JFK Parking - What You Need to Learn About

JFK Airport Parking Lot. Photo: Tejano Bravo on Flickr.

The John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in Long Island, New York City is listed as the 12th busiest airport on the planet, serving over 45 million passengers last year. It is also the top international access point to the United States, with over 20 million international travelers deplaning at the airport in 2008. Searching for a good JFK parking space is not really that difficult - if you’re familiar with the choices that are accessible to you.

The most convenient parking spots, of course, are in the airport-run central parking facilities. The JFK parking structures are color coded - Green parking (Terminals 1,2,3), Blue parking  (Terminal 4), Yellow parking (Terminals 5 & 6), Orange parking (Terminal 7), Red (Terminals 8 & 9) - each facility corresponding to certain airport terminals. Parking at these central locations could be a bit pricey: $3 for the first half hour, $6 for up to 1 hour, $3 for each additional half hour (up to $33 maximum for every one full day period).

The airport long-term parking facility at Lefferts Blvd may be a more economical alternative at $18 for the first day and $6 for each succeeding 8 hours after the first day. Nonetheless, for those traveling for a number of days or a few weeks, the parking bill could rapidly add up, it's a lot better to look for parking alternatives at outside locations.

More JFK Parking Information on HubPages

The next JFK parking alternative would be the privately-owned 'off-airport' parking lots and garages. There are a number of these facilities only a few minutes away from the airport such as AirPark, Avistar, and SmartPark along Conduit Ave. These are top-notch establishments with very high online ratings by previous patrons. If you're concerned about parking rates (and who shouldn't be, these days), these garages are your best option. They provide both short-term and long-term parking , are serviced by frequently-running shuttle vehicles, are used to take care of disabled travelers, and of course, it costs much less to drop-off your car in these garages than at the airport-run facilities.

My favorite alternative is the 'stay, park, and fly' JFK parking option offered by the JFK airport hotels. If you think about it, hotel parking is hands down the most comfortable and most cost-effective option. Visualize this, for instance: you live 2 hours drive from the airport and you need to come in for a 6am early morning departure - you'll have to set the alarm for 2am to be at the airport at least an hour before your plane leaves. In contrast, if you stay at one of the airport hotels the night prior to your flight, you'll have your full night sleep, and not get to your flight drowsy from being up so early. What’s more: you pay for the room for a restful one-night stay, you'll also get 7-10 days free parking at the hotel’s parking garage. The savings you're getting from the free parking is essentially paying for your stay, plus you'll have first class treatment service and other amenities courtesy of the cutthroat competition these hotels are up against.

Obviously, each of these JFK parking destinations has its own pluses and minuses. Just pick one that feels right according to your budget and the facility’s proximity to the airport . Don’t forget to do your homework beforehand and reserve your parking space well in advance of your scheduled flight. There are plenty of details to worry about on any trip, JFK Airport parking shouldn't be one of those.