By Elizabeth Schaaf
One of the most frustrating parts of air travel has nothing to do with the flight at all. It’s about the airport parking! Some airports don’t have enough parking. Others have tons of options – where should I park? But one thing stays constant – it’s never cheap!
Most US airports allow you to reserve and prepay for parking directly from their official website or app. I never arrive at the airport without reserved parking!
For example, I monitored parking pricing for my summer 2024 vacation originating out of Charlotte (CLT), one of the busiest US airports. I prefer convenience and parking in a covered lot, so I usually use either the deck closest to the terminal, or I park a bit away in a deck where you can valet your car at a lower rate. I kept an eye on prices for several weeks as my flight approached. Sure enough, right when we hit 2 weeks prior to travel, I was able to snag a spot in the deck right at the terminal for $130 less than it would be if I just showed up and paid. It was only slightly more than it would have been to park in a deck that required a shuttle, so I felt great about the rate. I’m still paying for convenience, but it’s something I’m willing to do when taking the entire family on a long vacation with checked luggage.
While Charlotte tends to have plenty of parking, not all airports do. For example, Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), struggled with parking for years. Thankfully, improvements over the last ten years have greatly improved the situation. Reserving parking here is still more about securing a spot in busy times over price (for example, the online parking info for the July 4 holiday 2024 showed full lots). RDU now offers a parking deck situated in such a way that allows passengers to walk between either terminal, and I always like parking in this deck. Rates are indeed lower when booking in advance, and I never have to worry about the deck being full.
Many major airports also have third party, off site parking lots that offer secure, convenient parking at a lower rate. These lots also have regular shuttles between the lot and the terminal. It’s not uncommon to be able to get covered parking at these lots for the same as the remote, uncovered long term airport lots. Definitely something to investigate at your originating airport if you want to stretch your budget.
Note that if you are traveling from a smaller airport, advance reservations may not be an option, and there may not be off site parking lots. This is a great sign that your airport does not have issues with parking availability.
If you are unfamiliar with the parking woes of your originating airport, ask your Straight Away Travel advisor for help directing you to the parking information.
Just last year as I sat to board a plane in Charlotte, I overheard others on my flight complaining they couldn’t park where they had planned. One man said, “Who knew there was even such a thing as reserving parking? Who does that!?” Now YOU know this money and time saving open secret!
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