Whenever I travel for less than two weeks, I never take a taxi to the airport. Many cities have fixed taxi rates from the airport to wherever you’re going which is often more than if they just ran the meter from point A to B (fart noise).
If you travel alone more often than not like me, you’re riding in the yellow deathbox solo, and fronting that hefty bill yourself too.
Try parking your car at the airport and save yourself some loot to spend on your travels, not a dirty cabbie’s beer addiction. Here are a few tips to save some money when getting to and from the airport.
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1. Research what is the cheapest/most convenient option to park your car at the Airport
Ya, if you want to pay three bucks a day to leave your car “near the airport” then book the cheapest option you find, but make sure you check where on the map it is first. Chances are you’ll be settling for something 20 minutes away at a lot that only sends a shuttle once an hour to the airport.
Almost every airport in the US offers multiple parking options beyond the lots owned by the airport, and that means plenty of competition and low prices. Try searching “cheap airport parking (insert the city you’re checking for)” on Google to compare deals.
2. Book your airport parking online first
In a time when almost everyone does searches for local businesses and services on the web, 99% of parking lots have an internet presence and offer the ability for you to book a spot for your car before hand, and often with the benefit of “Web-Only Deals” and other promotions.
If you’re looking for cheap airport parking in the yellow pages, then 1. You probably will never find this blog or know what one is, and 2. You drive a Ford Model-T and will probably want to opt for the expensive covered lot connected to the airport anyways.
3. Traveling with 4 people? Then yes, Taxi it
If you’re traveling with a large party, then it will probably end up being cheaper for you to take a taxi to and from the airport as you can split the cost with your friends or have your parents pay for it (Sorry mom, just an opportunity cost if you want me to come home!) You also don’t have to wait for a shuttle, are picked up and dropped off door to door and will have someone put your luggage in the trunk for you (if that matters to you).
If you’re a frequent traveler, getting to the airport can start to add up, so do a little research and save yourself some $$$ and headache.