Planning Your Honeymoon

Worried About Travel Fees? Slash Airport Parking Costs With Research, Coupons, And Hotel Stays

26 January 2015

Flenn Austin

Parking fees are like sand at the beach. They're everywhere when you're on vacation and they can be really irritating when you're trying to have a nice time. If your vacation is on a carefully planned budget, these costs can even be a worry. Fortunately, you can minimize your parking expenses during a trip with several different methods, so you don't have to see them as an unavoidable nuisance anymore.

Do Your Research Before You Plan

The first step before you decide how to cut costs is to know what the costs are, but not everyone has the benefit of knowing in advance what the airport will charge for parking. If you don't know what to expect in terms of parking fees and long term parking plans, don't worry. Most airports post their pricing information online, making it much easier to plan your trip. You can also call the airport directly and ask questions about pricing and whether you can save with a reservation.

Once you know how much the parking will cost, it's time to decide whether you want to leave your car at the airport or avoid the expense. In some cases, the cost of avoiding the expense can be even higher than the parking fees themselves. For example, if 5 days of parking is $75 and you spend $80 taking a cab from your home to the airport and back, you might as well have parked your car in the lot and skipped the taxis altogether.

Get Your Coupon Clipping On

Like many things people buy nowadays, parking has its own coupons. Some may shave off only a few dollars, but others may be able to cut the price down significantly. You can use typical coupon websites to find what you need, but don't overlook other sources. If you are a member of a group or subscribe to a service that offers travel discounts, you could find some pretty hefty savings there too. Such groups include members like AAA, AARP, insurance companies, IEEE, Student Advantage, CityPass, and more.

Once you have your ideal coupon, be sure to read the fine print. Some coupons work only with reserved parking, which means you'll have to call ahead and let the airport know you'll be renting a space. Other coupons are hassle-free and can be given to the parking attendant once your stay is over. Make sure also that your coupon won't have expired by the time you want to use it. For the ones that you hand over at the end of your stay, that means it will need to be valid until after your trip is over.

Check With Your Hotel

If you're spending even one night at a hotel near your departure airport, you might want to pull the concierge aside for a moment and ask about parking options. Many hotels will give you several days of free parking at or near the airport in return for booking even a one night stay, and some will offer further discounts on extended parking options. If you haven't yet booked your hotel, however, make sure to check in advance whether it has parking deals, since smaller hotels or inns may not offer them.

In some cases, if your parking will cost more than a hotel stay, you may be able to cut costs by booking a hotel room even when you don't need one. Plus, then you get the enjoy the hotel amenities while saving money in the long run. How cool is that?

Whether you discover the simple airport parking won't be so bad after all, use a coupon to cut them down to size, or save money by relaxing at the side of the hotel pool, one thing is certain: parking fees don't need to ruin your trip. Using a phone and the internet, you can do a little research to save a lot of money -- which means you can start saving for your next vacation right away.

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