man just got off my flight at phx and im basically still vibrating from the plane ride and the parking situation at any airport is just a huge pain in the butt and phx is no exception they design these places to confuse you and drain your wallet but ive been doing this for a while now and ive figured out my own system for parking here to save cash and not literally lose my mind trying to get to my gate or back to my car so im gonna share what ive learned and what i usually do.
where i actually park
my go-to strategy really depends on how long im gone and who im traveling with and if its just me for a quick weekend trip i might splurge a little for convenience but for a longer trip or with family and tons of bags its different but generally i try to avoid the terminal garage if i can help it because its super expensive especially for anything more than a day or two and its just not worth it unless you literally have zero other options and i mean zero its just ridiculous so my usual move is to look at the economy garages or often off-site lots and thats where it gets interesting because off-site can be a blessing or a curse and you really have to pick wisely.
so off-site lots are a mixed bag like they can be amazing but they can also be the reason you miss your flight or literally want to pull your hair out and here are some reasons why:
- they can be literally half the price of on-site parking which is a huge money saver especially for longer trips.
- the shuttles can be super convenient if they run frequently and on time and sometimes they even drop you off right at your specific terminal door which is really nice with tons of luggage.
- but then again the shuttle waiting can be an absolute nightmare especially late at night or early morning because sometimes they just dont show up for like 20 or 30 minutes and youre just standing there freezing or sweating.
- some of these lots are just poorly lit or feel a bit sketchy late at night.
- its also a whole other layer of logistics because you have to factor in the shuttle time which means leaving even earlier and then waiting when you get back.
- sometimes the online booking systems are a bit wonky or they overbook and then you get there and theres no space which is literally the worst surprise you can imagine.
so yeah you gotta weigh those pros and cons carefully when considering off-site and i usually go with a couple of specific ones that ive had good experiences with.
pro tips for long trips
when im going away for more than a few days especially like a week or more then my strategy shifts a bit because the cost really adds up fast and heres what i usually do and what i recomended others do too:
- always book your parking in advance like as soon as you book your flight because prices can literally double or triple if you wait until the last minute and sometimes they even sell out.
- check the shuttle schedules twice like know exactly when the first and last shuttles run and how frequently they come and if you have an early morning flight or late night arrival really make sure that shuttle is reliable.
- consider an uber or lyft to the airport if you find a good deal on parking that might be a bit further out or if youre just fed up with the shuttle situation because it might actually be cheaper than paying for a super expensive on-site garage if you factor in your time and stress.
- if youre flying really early or arriving super late sometimes its actually worth it to just book a cheap hotel near the airport that offers free parking for your trip and a shuttle and sometimes those deals are actually cheaper than parking alone.
- take a photo of where you park like literally take a picture of the row and space number and even the level youre on because its so easy to forget especially when youre tired and jet-lagged coming back.
and just give yourself extra time like seriously airports are always chaotic and parking just adds another layer to that so always build in a buffer because stress before a trip is just not worth it.
so yeah thats basically my rambling take on parking at phx and it helps me save some cash and keep my sanity mostly intact and i hope this helps someone else out there who feels the pain of airport parking too because its a universal struggle we all face and navigating phx can be a bit much sometimes but with a little planning you can totally beat the system or at least not let the system beat you so safe travels everybody and dont forget where you parked.