Are you considering using airport car parking for the first time? Or maybe you haven’t used one in quite some time. If so, doing so may be intimidating, particularly at a big airport like Melbourne. Airport parking comes in two choices: short-stay (for pick-ups and drops), and long-stay when the car is left parked during a vacation or business trip.
In order to help you save time, frustration, and maybe money, we’ll give helpful advice in this post on how to use both kinds of airport parking alternatives.
Make the best Airport Car Parking decision
If you’re leaving the country for a few days, choose long-term Airport Car Parking rather than short-term. Overstay penalties might come from improper parking. In most cases, you will be given a grace period of two hours before being subjected to the entire daily price.
Short-term parking lots at airports
Short-term airport parking lots are intended for pick-up and drop-off operations. In addition to this, they might be used for shorter vacations of one or two days spent outside of the country. Short-term parking lots are often located relatively near the terminals.
Long-term parking at airports
Short-stay parking lots are often placed closer to the terminals than long-stay parking lots are. Long-stay parking lots are typically positioned a bit farther away. On the other hand, bus shuttles that are timed to correspond with the departures of the day have been arranged so that passengers may reach the airport terminal as quickly as possible.
Consider using an airport lounge
You may be able to add lounge access to your Airport Car Parking cost if you park your vehicle in the central airport car park (also known as on-site parking). This may make the time you spend waiting for your flight more relaxing and often involves the following:
- Comfortable furniture and surroundings
- VIP service
- Quiet areas
- Business resources
- Wellness retreats
- Food and beverage
- A tranquil atmosphere
- Bathroom facilities
- Wi-Fi is free, and there are outlets.
Can I show up without making a reservation for an airport parking space?
The vast majority of airports let cars just arrive at the airport and park without requiring advance reservations. On the other hand, this can be a more costly option. For instance, the “on-the-day” pricing that airport car parking in Melbourne charges is more expensive if you do not pre-book your parking spot.
Parking times could be limited
Some parking lots may have time limits on how long you may leave your vehicle there. For example, the maximum number of days that a parking spot may be reserved in advance at some Melbourne airport car parking facilities is 99, whereas there is no maximum number of days for parking on the day of the reservation.
Think about third-party parking lots
If you reserve through a third-party parking lot, you may be able to get affordable airport parking. These include complimentary shuttle services that run between the hotel and the terminal. Finding the shuttle pick-up location could require some effort, and depending on the schedule, you might have to wait for a long time.
You’ll also need to locate the shuttle pickup location in the terminal when you get back. Because the bus may need to stop for various passengers who have parked in various spots, shuttle rides might take a while. “Valet” and “meet and greet” Airport Car Parking services are available from certain third-party airport parking providers (see below).
There is always a range of airport parking offers available, with more options close to the bigger airports.
local parking lots
Companies with locations close to airports could make Airport Car Parking available on surplus property owned by the company. When compared to third-party and on-site services, this might be one of the more affordable choices. However, the security is generally quite poor.
You may also have to take a taxi or public transportation to the airport terminal once you’ve parked, which might be a pain if you’ve got a lot of bags.