Coveted by many yet known to few, the art of finding and getting cheap airport parking is shrouded in mystery. That’s why most people use taxi services and ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft. Depending on taxis, especially when time is of the essence and airport policies are rather fickle (e.g., LAX has banned curbside pickups for Uber, Lyft, and taxis), can be quite a pain. You’d be better off driving down in your own vehicle and parking at the airport, except for the exorbitant cost of airport parking.
Driving and parking yourself will also keep your exposure to the unknown lower and reduce the risk of picking up infections. Yes, we know that sometimes airport parking can be hard to come by and quite expensive too. We figured that wasn’t quite fair to you or your beleaguered wallet. That’s why we’ve decided to let you in on a few trade secrets on how to score really cheap airport parking spaces with minimal effort and save a ton of money in the process.
How to score really cheap airport parking spaces with minimal effort
1. Book well in advance
This is by far the easiest trick for getting cheap airport parking spaces. For instance, LAX airport parking spaces are in demand during holidays and are pretty scarce to come by. More demand means the costlier parking spaces will be. So, book your parking space as soon as you’ve booked your air tickets, and you can save money on airport parking. What’s more, many parking providers offer early bird offers and discounts on advance bookings, especially if you book online.
2. Location, location, location
Proximity comes at a price – the closer you want to park near the airport, the more you’ll have to pay. That’s why most onsite airport parking lots are way more expensive than offsite airport parking lots. There’s actually no need to fret about the distance, though. Most airport parking lots will provide free shuttle services to and from the airport. So, now the only question is how important it is for you to park next to the airport terminal.
3. Offsite airport parking is cheaper than onsite airport parking
Offsite parking is usually a little further away from the airport and, therefore, often much cheaper. The lack of proximity is easily remedied by complimentary airport shuttle services that almost all offsite parking lots offer. Moreover, most private parking lots provide better deals on long-term airport parking and tons of coupons and offers for regular users, especially if you book your space via parking aggregators like Way.com.
Take LAX, for example – LAX airport parking lots tend to get quite crowded and offer limited parking options, while offsite lots have more parking spaces, minimal crowds, and much less waiting time. Some offsite LAX parking lots offer valet parking, which means you can grab your luggage and proceed towards the terminal – a great option, especially if you are in a hurry. Some offsite airport parking lots also offer add-on services (sometimes even for free!), such as car-washing, so that you can come back to a spotless car on landing. Most offsite parking lots have 24/7 camera surveillance, floodlights, secure fencing, and security personnel guarding the lot at all times.
4. Look at spaces in nearby parking lots
Now that we’ve established that offsite parking lots are a cheap alternative to pricey onsite airport parking, you need to start looking around for a nearby parking lot that suits your needs. The Way.com site and mobile apps search across an assortment of airport parking lots to find you cheap airport parking rates. Each airport parking listing has photos and lists amenities that you can expect, i.e., free airport shuttle, valet parking, onsite security, camera surveillance, car wash, and so on. Way.com will confirm your spot upon booking, and you can just drive straight to the lot and park your car.
5. Look for airport parking at nearby hotels
So, are the nearby parking lots full? Don’t lose hope; hotels in and around airports will usually rent their parking spaces for cheap rates. Take a look at LAX, for e.g., Hyatt Regency, Embassy Suites by Hilton, Four Points by Sheraton, Marina del Ray Marriott, and Doubletree by Hilton. All of these offsite parking lots near LAX offer short-term and long-term LAX parking at reasonable rates. To access hotel parking lots, you will need to check in and check out at the hotel front desk. Usually, the front desk organizes the airport shuttles too. Some hotels will also allow you to use some of their amenities, and if you’re feeling exhausted after your flight, you can even book one of their rooms for an overnight stay!
6. Compare prices, and then compare some more
We cannot stress this enough; you have to compare various lots to figure out the best deal for you. Airport parking rates do tend to fluctuate according to season and demand. That’s why you need to use a parking aggregator like Way.com to help you compare prices, distance from the airport, seasonal offers, discounts, and amenities. Way.com provides a lot of details for each listing as well as real customer reviews. Ongoing exclusive deals are highlighted, as are the number of parking spaces sold/left in a particular lot. Let’s see how this works for LAX airport parking with five easy steps –
- Install the Way App or log in to the Way website
- Start typing LAX and select it from the options. If you are on the site, you can directly go to https://www.way.com/lax
- Select your desired date for travel/parking
- 1. Select a lot of your choice from the options listed. You can filter according to your preferences, like valet parking, outdoor parking, indoor parking, etc. You can also sort them according to price or distance
- Add the lot of your choice to your bag and check out. Easy peasy!
7. Coupons can get you some sweet, sweet deals
Once you’ve decided on your travel dates, check websites that offer coupon codes like Groupon, RetailMeNot, and Offers.com. If you have installed the Way App, we’ll send you notifications about our latest discount offers, deals, and seasonal coupon codes to help you reduce your airport parking overheads.
Don’t take our word for it; try it out yourself, and let us know how these cheap airport parking hacks worked out for you.
Saul Jefferson is a car expert who knows the ins and outs of car ownership and makes even the most complex topics easy to understand. Driven by curiosity, he believes in constantly learning, unlearning, and relearning to stay ahead. Find him in his garage after hours, fine-tuning his car.
