Parking at PHL
 

We will be fyling from PHL in August and need to park our car for 16 days. There seems to be several options for long term parking. Any suggestions?
Thanks :)

I use SmartPark at PHL. It is located in Essington on the South side of the airport. Their service is pretty good and their rates aren't horrible. Definitely get a coupon if you are going to use them I think they are for $5.95/day.(without a coupon it is either $13 or $14/day. -- stop by a travel agent in the PHL area -- they usually have them. 16 days is a long time and even with a coupon for $5.95/day will cost a bit. You might be better staying at an airport hotel the night before your trip and leaving your car there (some offer you free parking for your trip if you stay overnight -- I don't know which hotels offer that though).

Where are you from? Can you get someone to drop you off? And be sure to bring them back a thank-you gift.

Personally, I grew in Allentown and when we did fly out of PHL, we always had someone drop us off. The previous post is a decent option if you have to park at the airport.

Good luck and safe travels!

Dont use the crummy PHL lots. Many people use the parking lot by the Ramada for about $6/day plus about 10% tax. A couple of PHL airport hotels have some nice "stay and park" rates. These include Ramada (dreary hotel), Microtel (sometimes a really nice cheap deal, ie $69), Hampton Inn (newer and nicer) etc. Most are good for 7-14 nights parking, stay 1 night before or after you leave, and sometimes they will give you a couple of free extra days (call the hotel before you book).

MisterNice

Thank you all for the great info! We live outside washington DC and I think a two hour ride to the airport is too much to ask from our busy family or friends!
The hotel stay and park packages sound great, I called the Hampton Inn about parking 16 days instead of 14 and they told me to call back Monday when the general manager is there.

Umm, yeah, 2 hours is a bit much to ask.

Just curious, why are you flying out of PHL when you have multiple airports, just as large, much closer? I certainly hope the fare savings was so significant that it does two things:
A. Offset the cost of what you'll pay to park
B. Offset the cost of your time to travel to PHL

Safe travels ...

Note that there are two SmartPark lots at PHL; for some reason I gnenerally end up at the Essington lot although the Scott Way lot is closer (and a litle easier to find).

Another lot I've frequently used is west of the aiport on Tinicum Island Road (Scott Way to a right at the USAirways hang.ar and then around to the west end of the runway)

Here is a Philly Inquirer article about parking. It's a few years old (it was published on 9.9.01) so take the prices with a grain of salt.

For personal travel, I always use the Ramada--the van service is extremely prompt, and the rates are cheap. I just returned today from a trip: I parked there from June 15-26, and the total bill was $87. The hotel is located at the Essington exit on I-95, just south of the airport. It's a 5-minute drive to PHL.

My company makes us park at Priority Parking (same exit off I-95, turn left at the traffic light instead of right for the Ramada) for business trips. The rates there are a bit higher, but they have valet parking and they also have an optional car wash service--they'll wash your car just before you return. That can be nice too, a real time-saver if you care about such things.

BWI or IAD to MAD $900 - PHL to MAD $650 x 4 = $1000!!!
also our daughter who attends college in PHL is changing apartments when we get back from Spain so we want our van in Philly.

Thank you everybody for all the great info!

There are a lotta private parking lots near the Philly airport (Smart Park, Sun-whatever, Priority, Winner, Econo etc etc. One good thing about the Ramada lot is not only are they cheap, but the parking spaces are secure and H-U-G-E, ie you can park a van beside van (or a nice new un-dinged car) and not have anyone ding any of the doors. The downside is the vans are quick outta the lot but slow from the airport to the lot. Take Exit 33 east until it dead ends, go left on Rt 291 for 1/2 mi then right to the separate Ramada parking lot. The Hampton GM has never turned me down for an extra 2-3 days (but it is typically $125 for the Park-n-fly deal) ve $70+ for the Microtel (not secure parking as I remember).

MisterNice

MisterNice, Is Hampton Inn parking secure also?

Do people still consider the Ramada as one of the best or THE best parking option for the PHL airport.


I know the question above is old, but I will answer anyway. The Hampton Inn parking is NOT secure, though I felt no hesitation leaving my car in the designated lot.

We use Winner, with 10% AAA discount and tax works out to a little over $8 per day. Winner then has responsibility for security, you get driven to the airport in your vehicle and picked up in your vehicle. Have used them 15 times and never a delay to the airport and short time from call at airport to pickup. They also have car wash and detailing service as well as car service options at Winner Chevrolet. Have had car washed, detailed and serviced and always been satisfied. On return, car had $1,000 minimum damage to side, was annoying, but they fixed it next time we came in to park car.

You would return for a next time if you found a thousand bucks of damage to your car after leaving it with them???? :eek:

Anyway, to answer today's question, yes, I still like the Ramada and also Priority Parking. Lately I have parked several times at Colonial Parking, directly across the street from Priority--it's cheaper, although no car wash and no valet parking.

One note: the reason that I've had to use Colonial several times in the last few months is that upon driving to the lots, I have found both the Ramada and Priority to be FULL. These are huge lots, esp. the Ramada, and it must say something about the regional economy if these guys are at 100% capacity utilization. Anyway, beware of the "Lot Full" sign, and build in some extra time for driving up and down the Essington main drag in case you find yourself locked out of your first and second choices.

If I was in a hotel lot or public lot, what would my option be - none but pay it myself since I would have a $500 deductible and an insurance claim on my policy. Winner assumed responsibility and left me whole. At a couple of additional bucks a day, small price to pay when the valet service is added. My wife's attitude was "I will never park there again" until I explained my logic.

Here is an updated PHL Airport Parking Lot map and table from the Philly Inquirer. It's from Aug, 2004.

UPDATE: Here is the August 2005 Airport Parking Lot map and table from the Philly Inquirer.

BONUS: So called 'Cell phone parking areas' when waiting to pick up people on return flights.

Parking at PHL is a lot more difficult now that SouthWest is entrenched. The lots (and the hotels) are MUCH fuller. Thankfully the parking rates have not increased too much, the hotel rates have though.

Most people going to PHL from the DE or MD area use the parking lots west or south of PHL. Most people I know from DE use Ramada, Priority or Colonial. I prefer Ramada and if full, I just procede up RT 291 until I find an empty lot. The price gets higher as you get nearer the airport.

MisterNice

Consolidated "Parking at PHL" thread
 

What places have people used here to park at PHL? Wife and I moved to Central NJ and decided to take a cheap Southwest flight out of PHL. We looked at trains to PHL, but would have to transfer at Trenton and again in Philly so decided to just drive (of course, on the Friday of Labor Day Weekend so hope traffic isn't too horrible).

Did some google search and found (coupon prices):

Avistar $6.95
Priority $7.95
Amco $8.95 (claim includes all fee/taxes)
Ramada $6.95 (says keep keys)
Colonial $7.50 (claims includes fee/tax - keep keys)

I am guessing that Colonial is best as it is $7.50 total and you keep keys. I really do NOT like leaving my keys with the parking place (one reason is that I drive a Toyota Prius and a replacement "key" is $400 as it's a wireless fob).

Anyone have any comments on the folks above or anyone else?

Thanks.

I use Colonial all the time and it works fine as long as you call ahead and get reservations. The only drawback is that the van that picks you up from the terminal is always packed, usually standing room only.

It's $7.50 a day with the coupon from the internet and you can also get a frequent parker card with gives you a free parking stay on every 8th visit, up to 5 days parking.

One other drawback for you is that you will be coming from the north on 95 not south, so it's a little out of the way for you.

I drive a Prius too, so I understand the whole key thing.

Rich

Check out: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=466258

MisterNice

Keep in mind with Colonial that if you stay at least 7 days you get 1 day free, so its even less than $7.50 a day. Whenever I use PHL I park at Colonial , Never found a cheaper deal. I usually park it for 8 days, meaning Im gone 7 nights.

Thanks for the info. Looks like I should maybe try to get a reservation for Colonial. Thanks for the link MisterNice as I don't think I would have found that forum.

:)

There is an extensive discussion of this topic here.

Any update on the best parking value near PHL? I am looking to park for about a week in my upcoming trip. Price is a priority, but safety (for my car) is also important. Thanks in advance.

LAX

Haven't parked there in a while, so will be interedted in hearing any updates.

P.S: Lax, the best parking IMO is "leave your car at home/hotel/friends and take Septa R-1 train to/from airport".

I know about Septa and I use it every time I travel alone. However, when my spouse and I travel together, we can't get to the train station!

Anyways, anyone with the latest updates? Any help appreciated.

LAX

An update to an old thread, as I've parked several times in the last few weeks:

SunPark on Scott Way, hugely expensive, $32 for 18 hours, but lots of room (wide spaces), quick to pickup, and very, very close to terminals. You pay more for convenience.

Pacifico Airport Valet: Used them twice in the last few months. I don't like them for some reason that is hard to figure out. Even though the company says no tipping, the drivers make it known you still can. When you walk in the office to drop your car it seems seedy, and smells like people smoke, so you wonder if they do that in your car. And they can't wash you car anymore. And they always seem rushed, too.

Ramada: The old standby. Big lot, no frills, long(er) drive to get dropped off, and picked up. After a long trip, and you're eager to get back to your car, it's annoying that they always drop people off at the hotel entrance first, and then deliver you to the parking lot. They're trying to be both a close-to-the-airport hotel with van service, and a big airport parking lot. And the wait times to get picked up can be up fifteen minutes.

PHL Economy Lot: Anybody with recent experience care to update us?

PHL Economy Lot
 

"PHL Economy Lot: Anybody with recent experience care to update us?"

I was there yesterday and paid the flat rate of $9 for a three hour stay. The rate is $9 up to 24 hours. I do not recall if the rate changes for weekly or longer stays.

Allow an extra half hour (minimum) to forty five minutes to get to your flight if you park here. The bus is supposed to come every seven minutes. The bus stops at each of the shelters in the lot and at each airline terminal. It took about fifteen minutes to get to the first terminal (A) from the economy lot.

When getting back to your car, you have to catch the bus at the baggage claim area. Otherwise, you are going for a long ride through the remainder of the terminals and to baggage claim, before the bus goes back out to the lots.

On the plus side, the busses were clean and the drivers friendly.

My most recent experience with the economy lot (on a weekday in May) was this: I had a one-day back-and-forth trip from PHL-MKE. For these, my preference is just to park in the day lot near the terminal. That day, I tried every short-term lot and got turned away because they were all full. I then drove what seemed like miles to the long-term lot, and with one car ahead of me to get in, had the guy come out and put the "Lot Full" sign out. AAAARRRRGGGHHHH. Then I drove out to my standby from years ago when I used to live in Philly, the Ampco Express lot north of the airport. Thank God, they had spaces. I got to the gate about 30 minutes before the flight.

I had to do these day or quick overnight trips about 8 times in May-June. After several episodes of similar grief, I have now started to make parking reservations (!!) at Priority Parking in Essington. Parking in the short-term lot at the airport would be a lot more convenient, but I don't want to risk them being full again.

PHL needs WAY more parking lots these days.

My wife continues to use Winner Airport Parking, a valet service at around $9 a day with the Triple A discount. The advantage of a valet service, in my opinion, is they accept responsibility if your car is damaged in their lot. They inspect the car before driving to to the airport, which my wife always notes since on one trip over a year ago the vehicle was damaged and they repaired it on a subsequent visit. Another advantage to Winner is they can wash, detail or service your vehicle while you are away at what I consider to be a reasonable cost.

I use Ampco when forced to fly from PHL. Although I haven't used any of the other off airport lots, it seems Ampco is by far the most convenient. Who knows what the situation will be though when construction on the runway 18/36 extension project begins, this will close done huge chunks of access roadway, including carving up the airport economy lot. I have no idea how anyone is going to reroute the traffic.

Off Site Parking at Philly airport
 

Looking for an update from the regular philly parkers on the best rates for off-site parking. I need an 8 day park in November so I would appreciate the help. Thanks.

Please continue to follow this thread in the FT Mid-Atlantic forum.
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

where do you live? If you live in Delco or Phila itself, why not just take a taxi? probably the same price and the taxi stand is right outside the terminal.

I park at some place off the Cargo City exit on 95 North, but I don't remember what the name of the lot is.. been a while since I parked there.

Many airport hotels often have "stay and park" rates ie one night you stay at the hotel and parking is included for 7-14 nights in the overall cost. The PHL Microtel Motel has this but itsa dump but you can save real money. Sometimes these are listed on their website but usually it pays to call the hotel directly. The PHL Hampton Inn also has this deal as well as the PHL Ramada Hotel (a dump).

If you live in DE or the nearby PA or NJ counties many shuttle services are available for home to airport travel.

MisterNice

Google PHiladelphia Airport Ramada. Pretty good parking and continuous shuttles. Usually a printable coupon online. I wouldn't stay overnight, but I used them for parking without a problem.

Parking expectations at PHL these days?
 

I'm talking about the airport lots, not the private off-airport ones. I have a one-day trip to make next Thursday, flying out on US (Terminal F) at 7:40 AM. Anyone have a good idea of what my chances of getting a parking spot in the E or C lot would be? I've been locked out of the PHL lots before, and don't want to chance that happening again. If I hear enough warnings I will just go ahead and make a reservation at Priority Parking, although for a one-day trip this is kind of a pain.

I would estimate 82.3% on Th. On Fri 98.4%.

MisterNice

Do any of the parking lots in PHL (on- or off-airport) offer any sort of a grace period for exceeding 24 hours?

As an example, I will be arriving at 5PM one day, but leaving at 7PM the next day. Many parking lots at EWR give you a 3-hour 'grace period,' where I would not be charged for another day until 8PM that day (5PM + 3 hour 'grace period'). Do any PHL parking lots offer a similar policy?

Street Parking
 

anyone know where I could park in the street w/o worrying if the car will be gone when I get back or tkted? and yet be close to where I can catch the SEPTA to PHL?