So it’s that time again. You’re getting ready for a business trip or a family visit for the holidays, and you’re stuck facing the music: you’re going to have to fly somewhere. Flying can get expensive in a hurry, and you’ll often feel that you get robbed out of your pretty penny every step of the way. Even something as simple as parking at the garage can take a hit on your wallet.
Fortunately, we’re here to help. Finding the cheapest parking at LAX may seem a little daunting at first, but this primer will set you up for success and help you find the best deals that you can.
LAX Airport Briefing
Los Angeles International Airport, more commonly known as LAX, is the main international airport that serves Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. It’s a few miles to the southwest of downtown and is close to a variety of residential and commercial hubs. LAX is located near one of the busiest areas in all of California, and, as such, sees a ton of traffic. Naturally, this means parking can be a very tedious and difficult endeavor, but more on that later!
The airport covers four runways and a series of terminals and support structures sprawled across approximately 3,500 acres of land. It’s one of the busiest airports in the world: at its peak, the airport handles approximately 80 million passengers a year. Not surprisingly, it is a key “gateway” between the USA and the rest of the world and is a centralized hub for air activity in the western United States. Although not the only airport in the region, it is the center of activity and most of your flights in the region will likely go through LAX.
There are eight parking lots at LAX: the economy lot (called Economy Lot E) and seven higher-end lots closer to the terminal (P1 through P7).
Parking at LAX
Now that we’ve established the airport and its history, it should be easy to see why some people stress over parking at this bustling location. LAX airport parking requires some clever planning in advance. You could search Google or DuckDuckGo for the cheapest LAX airport parking lot. If you do, you’ll likely find numerous parking options in the area, but some are close to a mile away.
If you’re lucky enough to get a spot in one of the lots owned by LAX, you’ll be pleased to find that you can keep your car there indefinitely – if you can afford it, that is. LAX costs 12 dollars a day for the economy lot (called Economy Lot E) and upwards of 40 dollars a day for the higher-end garages near the terminal (called P1 to P7). This cost will add up in a hurry, but you can save potentially dozens of dollars per trip by parking off-site and shuttling to LAX. This is the option that will be most common when you hunt for deals online.
For short-term parking, Economy Lot E is likely your best bet. Economy Lot E, which costs $4 for the first hour and an additional $4 for every 30 minutes afterward, caps at $12. Overnight parking is capped at a single day’s cost (12 dollars). Prices in the fancier lots will be upwards of $40, as mentioned earlier.
LAX lots have no limit as long as you can afford them.
There is no free parking at LAX unless you are on standby. LAX costs a lot of money to operate smoothly, and charging for parking at LAX is one way they stay afloat. Long story short: LAX airport parking isn’t cheap unless you capitalize on a good deal!
Best Deals for LAX Off-Site Airport Parking
How do you find the cheaper LAX airport parking lot? You search the internet and compare, or you check out a great resource like One Stop Parking! Most of the nearby parking locations are rated at least a 4 out of 5, with TravelCar taking the cake as the most acclaimed option.
One Stop Parking has a ton of deals for LAX as long as you book reasonably in advance. Some of the rates are as low as 3 dollars a day: a far cry from the 12 dollars a day you’ll be shelling out at the economy lot! Prices may naturally be more expensive due to the holiday season, so please keep that in mind.
Here is a sample search from One Stop Parking’s engine, showcasing two options for parking at LAX (or in the area) that are well under the normal rate at the economy lot. Both options are conveniently located at well-reviewed hotels. This is just an example, and there are plenty of ways you can drill down and find very specific results using the search engine. You can search based on your trip date, price range, distance, and more!
One Stop Parking’s off-site airport parking solutions are close to the terminals, usually within several miles. They offer free shuttles to the airport. You can choose a covered parking lot if you so desire. One Stop also has valet options for as little as an extra dollar a day. Its partners are carefully curated to ensure only the highest quality businesses are servicing people like you.
The site offers first-class treatment during the booking process, ensuring that you’ll be parking in a convenient location. Many of the site’s parking solutions are in the form of hotels, which could be a logical option should you desire to stay in the Los Angeles area during your trip, or return to the airport late at night and want to crash somewhere. One thing’s for sure: when it comes to LAX airport parking, One Stop Parking has you covered!