Booking airport parking online can save you 40% or more
New ACCC analysis highlights just how expensive Australian airport parking is.
It's no shock that airport parking is costly, but it's shocking how much money Australia's biggest airports make from it.
The annual report from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on the performance of Australia's biggest airports is out today. It's a treasure trove of airport data for travel nerds like me, and it's the parking figures that show (as always) the importance of careful planning and shopping around before you travel.
Australia's four biggest airports (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth) have a grand total of 85,084 car parking spaces. The total profit across those airports from parking is a whopping $278 million. (That's profit, not revenue.)
Of course, if you need to drive to the airport, you don't have much choice about paying. The big lesson is to book online, where you'll generally get a discount compared to the price you pay if you just rock up at the boom gate.
The table below shows how much you'll pay for short-term parking at each of these airports if you just drive up, and how much you'll save if you book in advance online.
| City | Drive up (30-60 mins) | Online (30-60 mins) | Online discount | Drive up (2-3 hours) | Online (2-3 hours) | Online discount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brisbane | $15.87 | $14.54 | 8.4% | $25.28 | $18.03 | 28.7% |
| Melbourne | $14.28 | $11.71 | 18.0% | $27.45 | $20.93 | 23.8% |
| Perth | $11.91 | - | - | $21.37 | - | - |
| Sydney | $18.15 | $12.87 | 29.1% | $35.37 | $20.96 | 40.0% |
Sydney has the most expensive car parking, but also has the biggest discounts. Bad news for Perth residents: there's no online booking discount. As a rule, the longer you stay, the better the discount.
The discounts for off-airport parking (where you take a shuttle to reach the actual terminal) are even higher, and the prices themselves are often lower. But whether you want the lowest possible price or the convenience of being nearer to the terminal, it's definitely still worth booking in advance.
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Picture: Shutterstock
Angus Kidman's Findings column looks at new developments and research that help you save money, make wise decisions and enjoy your life more. It appears regularly on Finder.
