When planning a vacation, there are several details you need to consider. You have to plan your every step to ensure your trip goes well. From the dates of your vacation down to the location where you will be staying, everything needs to be sorted. While making this step-by-step flowchart of the holidays, details about your mode of commute and the incurred charges should also be laid out. For those concerned with the airport parking prices, here are some tips. Have a look!
How to reduce airport parking expenses?
- Schedule parking ahead of time:
Since driving to the airport can save you the trouble of depending on anyone, be it your friends, auto drivers, or cab facility, it is one of the safest options. Flyers who pick this option can leave their vehicles at the airport parking and rest assured they will be safe upon their return. To avoid paying a hefty airport parking fee, travellers should schedule their parking as early as possible. It is so because booking a parking space at the last minute tends to be expensive. On the other hand, reserving a spot in advance can ensure cheaper rates and better deals.
- Compare the prices:
To cut airport parking costs, you need to make some efforts. While advance booking can help you limit expenses, you should also compare prices before making an online reservation. It is so because many businesses offering airport parking offer special deals. At times, you may come across a website offering enticing discounts to their first-time customers. You can contact them to reserve a parking spot and save time and money. If comparing the prices manually seems like a lot of work, you can find a good comparison website to do this activity for you. They can complete the task in a few seconds, so you can make an informed decision.
- Look for online coupons:
To save time and expenses on airport parking, one solution is to look for online coupons for your departure airport. Most facilities offer deals that might not be advertised on the airport’s website but are displayed on third-party pages. These deals typically come by when flyers are looking to leave their cars at the airport’s economy parking lot.
- Airport rewards program:
Flyers who often commute via flight for business or pleasure purposes, should try the airport rewards program. It is an excellent option for saving money on airport parking. While most facilities offer frequent flyer programs to help you save money on flights, some offer discounts on airport parking. To know whether this option is available for you, contact your airport and ask questions about the different programs they offer. You might be surprised to learn how much you can save by availing of these rewards programs.
- Consider using public transportation:
If you wish to totally skip the high prices of airport parking, one possible option is to use public transportation. Think about all the options, including booking a cab, asking someone to drop you at the facility, or taking a metro, bus, or auto. Depending on where you live, you can find an option that ensures an easy commute. So, for example, if you are departing from Delhi Airport, you can always use the metro service to reach the facility. The rail network is spread across all corners of Delhi NCR and offers connectivity to the IGI Airport, Terminal 3. For those flyers whose home is situated away from the metro line, other options like DTC buses are available. Otherwise, you can also book an Uber/Ola or hire an auto to reach the airport.
- Fly from a regional airport:
Flying from a smaller or regional airport can be another possible way of saving time and money on airport parking. While it is understandable that not people have this option, those who can find a smaller airport nearby that can help them reach their holiday destination should definitely opt for this. It is so because smaller airports witness lesser crowds, because of which more parking spaces are available here. This, in turn, means cheaper parking rates. At some regional airports, you may even get the option to park for free.
- Request someone to drop you at the facility:
If you don’t have the option of public transportation or flying from a regional airport, you can ask someone to drop you off. Flyers with a friend or family member willing to take them to the facility are in luck! They can board the flight without spending a dime and don’t need to worry about the security of their car since it will be at home. All they need to concern themselves with is to ensure someone will come and pick them up from the facility.
- Park your car at an offsite airport parking lot:
Flyers seeking to avoid the hefty prices one needs to pay for using the airport parking can station their car at an offsite airport parking lot. Typically, these spaces are not situated far away from the facility and have much cheaper rates. These businesses specialise in providing affordable and convenient parking space at about three times cheaper rates. Some of them also offer shuttle facilities to drop you to the airport as needed. Thus, it helps you save time and money on airport parking while ensuring ease.
- Try the parking apps:
Another method you can try to avoid paying steep airport parking charges is by using parking apps. There are numerous offsite parking applications you can install on your cell phone. These apps are very intuitive and easy to use, so even those people, who are not tech-friendly can use them conveniently. These applications allow you to find a cheap parking spot at your fingertips. Moreover, since they do most of the work, they also help you save time and effort.
- Park at a nearby hotel:
Many flyers opt to leave their cars at a nearby hotel since the parking spaces at these facilities are much cheaper. They allow you to save money and offer a shuttle service to drop you off to and from the airport. Parking at a nearby accommodation is the perfect option for those flying from another city and need to find a place to stay before flying out.
- Don’t forget to read the fine print:
Reading the fine print is recommended when booking airport parking. It is so because the conditions mentioned here can incur additional fees. In these cases, going through the document can save you from paying any extra surprise fee you were unaware of. It can help you save money and ensure a complete understanding of the service. Thus, being careful before signing for any service is recommended.
To Sum Up:
Going abroad for business or pleasure is a lot of fun, but it also requires extensive planning. To have a pleasant journey, you need to plan out every step in detail. Also, you should cut your costs so you do not go bankrupt once you are back from your trip. For this, you have to save money wherever possible. One such place where you can reduce your expenses is airport parking. Since stationing your car at the facility is typically expensive, you should follow the tips mentioned above to save a few bucks.
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