budget best. There is nothing worse than coming back from a holiday or a business trip to an exorbitant parking bill. Take your time in planning every detail of your trip properly, looking at discounts, coupons and special packages where possible.
Here are a few things you need to know about parking at the airport and the costs involved.
Parking at airport owned parking areas can be costly due to real estate costs, the cost of maintaining the parking area, competition from nearby parking areas and the convenience. An important thing to remember is that the closer to the airport terminal you park, the more expensive the parking will be. Do some research on the available options nearby. You can read reviews of airport parking areas on sites that will have information like car rental company reviews, hotel reviews and even airport reviews.
Convenience is a major factor that can drive up the price of parking. As mentioned above, the closer you park to the main airport terminal, the more expensive the parking will be. Take a look at offsite airport parking facilities. These are privately owned, and while not within the airport grounds, they will offer shuttle services to ferry you to the airport and back. Parking at an offsite lot will save you money, and has the advantage that you can pre book a parking space, saving you the hassle of rushing around and potentially being late for your flight, or missing it altogether.
Another option to consider would be a hotel airport parking area. These are generally within a 5-mile radius of the hotel, and offer free shuttles to the airport and back a few times a day. The cost of parking at an airport hotel parking area would be cheaper than parking at the airport itself, but can still cost you a pretty penny. These parking areas charge daily rates, and offer discounts on booking for a week or more at a time. You can also pre-book a parking spot at an airport hotel parking area.