This realistic collection of travel tips helps you choose between an airport parking and a rideshare.

Most travelers who travel to destinations in other states and countries start their trip with a journey to an airport. You might often wonder what the best option is. This travel guide explores the topic in detail.

This post includes affiliate links that will earn us commission if you make a purchase via these links.

There are a few ways to cover the distance between your place to stay and the airport. In general, you could choose from four main options of getting to an airport:

• Airport parking
• Ridesharing platforms
• Taxis
• Public transport

The latter two options are not part of this overview. Taxis offer similar services to the ridesharing apps. But they are usually more expensive. This makes this option far less useful for price sensitive travelers.

Public transit tends to be the least reliable way of getting to the airport in the United States. Of course, there are a few exceptions to this rule like Chicago, New York City, and Boston.

As a result, airport parking and ridesharing are the only two options available for the major US airports. You need to compare airport parking vs rideshare before your next trip.

This collection of travel tips will first cover advantages and disadvantages of both methods. This way, you could make an informed decision about picking airport parking or rideshare for your travel needs.

1. Airport Parking

Airport parking is exactly as it sounds. You leave your car at a parking lot near the airport. You could then walk or take a shuttle bus to a terminal.

Location of the parking lots depends on the airport. There are lots on or just outside of the airport grounds. These lots differ in base pricing, fees, and services.

At-Airport Lots: cities and townships usually run these parking lots.

• They charge a premium for the proximity to the airport.
• But taxes and fees are usually part of the base price.

Off-Airport Lots: these parking lots are further away from the airport.

• You will likely need to take a shuttle to and from the terminal.
• Base price for these lots does not include taxes and fees. These could add up.
• Many off-airport lots offer covered parking and add-ons, like valet parking and a car wash.

Like any option, airport parking has a few advantages and disadvantages. You should learn them to avoid costly mistakes on your next trip.

1.1. Pros: Access, Predictability, Control

Easy access to your car, pricing predictability, and control over time are the main advantages of airport parking. The next few sections of this guide cover each of them in depth.

1.1.1. Easy access to your car

This is a major advantage of parking your car at the airport. You will appreciate the convenience of having your own car near the airport in a few cases.

• You travel with a lot of luggage.
• You have oversized bags or sports equipment, like skis, a snowboard, or a bike.
• You travel with children.
• You are part of a large family or a group of friends traveling together.

Airport parking would be the most convenient way of getting to your flight in each of these cases. It will also be a lot cheaper than getting a larger car or a couple of rideshares.

1.1.2. Pricing Predictability

This is another advantage of the airport parking. It remains true even after most parking providers introduced dynamic pricing models.

If you have a parking reservation, you guarantee a spot. You know in advance how much to budget for getting to and from the airport. You will pay the stated amount at exit as long as you do not overstay.

Most providers offer a grace period. In this case, you will not pay extra if your reservation ends before the full parking day runs out. This is very helpful if you run into flight delays.

1.1.3. Greater Control Over Time

The final advantage of airport parking is the flexibility it gives. You are in charge of getting to the airport. This way, you can better plan your departure.

You have one less thing to worry about with airport parking. As a rule of thumb, you could arrive a bit later when you use airport parking. This is true even if you need to walk to or take a shuttle to a terminal.

1.2. Cons: Cost & Risks

Of course, airport parking has its flaws. The cost of airport parking and greater risks to your car are the main disadvantages of this option.

1.2.1. High Cost of Airport Parking

A handful of travelers cite the cost of parking at an airport as a reason for not using this option. Let’s explore this drawback in more depth.

It is true that at-airport parking could be expensive. The parking garages closest to the biggest airports often charge $30+ a day. This could add up to a significant amount even for a short trip.

But airport parking is not all expensive. The cost of parking could vary a lot. The airport, parking duration, and provider all play a role in how expensive your parking is.

You could often save on airport parking if you have flexibility around your travel dates. There are a few ways to save when using airport parking, too. Here are some of the main ones:

• Travel on a weekday.
• Park a shuttle ride away from the airport.
• Check for parking coupons. This is true for off-airport parking lots.
• Check for promotions. Off-airport providers often run campaigns on their platforms.
• Confirm if your credit card offers any parking discounts.

These tips could help you find rates as low as $8 a day. This price includes taxes and fees at some off-airport parking lots.

1.2.2. Risk of Car Damage

There is one other potential downside of parking at the airport lot. Your car could suffer damage from other cars or travelers when parked near the airport.

This risk exists even when you park your car in your driveway. But there is no way to deny that the risk is higher at an airport.

Airports are high-trafficked areas. A lot of people will drive and walk past your car during the parking period. Some people will be in a hurry to catch their flight. They could slam their doors open.

Outright vandalism and car theft are rare at the US airports and nearby parking lots. But minor scratches and paint chips are possible.

You could never eliminate this risk. But there are ways to reduce it a good deal. Just follow a few tips to get your car in the same condition as you leave it.

• Do not leave any valuables in your car.
• Park not too far away from other cars.
• Pick a side spot that neighbors just one other car.
• Park as close to the curb as you feel comfortable.

These tips will help you leave only one side of the car at risk for potential damage. This is a 50% decrease in your risk. Not a bad result for following just a couple of tips.

2. Rideshare

Ridesharing is a way of traveling from Point A to Point B. You will be riding in someone else’s car. This person is usually not a taxi or cab driver.

Most people might find an idea of riding with a stranger a bit disturbing. In case of a rideshare, an app is involved. It means that using a rideshare requires some preparation.

• You first need to download a mobile app.
• Then you create an account.
• You could request a ride after your account is all set.
• A driver will accept the ride.
• You wait for the driver to arrive at the pickup location.
• You pay for the ride using a credit card on file.

Ridesharing apps took off in the last decade. They became a major transport mode throughout the United States. But availability of ridesharing apps differs when you travel abroad.

• Ridesharing apps only pair riders with taxis in some countries, like Türkiye and Ireland.
• Other countries, like Denmark, banned ridesharing platforms partially or completely.

Wherever available, ridesharing platforms have a few pros and cons. The next few sections of this travel guide discuss both their advantages and disadvantages.

2.1. Pros: Convenience, Gas Savings, Customization

Convenience, gas savings, and customization are the main advantages of ridesharing. There are often the reason why people choose a rideshare over airport parking.

2.1.1. Convenience

Comfort in getting both to and from the airport is the major advantage of ridesharing. Ridesharing platforms offer a door-to-door services.

You could leave it to a driver to deal with traffic after the pickup. As a result, you could relax and enjoy a ride to the airport. You will appreciate this comfort even more in a few cases.

• After a long transatlantic or transpacific flight.
• After a red-eye flight.
• During bad weather.

2.1.2. Gas Savings

This is another advantage of a rideshare. A few ridesharing fares include a fuel surcharge. But the driver covers the cost of gas in most cases. As a result, you might get some savings.

You could also preserve your car better by using a rideshare. In this case, you could just leave your car in your driveway or in a garage.

This way, you will put less miles on the car. The risks of damage and at-fault accidents are also slimmer. You are far less likely to miss your flight by getting a flat tire, too.

2.1.3. Customization

Ridesharing platforms give you a high degree of customization. You could book a more spacious car than your own. You could carpool to the airport more easily.

It could be more cost-efficient and eco-friendly to use ridesharing. Imagine if you travel with a group of friends. You could pick them all up in the same ride and split the fare.

2.2. Cons: Unpredictability & Control

The pricing unpredictability is the main downside of the ridesharing apps for the riders. But this how the ridesharing platforms make money.

These platforms work as two-sided marketplaces. The prices you see depend on the supply and demand dynamics. The number of riders and drivers varies greatly.

It depends on the time of the day and the day of the week. There are more drivers on the weekends. But you could find it difficult to get a ride on weekday night.

The price you pay for the airport trip differs a lot, too. The ridesharing apps surge prices during the peak times, such as the morning rush hour.

You will pay a lot more if you try to book a ride on a major public holiday. There might be very few drivers working at that time. Good luck trying to get a ride share on a New Year’s Day or Thanksgiving.

As a result, it is difficult to budget for the ridesharing trip accurately. You might often pay more than you thought. On the bright side, the ride-sharing platforms often run promotions allowing you to save a bit.

2.2.1. Control

Lower control is another disadvantage of ridesharing. You never know what driver the ridesharing platform will pair you with.

• Your driver could be unfamiliar with the traffic patters in your city.
• They might not speak the language fluently or at all.
• They might be too talkative when you want to spend time in silence.
• The driver could have a dirty car or malfunctioning air conditioning.

You could resolve issues with the platform. But there is a trade-off. You would need to spend valuable time doing so. This could put you at risk of missing your flight.

It is best to leave for the airport a bit earlier when using a ridesharing app. This way, you could account for driver availability and potential issues on the way.

Takeaways: Airport Parking vs Rideshare

When you decide on the best way to get to the airport, you need to consider your needs and budget. But cost comes into the forefront with all other things equal.

Use this easy-to-follow method to pick the better option between airport parking and rideshare.

1. Check the price for an airport ride beforehand.

• Always check a couple of ride sharing apps.
• Do so a few days ahead of your trip.
• Try it during the same time as your ride.
• All this effort will help you estimate the ride’s base price.
• Add tip to the base price.

2. Multiple this total ride cost by two to account for the ride home.

• This is your “magic number”.
• It is the amount you will pay for a ride unless you run into surge pricing.
• This number will stay similar for the near future.
• Update it every year or so.

3. Benchmark the “magic number” against the airport parking rates.

• Always compare a few parking providers.
• Account for discounts and promotions that could be running.

4. Pick the cheapest option that fits your needs.

5. Divide the “magic number” by the lowest daily parking rate to save time for the future trips.

• The result is a number of days.
• Airport parking will be cheaper if your trip is shorter than this day count.
• Otherwise, rideshare wins.
• Airport parking is cheaper for trips of up to 6 days for most people. Rideshare is better for trips of a week or more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Safe realist travels!