Travel Hacks That Actually Work: How to Make Airport Parking Easy

Travelling the world is an incredibly rewarding and enriching experience – it benefits your physical, mental, and emotional health. You can travel abroad without ransacking your piggy bank by taking advantage of great deals. It’s a matter of knowing where to look. You can opt for parking at the airport when going on a trip. Not only is it close, but it’s also convenient. You don’t have to wait for an Uber or taxi to finish your journey home. Your holiday begins and ends in the same place: the airport car park. You need a good start and a happy ending, but if you’re parking at the airport for the first time, it can be an overwhelming experience. Please continue reading if you want to have a smooth airport parking experience.

Book Your Parking Spot Online in Advance

In case you didn’t know, you’re charged more for airport parking when paying on arrival as opposed to booking online in advance. The reason for this is that airport parking is similar to flights, meaning it’s based on capacity. You get the best price only if you book in advance. There’s no better time than now to book airport parking, so tick it off your to-do list. If you leave it until the last minute, it can cost you a fortune. Even booking online on the day of your flight is more affordable than turning up at the airport and parking.

Booking airport parking ahead of time guarantees your car parking space and the service you requested at the desired price. There’s no time limit on how far in advance you should book-it can be the following day, the next week, or one month from now. Your travel planning isn’t complete until you reserve a parking spot. Long-term airport parking is worth the money spent on it, so you’re untroubled by worry as you discover new places. You must arrive early to have enough time to park, unload, and transfer to the terminal (if you’re in a rush, the parking lot is a short walk from the terminal).

What’s Best: Parking Onsite or Offsite?

There are different types of airport parking, so choose the right solution for your needs. Airport parking falls into two categories: onsite and offsite. Onsite airport parking is provided by the airport and is a short walk from the terminal. It includes long-term car parks in Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. Since you’re as close to the terminal as possible, you can forget all about time-consuming transfers. To provide customers peace of mind, many parking lots are equipped with CCTV cameras, so the vehicles are always secure. Onsite airport parking is ideal for families with lots of luggage or business travellers.

As the name suggests, offsite airport parks aren’t located on the airport grounds. You must catch a shuttle bus to the terminal. Indeed, it adds a little time to your journey, but offsite parking has the advantage of low cost. You can park your car for several weeks or months at a much lower price than the airport, so make sure to explore the rates of nearby independent car parks. For example, in Perth, there are seven parking providers. The parking spots are significantly cheaper than what Perth Airport charges. The holidays are crunch times, meaning the best spots fill up fast, so it will be harder to find offsite airport parking Perth if you don’t act fast.

Use A Comparison Site to Search the Web & Find Good Deals

If you’re looking for a quick strategy that will save you time, it’s better to use a comparison site to find the best airport parking deals. Some online platforms allow you to compare, reserve, and pay parking providers. If you’re flying out of Sydney Airport, you can find alternatives to parking at the airport, getting a cheaper price than booking directly. Book Sydney airport parking well in advance, and you could cut the cost by a third, but the exact savings depend on when and where you’re making the reservation. Once you’ve found the lowest price, see if you can get a cashback.

You may be able to include extra services in your reservation, such as keeping keys, car wash, and child seats. Equally, you can add extra passengers for the shuttle transfer. If your flight details aren’t yet available, but you want to book a parking space, fill in the name of the airport of your departure and the airport of your arrival instead of the flight numbers. After successfully making a reservation, a confirmation email is sent out detailing the access mode. It’s recommended to print out that email and present it upon arrival to have evidence when you meet with the parking provider.

Look For a Clear Cancellation Policy

Your reservation should be flexible in case you can’t make it because of flight cancellation due to staff shortages. Even if the parking provider offers free cancellation, reach out to see if that’s a possibility or you can rebook. If you’re not able to cancel the reservation, you can contact the travel insurer, but remember that many policies don’t cover extras such as airport parking. You can check your reservation by logging into your account 24 hours before departure. At times, confirmed reservations can be cancelled or altered right before travel time.

Concluding Thoughts

Many people are staying put but exploring the hidden gems that Australia has to offer. Still, nothing compares with getting away from it all. The costs of travelling abroad can be steep, but airport parking can be more expensive than the flight. As an adult, you don’t ask your friends to drop you off or pick you up from the airport, so use your car to save your friendships. Using your own car is your best bet to get to the airport, not to mention the most convenient option.  Many airports allow drivers to arrive and park without pre-booking, charging on-the-day prices, so you’ll have to dig deep into your pocket. We strongly recommend booking at least one month in advance of your trip.

Gage Cockse

“Analyst. Web buff. Wannabe beer trailblazer. Certified music expert. Zombie lover. Explorer. Pop culture fanatic.”