Airport Parking in Seattle: An Experiment in Savings

I don’t know who said, “Getting there is half the fun,” but as far as I’m concerned, that person had spent too much time in the sun. Getting there is no fun, particularly when you’re flying to your cruise departure port.

The last time I drove to the Seattle Seatac airport for a flight to a cruise, I was shunted from one “sorry full” parking lot to another until I wound up with a 20-minute shuttle ride from my departure terminal.

So I perked up when an announcement by a travel website that they now offered reservations on parking at airports throughout the United States and Canada.  I needed to find somewhere that would tell me all of thel Seattle airport parking rates, and whether they offer free shuttles to the airport 24 hours a day.

Here’s what I found: You get a guaranteed  reserved spot, at a great price, and according to the website’s Airport Parking Reservations page, says it has done the shopping among rival lots and offers a “selection of safe and secure parking operators within 5 minutes of the airport.” All provide free shuttles to and from terminals.

To test the offer, I went online and entered the necessary data: airport name (Seattle), date of departure and time I planned to park, as well as my return date and time. I was immediately rewarded with options for a week’s parking spot that cost from $71.50 to $110.00 (including a $4 service fee).

The distance of each parking lot from the airport was noted, as were hours of operation and whether it is self-service or valet attended. Customer ratings also were offered. Some airport parking lots were rated by service and I choose one with a high number of stars.

In the future, remember, don’t wait until the last minute,  parking at the airport is just as important as how much your ticket costs and whether you remembered to bring your passport!