5 Off-Site Airport Parking Headaches and How to Avoid Them
In this list, I’m going to share some of the most common off-site airport parking inconveniences to watch out for.
I’m going to give you some insight into why these mishaps occur, actionable tips on how to avoid them, and what to do if it happens to you.
Let’s face it, parking off-site is a cost-effective way to park your car when you need to park and fly out of any airport. It’s one of the best budget travel hacks around.
But, if you have had a less than pleasant experience or are intimidated to try off-site airport parking, you could be missing out on some serious savings.
Let’s breakdown these airport parking faux pax so do airport parking like a pro and use that extra money to stretch your travel budget and enjoy it elsewhere.
Now more than ever, those extra dollars are needed!
1. Parking lots that oversell their spaces
The common scenario:
A traveler seemingly reserves a parking spot with an airport lot or facility. The person pulls up only to be hastily turned away and told there are no more spaces available.
This situation can trigger a snowball of anxiety that can start your trip off on a real bad foot.
When time is of the essence and you need to make a flight, the last thing you need is having to scramble and find airport parking last minute.
Worst yet, you might have to pay a premium to park somewhere else that does have last-minute availability to avoid missing your plane.
So, why are these lots being so naughty?
High travel days are a huge trigger for oversold lots. These are holiday weekends and seasonal travel days for your area.
In general, lots have a hard time keeping track of spaces especially if they work with multiple third-party reservation sites. Unfortunately, lots let in more drive-up parking customers than they should. It’s also more lucrative to accept drive-up parkers who might be paying a higher price than you paid when for your reserved space.
So what do you do to avoid this?
- If you are flying on a high-travel day, don’t risk it. Going with a larger, more reputable parking chain will probably be your best bet here. They usually have better parking space tracking protocols in place. Also, they pay more attention to their ratings and online reputation and will be more willing to accommodate parking guests when they know its an oversight on their part.
- Give yourself additional time. No one wants to be left scrambling and worrying about missing a plane. Allow yourself at least an extra half hour to get over the shock and focus on finding another parking solution.
- Have a plan B, maybe even a C. Obviously, you’re not going to plan your trip around airport parking availability but if you are traveling on high travel days, have a plan B and anticipate that this could happen.
2. Long shuttle wait times
Most airport parking lots provide complimentary shuttles to and from the airport but sometimes prompt and punctual shuttle times are not possible.
On average, expect to wait anywhere from 5-15 minutes for an airport shuttle. Anything less than this is excellent!
Anything longer than 15 minutes is annoying and risky of an unpleasant and hurried boarding experience.
And who wants to feel stranded at the arrivals level after a long flight home?
A little insight into this problem:
As of late, the pandemic has made it difficult for airport parking providers to ensure airport shuttle times and availability.
Social distance restrictions, staff shortages, and other issues related to the pandemic can directly influence the shuttle service that customers experience.
As we move into a post-pandemic world, parking providers are making adjustments and bringing in reinforcements to get back to their speedy shuttle times.
Here’s what you can do to speed up your transport and avoid missing your flight:
- Give yourself ample time. This is an obvious one but a good rule of thumb is to arrive at least 30 minutes before you want to be at the airport.
- Do your due diligence and don’t trust as advertised. Don’t throw caution in the wind based on the shuttle times the lot advertises. Call ahead and ask what the current shuttle times are and if they anticipate it to be different on the day you arrive.
- Flying Afterhours? Most lots claim to have 24/7 shuttle service but the shuttle might be on-demand or there might be fewer shuttles running after hours. Call ahead and ask if there is a different shuttle scheduled to run during those hours. They might also accommodate a shuttle specifically for your departure or arrival.
- Embrace the lots that embrace technology. I love parking lots that have included apps in their parking experience. Apps are a seamless way to communicate your arrival back to the airport and usually, a shuttle tracker is built into the app.
3. Unexplainable Dings and Dents
It’s terrible, you have a new car or even a well-maintained older one with no visible blemishes. Then, after a long trip home you discover a smashed light, a ding on your door, or a dent on one of your bumpers.
This is a violation! After all, you trusted them with your car and it seems they didn’t care for it all.
And whether you self-park or valet, your car can fall victim to this type of parking lot hit and run.
The harsh truth is many parking providers will claim they are not responsible if this happens. In fact, most any parking lot including the on-site airport garages and lot will not be held responsible.
Why don’t they claim responsibility? Cause there is no proof this happened on their lot and more times than not, their surveillance systems “fail”.
What can you do to prevent and avoid this headache?
- Give your vehicle a photoshoot. A few parking providers out there will actually take notes of your vehicles’ condition at drop off but many do not. Take pictures of your car inside and out including the odometer before going on your trip. Do it right after you park your car, it should take no more than 2 minutes. Voila! Now, you’ve got some proof.
- Read the fine print. If you have a newer car and this is a concern, call the parking lot and ask what their policy and protocol are when these incidences happen.
- Do they pack cars like sardines? Do some research on the lot, read reviews, call and ask how big their stalls are. Usually, the attendant working the phones won’t know this but if roomy spaces is one of their selling points, it will be advertised somewhere.
- Choose covered parking vs open air. Not to say a car cant get damaged when parked indoors but your chances are lowered when it is no left out in the elements for several days or weeks.
There are some parking services like the WallyPark in LAX that provide screens or cloth separators between cars to avoid dings from neighboring cars. If dings are a concern, look for parking services that have this available.
4. Catalytic Converter Theft
Catalytic converter theft is increasing year over year and unattended airport parking lots are the perfect opportunity for thieves to strike.
Vehicles that are higher off the ground like trucks and SUV’s are commonly targeted due to easier access to the converter under the car. Toyota Priuses are also a highly targeted vehicle because it has multiple converters.
If your vehicle is at risk, this is how you can detract from getting your catalytic converter stolen:
- Research the latest reviews on some of the lots you shopping around for. Reviews can provide insight on whether the parking lot is a hot spot for theft and how they go about handling this type of vandalism.
- Choose a well-lit airport parking lot that has their lights on 24/7. If they have self-parking service, park in a spot where there seems to be a good amount of activity. Vehicles that are parked in dark corners are at higher risk of being targeted.
- Paint your catalytic converter a bright color. This one takes some effort but it does deter thieves and can save you $2-$3K by not having to buy a replacement or be left stranded after a costly trip.
- An article by AllState says to carefully etch in your license plate number on the catalytic converter. This is also some additional effort but If it is stolen and found, the car part can be traced back to you.
If the unfortunate thing does happen, make sure to file a police report to help with insurance claims on your side and the parking lots side.
5. Getting “overcharged” for your parking stay
Airport parking lots charge by the max daily rate (24 hours). The industry standard is to give a 2 hour grace period. Again, don’t assume all parking lots have a grace period but most reputable lots and third-party reservation services do.
I constantly read reviews of perturbed customers upset about being “nickeled and dimed” when it was time to pick up their car and check out.
News Flash: If you go over your 24 hours plus that two-hour grace period, you will be charged another complete 24 hours.
Very rarely do I see lots charge hourly but some might work with you and accommodate you to avoid a negative review. If that does happen, you have encountered great customer service.
You might be thinking, what’s the big deal? Paying an extra day or two is not a huge expense. True, but then what is the point of trying to save money on airport parking? Those extra days will probably be charged at a higher price than you originally paid and it could affect an otherwise good parking experience if you feel the lot is being unfair.
I’m here to tell you, they’re not exactly being unfair, those travelers just underestimated how long they needed to book their parking stay.
Here is an example scenario:
Matt is flying out of LAX Airport and his trip is 7 days.
Matt’s flight departs from LAX at 11 AM, therefore, he decides to reserve his parking stay starting at 9 AM. He started 2 hours before to allot the time it will take to get to the airport, go through customs, etc.
Matt’s return flight arrives at 4 PM on the 7th day. However, his parking reservation officially ended at 11 AM, assuming he was given a 2-hour grace period.
When Matt picks up his car, he will be asked to pay for an extra day of airport parking in order to leave the parking lot.
Do not expect that the parking service will only charge you for the hours you have gone over.
Additionally, the parking lot might not honor the original daily rate you were quoted if you A) reserved ahead of time or B) used a third-party reservation site.
The Tip:
Book an extra day of airport parking if your arrival flight is more than a few hours later than the time your parking stay started.
If you come in early, some parking lots are known to refund the difference.
Those are the most common off-site airport parking headaches that happen to travelers everyday. I hope you find my tips useful. If you liked this article, please share or follow me on social media.