Traveling through the air is what most of us consider as the safest, fastest and most efficient means of transportation. Air traveling is one thing, but parking your car at the airport is a different story. There are factors that you need to consider once you decide to park your car at the airport.
Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of airport parking:
PROS
1. Comfort
Airport car park is made for the comfort, convenience, and suitability of the commuters. What makes it comfortable is that you just have to take a few steps after parking your car to reach the terminal. It saves you the hassle of dealing with public transportation that is in most cases, slow and inefficient.
2. Cost and Time Efficiency
Cost efficiency is a double-edged sword, it can be a pro, but it can also be a con when not used in the right way. Most airports offer parking spaces that can be booked ahead of time for a specific rate nowadays. The rates of parking spaces really depend on the airport, and some areas may be more expensive than others due to its location. Parking spaces that are closer to the terminal might have a bigger charge compared to those that are far from the terminal’s entrance.
Booking your space ahead of time gives you immunity of the stress caused by driving around the parking area for at least an hour looking for a vacant space. Upon entering the airport, there will already be a space reserved for you. Therefore, you’ll have a lot of time for more important things.
3. Security
There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of a business meeting away from home and having to worry about the well being of your prized and precious automobile, especially if it’s a limousine. If you decide to avail of the airports’ parking services, you should not worry about your car getting damaged, and what’s worse, getting broken into.
Most airports nowadays have 24/7 around-the-clock security surveillance that can monitor the whereabouts of your car so that you can relax wherever you are. But don’t take this easy though, more about this down under.
CONS
1. Security
Most airport security is very much reliable when it comes to the safety of its travelers and their vehicles. But you’ll never know what’s going to happen and some mistakes might occur due to human error. Because of the large number of cars and people in the airport, security might not have enough resources to keep every vehicle safe.
Make sure that you do not leave your essential and precious belongings in your car, since it could attract potential threats. There’s nothing to lose for being 110% extra careful. So, before you entrust your car to the airport’s security, know their capabilities first when it comes to the safety and well being of your vehicle.
2. Cost
Parking at the airport can save you lots of money, but at the same time, it can also absorb a large amount of your financial resources. Some airports charge USD25-50 per day as your parking fee, which is much higher when compared to taking a public transportation.
There are also Off-Site parking services that are usually much cheaper compared to the airport’s fees. These are not under the airport’s jurisdiction, but are privately owned. Most Off-Site parking offers valet service, and it’s mostly located at a walking distance from the airport. Some don’t even have to walk, for most of it have a shuttle that can bring you from the parking establishment to the airport terminal.
So before you even decide to book your parking space at the airport, make sure you weigh in a ton of your options. In that way, you can come up with the most cost-efficient travel plan to suit your needs. Take note that there are also airports that offer free parking services.
Conclusion:
When weighing in the Pros and Cons of airport parking, the Pros do not outweigh the Cons, and the Cons do not also outweigh the Pros.
“Savvy budget conscious customers can use parking apps to find public and private parking near the airport and simply Uber the short distance to and from the airport. Generally your car is much safer this way too,” advises Charles Cridland, co-founder of YourParkingSpace, a parking reservation app.
First of all, it really depends on your location. In some places, parking your car at the airport and paying the fees might be the best choice because of the unreliable and overpopulated public transportation, while in some areas it might be the other way around. Before jumping into decisions, know your options thoroughly, and consider every factor.
