People throughout the Greater Cleveland Area fly out of Cleveland Hopkins Airport for many reasons. Vacation, business, holidays, weddings and funerals are among a myriad of causes that bring travelers to the airport. While the travelers and motivations are diverse, most have the same issues…parking. Depending on how long you will be out of town, where to park your car is a primary concern that has been dealt with and continues to be an important factor when making plans to travel.
There are many options to choose from for parking as well as alternatives to parking at/or near the airport. On Site Airport Parking There are 5 on-site parking lots for Cleveland-Hopkins Airports. These are the Curbside Valet, The Brown Lot, The Smart Lot, the Orange and the Blue Lot. Many travelers everyday choose to park at the airport. One key reason is convenience.
You drive to the airport, park your car and catch your flight. Ranging in price from $9-25 per day, on site parking can add up depending on how long you are away. The Curbside Valet is the most expensive option this is due to being the closest to the airport and the valet service included. For curb service, you are looking at $25 per day. In addition to parking, the Curbside Valet offers many services such as carwashes and oil changes. The Red, Blue, Orange and Brown lots vary in price based on proximity to the airport.
The Brown Lot is the least expensive and they offer a shuttle service to the airport. At $9 per day, this is a good choice if you are traveling on a budget. The Orange lot is connected to the Smart Garage. It has connected and covered access to the airport. Parking here is $13 per day. The Blue Lot is located across the street from the Sheraton Hotel, which is walking distance from the airport.
Parking at the Blue lot is $14 per day. The Red lot, which is also located by the Sheraton is $16 per day. The Smart Lot, which has state-of-the-art driver assistance to open parking spaces is $18 per day. Off Site Airport Parking There are off site parking options near the airport.
Park-n-Fly is located less than a mile from the airport. In addition to having free shuttle service to and from the airport, Park-n-Fly offers free car washes, online reservations and a Frequent Parker Rewards Program that helps increase savings. Online per day parking starts at $10.95 per day and the lot is open 24/7. Airport Fast Park and Park Place Parkings are viable parking options by the airport. In addition to offering many of the same features as Park-n-Fly, Airport Fast park and Park Place Parking offer car transportation to the airport, outdoor rated GFIs and complimentary newspapers and beverage. Parking fees per day start at $10 per day. Uber/Lyft More travelers in Cleveland have decided to opt out of the parking question entirely and use Uber and/or Lyft to go to and from the airport. Many have found this to be an outstanding choice.
One major reason is convenience. You no longer have to worry about the conditon of your car being in a parking deck while you are gone. In some cases, taking an Uber or Lyft can be less expensive than paying for parking by the airport and you do not have to actually drive to the airport, which can be stressful if dealing with rush hour traffic. You can sit back, put on your headphones and enjoy the ride to the airport.
A major drawback can be the cost of the ride, especially if you live far from the airport (Some fares can be $30 and up one way, especially during a surge period where fares are more) and if you are returning from your trip in a day or two, it may not be a good value. RTA Park and Ride There are several RTA Park and Ride parking lots located throughout the city where you can hop on the Rapid and ride directly to the airport. Many people use this option to save money on parking as many of the lots are free to use.
Rapid fare being $2.50 per person one way, $10 for two people versus $9 or more per day for parking, it is easy to see why many travelers choose to use the RTA Park and Ride to save on traveling costs, especially if you are going on a 3-5 day vacation or business trip. A major concern is the safety and security of your car. RTA police patrol the lots daily so that is more than enough to suffice many people. Another concern is taking public transportation to and from the airport. If riding on the train with strangers is not your thing, this may not be a good choice for you. However, thousands of Cleveland residents have no issues with this and the RTA Park and Ride is a way of life for many commuters. Family and Friends Drop Off For many Clevelanders, their parking solution is being dropped off and picked up by friends and family. This for numerous reasons is an phenomenal choice. You get to ride with familar people, which is invaluable. Friends and family at times may not be reliable all the time. You may miss your flight entirely due to your spouse oversleeping and your brother may run late picking you up because he forgot when your flight was landing. This can create alot of problems for your timetable and your overall mental state. Summary As previously stated, parking is a genuine issue when planning a trip that requires you to fly. For many of us, paying for parking cuts into the all-important spending money you have allocated for your trip. This is critical because you never know what can happen when you are out of town and those pennies add up. For some, expedience and peace of mind trumps savings while others are open to money-saving ideas when trip planning. Hopefully, this article has helped you in deciding which alternative is optimal for you.
