Everything You Need to Know about Airport Parking

Parking your car at the airport can be a stressful experience. There are too many entrances and exits, signs pointing to this way and that, and you’ve got to remember where you parked. If you’ve never driven yourself to the airport or left your car in the airport carpark before, read this guide to help you get through it as quickly and as stress-free as possible.

Can I Pre-book Airport Parking?

You have two options when it comes to paying for airport parking. You can simply show up and pay when you get there or you can pre-book your parking space on the airport website or via a third-party site. If you wish to pay when you get there, you’ll find several automatic ticket machines around the carpark.

By booking online, you are guaranteed a parking space and you will save yourself the hassle of finding a good spot to park. You can save money on airport parking by booking online, and you can save further money by purchasing a park, stay, and fly package.

What Airport Parking Options Are There?

You have the option of on-airport parking and off airport parking. With on-airport parking, there are short-term parking areas, where you will need to pay for parking by the hour, and long-term parking areas, where you will be charged in 24-hour increments. If you’re planning a multi-day trip, then you will need to park your car in the long-term parking lot.

You also have the option of using a meet and greet service at the airport. This valet-style service will need to be booked in advance. With this service, you park your car at a drop-off point near your terminal and give your keys to a meet and greet staff member. One of their drivers will park your car in the carpark for you and when you return, they will drive it back to the terminal and hand back your keys. This service is often preferred by people will lots of luggage, individuals with young children, and individuals with disabilities.

Some people prefer to drive to the airport the day before their flight and spend the night at an airport hotel, especially if they have an early flight. Most airport hotels offer their guests the option of keeping their car parked in the hotel parking lot during their trip and getting the shuttle from the hotel to the terminal.

Off-airport parking are parking facilities that are not on airport property. Some of these carparks are airport-approved and are Independent Airport Parking Association (IAPA) members, and we advise you to use these ones to ensure that your car is parked in a safe place. There are park and ride carparks situated near to the airport, with the convenience of a regular shuttle service for you to ride to the airport, hence the name “park and ride”. Some off-airport carparks, usually multi-storey ones, offer meet and greet services. If you use an off-airport carpark, it will take you a bit of extra time to get to the terminal, so take that into account when prepping for your trip and set off for the airport a little earlier.

Airport Parking Tips

You should always get to the airport car park with plenty of time before your flight. This will give you time to navigate the carpark, find a parking space, figure out how to get to your terminal, check in, and get through security before boarding.

You should be driving slowly anyway, but don’t get stressed or feel pressured to speed up if there is a queue of people behind you. Give yourself time to read all the signs and park up. If possible, get a parking spot near to your terminal so you can get to your departure gate faster. Airport carparks are large, so make a note of the bay and row you parked in so you don’t get lost looking for your car when you return from your trip.

If you’re using the meet and greet parking service, write down your car’s mileage and fuel gauge to give yourself peace of mind. If your car key is on a key ring with your other keys, you should separate it before giving your keys to the employee.

If you’re using a hotel carpark or off-airport parking, check the shuttle’s running times. It’s usually a 24-hour service, but you want to know how long the waiting time is in-between shuttles.

The Best Ways to Protect Your Car

Make sure that the airport carpark you’re using has been awarded a Park Mark. These are parking lots that have been inspected by the police and have been deemed safe by them. These carparks will have security and CCTV cameras.

Car break-ins have been known to happen at airport carparks. The best way to prevent this it to not leave anything valuable inside your car, and if you do decide to leave something in it, make sure it is not visible through the windows. The best thing to do is to store things in the trunk.

Take a video and several photographs of every angle of your car before your flight so that you have evidence of the condition you left your car in should it be dented or scratched when you get back. Don’t just rely on the CCTV cameras working in the carpark.

Take a photograph of your parking ticket. That way, if it goes missing, you’ll have a copy of it and proof that you purchased it. If you book your parking online, print several copies of the confirmation email and any other important details and save the documents on your phone or laptop.

Will Airport Parking Be Covered by Travel Insurance?

Your non-refundable pre-booked airport parking fees will be covered for cancellation, curtailment, travel delay, and abandonment under all Oasis Travel Insurance policies. If you have purchased our COVID-19 travel cover add-on, your non-refundable pre-booked airport parking fees will be covered if you need to cancel or curtail your trip due to COVID-19. Travel insurance does not provide cover for cars that incur damage or are stolen while at an airport carpark; this should be covered by your car insurance. If your car is damaged by a meet and greet driver, they should have insurance coverage to cover the costs.