With over nine terminals and more than 80 million passengers in 2017 alone, the Los Angeles International Airport or LAX is the second busiest airport in the United States. With over 1500 planes landing and taking off in a day, LAX sees heavy traffic most days. With the airport being around 17 miles from downtown getting to and from LAX can pose a problem. While you can opt for rideshare or ask friends/family to drop off/pick up at the terminal, those are not the most convenient options. Getting dropped off curbside at LAX, while convenient, is not practical for everyone, especially considering surge pricing and the distance from the city. We’ve compiled a list of the options available for both long- and short-term parking so that driving down to LAX becomes an easy option for you.
Onsite LAX parking lots
There are 8000 onsite parking spots at LAX Airport spread across two lots. Onsite parking in the Los Angeles Airport includes short-term parking and long-term parking. Short-term LAX parking is available at the Central Terminal Area parking lots for $5 an hour and at the Economy Lot E for $4 an hour. Long-term LAX parking is available in the Central Terminal Area parking lots for $40 per day and at the Economy Lot E for $12 per day. Bike Parking is also available in some areas within the Central Terminal Area.
Offsite LAX parking lots
Onsite LAX parking lots aren’t exactly easy on your wallet, and that’s putting it mildly! Also, the cheaper the lots, the Economy Lot E is far away enough from the terminals to necessitate shuttle service. So, if you’re going to need parking for a few days or even more, you might want to consider looking at offsite parking near LAX. Offsite lots are usually much cheaper than the official lots. Yes, admittedly, they may be a little further away from the LAX airport. Still, that can weigh in their favor rather than against it. The reason being the infamous LAX traffic blocks. You don’t want to be sitting and waiting for hours as cars queue up for entry into the lot just before boarding a flight, do you? Offsite LAX parking lots are usually a little further from the airport and are spared the congestion that plagues LAX. You can drive up pretty easily, park your car quickly, and hop on to a shuttle that will get you to the airport in less than 10 minutes. What’s more many of the lots that offer parking near LAX offer some pretty cool add-on options like valet services, oil change, car wash, and car detailing!
Why choose offsite parking near LAX
It’s all about the money, honey! Here’s how it works – let’s say you’ve got to go out of town for 5 days. Even if you manage to find a spot at the Economy Lot (it does tend to get sold out pretty fast!), you’ll end up spending $60 for 5 days of parking. Now, contrast this with an offsite lot you’ll find on websites like Way.com. Offsite lots offer parking near LAX for around $6/7 a day – half the amount you’ll spend at the ‘cheaper’ onsite LAX parking lot! This works out to be a pretty affordable $30 for 5 days of parking. Even an Uber or Lyft will cost you more, not to mention having to wait around to get picked up after an exhausting flight. Still not convinced? Well, what about the fact that you’ll be spoilt for choice if you are willing to choose parking near LAX instead of parking at LAX Airport? Way.com, for instance, has over 57 lots for you to choose from compared to the 2 official LAX parking lots. What’s more, you’ll get to compare the prices, services and even check out user reviews before you book your Los Angeles Airport parking spot! Oh, and did we mention how secure the offsite LAX parking lots are? Yes, almost all of them have gated entry, camera surveillance, and 24-hour security.
Hotel parking near LAX Airport
There are several hotels near LAX Airport that will let your park your car in their hotel parking lot even if you do not book a room with them. Since hotels do not advertise or market these services directly, it might be best if you book through parking websites or mobile apps that allow you to book Los Angeles Airport parking online. Hotel parking near LAX Airport usually costs around $6 to $10 per day.
Why choose LAX Hotel Parking
You’ll get to park your car at a premium hotel in LA, in a parking lot near the airport. Most hotels have pretty tight security, so you don’t need to worry about your car’s safety either. Also, if your flight gets in at an unearthly hour and you don’t feel up to driving all the way home, you can book yourself a room to catch up on your beauty sleep. Ditto, if you have to catch an early flight. There’s no need for you to reach your destination haggard and sleep-deprived when you can stay overnight in a hotel near the airport. Some of these hotels offer discount packages on parking for travelers who book an overnight stay so that they can park, sleep and fly from LAX. Almost all airport hotels provide a 24/7 free shuttle service to LAX to make your parking experience with them even better.
LAX Parking Tips
Here are few tips that can make your parking in Los Angeles International Airport a breeze:
- Book your LAX parking spot in advance – In fact, we suggest that you book your LSO Angeles Airport parking spot as soon as you book your flight ticket. This will let you choose the cheapest, and best airport parking LAX has to offer. Once the LAX parking spots start getting sold out, demand will exceed supply, and rates will shoot up.
- Go offsite to save time and money – This is, without doubt, one of the best ways to get cheap LAX parking! Most of the offsite garages that offer parking near LAX are barely minutes away from the airport. They also provide free LAX shuttle service, making the need to park onsite pointless.
- Don’t drive-up; book online –This is the simplest way to get the cheapest Los Angeles airport parking. Reserve your guaranteed LAX parking online from the comfort of your home instead of driving up to a lot only to be turned away because the lot is sold out… ouch!