San Diego Airport (SAN) Parking

If you need to pick up an arriving passenger at San Diego Airport, use new & relocated free (for up to 1 hr) Cell Phone Lot with 97 spaces, vending machines, flight displays & portable restrooms. It is located about 500 feet from the former lot, east of the Commuter Terminal, off N.Harbor Blvd, on Rent-a-Car Access Road, and is open 24/7.   Wait in your car until your party has collected luggage and calls you for pick-up at the curb.

Other parking options at San Diego International Airport:  Parking lots outside Terminal 1 and the Commuter Terminal fill up quickly. Terminal 2 - Short-term parking lot reopened partially with 700 close-in spaces;  the SAN Park NTC Lot is across from it;  the San Park Harbor Drive Lot is next to the Commuter Lot; and the San Park Pacific Hwy Lot is on Pacific Highway.

Valet parking (tel. 619-400.2121 is available at Terminals 1& 2 and at designated locations within the Terminal 1 parking lot - SAN Park Valet signs will guide you. Upon returning, you can text-message 619-888-6675, pick up bags, pay at the valet cashier & your car will be waiting outside.

Long-term parking options at San Park lots (tel. 888-2-FLY-SAN) are served by free color-coded shuttle buses and San Park Pacific Hwy offers free shutte to Cruise Ship Terminal.
(a) Green shuttle for SAN Park Harbor drive on 305 North Harbor Drive (the smallest SAN lot);
(b) Red shuttle for SAN Park NTC at 2395 McCain Road;
(c) Blue shuttle for SAN Pacific Hwy at 3302 Pacific Hwy. (the largest SAN lot).

Disabled parking is now located west of Terminal 2, off McCain Road, and these lothave wheelchair-accessible fre shuttles.

Parking rates are posted at each lot. Payment areas accept cash and major credit cards. Lost tickets incur daily rate. Take your ticket with you - use automated express parking pay stations outside Terminal 1 or pay at the staffed payment booths at exit gates of each parking lot.

For more parking information call 619-291-2087.

As an alternative to on-site parking, there are off-airport parking at San Diego airport options which may offer significant discounts. Most have shuttle vans or buses which operate from their facilities to the terminals, and feature secure facilities with security guards and cameras 24 hours.

Many local hotels offer up to 2 weeks free parking with one night stay. This can be especially convenient if you have an early flight and need to park at San Diego airport. They provide shuttle service too. Check Stay and Park options for SAN Airport.

Nothing is more frustrating than circling an airport parking lot looking for space when you're already running late for a flight or paying an exorbitant amount for parking when you return from a trip. You can avoid these common predicaments by doing your homework before leaving to park your vehicle at the airport.

Most airports offer multiple parking lots at various rates (hourly, daily and economy). Some airports even offer costly, but convenient valet parking. Visit the airport website or call the airport to determine the location and rates for each type of parking garage or service. During peak travel times, it's also prudent to check the short-term and long-term parking lot availability before leaving for the airport, so you can make other arrangements if lots are full. Parking in a daily garage (short-term parking) instead of an economy (long-term parking) lot for multiple days will burn a big hole in your wallet.

You’ll find commercial off-site parking lots near most major airports. These parking lots are farther from the airport, but the distance is often compensated with lower prices, 24-hour security, car-to-terminal shuttle services and other perks like frequent parker programs. Aside from off-site commercial parking lots allow you to reserve a parking spot in advance, which can be a real timesaver during peak travel times. In addition, many airport hotels offer stay, park and fly deals in which you stay at the hotel the night before your flight and then you can park your car at the hotel for free or a low daily rate. Just make sure the hotel parking lot is secure as some aren’t monitored around-the-clock like airport and commercial lots.

It’s too easy to forget where you parked or where you put the parking ticket after an extended trip. Even if you’re running late, take the time to note where you parked in your cell phone, PDA or on the parking ticket if you take it with you. Just make sure you don’t lose the parking ticket, because most airports charge a hefty fee for missing tickets. For that reason, it may be safer to leave the ticket in your car.