Last edit by: RichardInSF
Short term parking:
ParkSFO
Pros:
QuikPark
Pros:
Burlingame Airport Parking (ParkBAP)
Pros:
Anza
Pros:
BART
Pros:
SFO Long Term Parking and Lot D
** The shuttle buses look exactly the same! One says 'Lot D', the other says 'Long Term Parking' (likely no longer a concern? see below re: AirTrain)
SFO Long Term Parking
Pros:
Cons:
SFO Long Term Parking Lot D
Pros:
ParkSFO
Pros:
- Generally highest rated by FTers
- Fast and regular shuttles
- Quick & easy access from 101 freeway
- Register for emails to receive monthly coupons
- Coupons for 1 free with 3+ days, 2 free with 5+ days, 3 free with 7+ days, and 4 free with 9+ days parked in a single stay.
- Coupons are blacked out during Thanksgiving, Xmas, and other peak periods
- www.parksfo.com/coupons/
- June 2013 Coupon
- Often full or forced to valet at higher rate
- More expensive than other off-airport options, especially if no coupon
- Reservations required or risk likely being turned away at entry
- Price listed online does not include tax and fees (which is around 16%)
QuikPark
Pros:
- Online reservations
- Relatively cheap
- must prebook online for best rate and bring printout to give to attendant
- Slow shuttles
- Even with a reservation, sometimes fill up and hard to find a spot
(note: if you book on-line and the lot is full, they will find you a space-you will be stopped at the gate but all you have to do is show them your pre-paid receipt)
Burlingame Airport Parking (ParkBAP)
Pros:
- Consistently one of the cheapest, especially for weekly rates.
- Generally do not have to prebook to get the best rate.
- 3 shuttles an hour only, and a bit slower than average due to distance. Try to arrive at or before :00, :20, or :40 to allow a few minutes wait.
- September 2013: For pickups late, I feel the turnaround times are more consistent with 2x per hour for the shuttle. No posted change, however.
- Poor ratings (see yelp)
Anza
Pros:
- With Burlingame Airport Parking, the only parking South of airport (Other than BART)
- Easy access dropoff, not so easy to get back on freeway (S-101)
- Valet is free (no extra charge) when they are near capacity
- Frequent parker program: Each 30 paid days yields a 5-consecutive-day park for free. Check in on facebook and receive credit for 1/2 paid day as well. (Note: This program has changed. It is now tied into the Fivestars card rather than a paper punch card.)
- When partially full, they require you use their free valet service, and this requirement varies from hour to hour. Be sure to have nothing valuable in your car!
- Poor shuttle service for SFO arrivals at busy weekend/holidays (30-45min wait)
- Need a printed coupon from their website to get the best rate
BART
Pros:
- Free over the weekend (except the cost of using BART to the airport) and holidays, even as part of a longer stay
- Online reservations for weekday parking
- BART schedule is known well in advance

- Pretty much guaranteed a parking spot
- Hard to use if you're trying to park or pick up when BART is closed for the night
- Possibility of getting a ticket if you overstay your reservation
- Can wait up to 20 minutes for BART in off-peak hours, or have to go to San Bruno and back to Millbrae during peak hours (or take a taxi for about $12)
SFO Long Term Parking and Lot D
** The shuttle buses look exactly the same! One says 'Lot D', the other says 'Long Term Parking' (likely no longer a concern? see below re: AirTrain)
SFO Long Term Parking
Pros:
Regular shuttles (not the fastest, not the slowest)- AirTrain blue line now goes to Long Term Parking (no more bus shuttles) but makes quite a number of stops before reaching the domestic terminals
- Sometimes if the normal area and Lot D fill up, you'll get a voucher to use the short-term parking at long-term rates
- Covered Parking in the garage - it gets full at peak times
Cons:
- Expensive
- However, current promo is $12/day for 3 days prepaid online (and the rate decreases for additional days)
SFO Long Term Parking Lot D
Pros:
- Sometimes if the Long Term Parking area and Lot D fill up, you'll get a voucher to use the short-term parking at long-term rates
- Expensive
Tips for Long Term Parking and Lot D- Park near Stop 5 in Long Term Parking and you are the first off the bus and out of the parking lot!
- Although the signs will indicate that a floor is full, I am often able to find a spot on these floors.
- Airtrain station is on level 5 of the garage
Month or longer parking:
Someone who's done this please add experiences - I (rob_flies_ua) would just pay for a shuttle or car service at this point. unavaca recommends taking Uber in this case.
AirportParkingReservations.com coupon:
$5 off: FBFRIENDS415
EXPIRES 12/31/16 @ 11:59 PM PST Coupon Valid Online Only
SFO Parking
#241
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Park 'n Fly has a throwback rate (today only) on their social media sites for parking thru 12/20. Comes out to $10++/day at SFO, including valet. They add some junk fees, so it's a bit more than that. I got 3 days for $39 ($13/day), which is not too bad for valet. https://www.facebook.com/parknfly/
#242


Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,542
Reporting back on TravelCar -
Lot: The initial lot is small and very close to 101 Broadway exit. If you book TravelCar SFO (valet) option, they keep your keys and can move your car to another lot if space is needed. The spillover parking are the adjacent properties by the hotel & Max's Cafe. The lot itself might be locked after hours as it did seem to have a link fence (normal height construction rental) around the non-street sides of the lot. No idea if they do lock the lot somehow. It is definitely drive/walk in during the open hours and I imagine someone could walk in out of the service desk line of sight from the two entrances or if they were busy with a customer.
Drop-off: Pulled right up, removed luggage, and walked into small building to drop keys off with the single agent at ~ 6 am in the morning. The lobby has a small coffee maker & water cooler, plus a bathroom down the hall. The agent will order a Lyft on their account and ours came within 5 min. Once the rideshare is ordered, a text message is sent to the booking's mobile # with the driver's name & car description. The agent can track the Lyft location but the text currently doesn't offer any tracking. Agent will also provide a phone number to call for pick-up which you meet on departure level.
Pick-up: Arrived around 8 pm. We called the TravelCar arrivals phone number twice. First time, no one answered the line. Second time, we reached a TravelCar agent whom we provided with guest name, terminal and door #. Agent sent a Lyft, time estimate, and texted the pick-up. The text estimated a 3 min pickup but it took more like 6-8 min? Still quicker than many parking shuttles. The car was parked for easier exit and we waited a few minutes to speak with the single TravelCar agent who was helping other customers. She returned the keys and off we went. Payment was billed to the card provided during booking. Lyft rides are paid for by TravelCar with the TravelCar SFO parking option and we opted to tip the drivers in cash.
The other options are to rent your car out or self park. Opting to rent your car out provides free parking and money if someone rents your car. If you self park, there is no $10 service fee, no included rideshare, and your car won't be moved from the original parking space. You could be blocked in by another car when returning as we saw double parked cars.
Lot: The initial lot is small and very close to 101 Broadway exit. If you book TravelCar SFO (valet) option, they keep your keys and can move your car to another lot if space is needed. The spillover parking are the adjacent properties by the hotel & Max's Cafe. The lot itself might be locked after hours as it did seem to have a link fence (normal height construction rental) around the non-street sides of the lot. No idea if they do lock the lot somehow. It is definitely drive/walk in during the open hours and I imagine someone could walk in out of the service desk line of sight from the two entrances or if they were busy with a customer.
Drop-off: Pulled right up, removed luggage, and walked into small building to drop keys off with the single agent at ~ 6 am in the morning. The lobby has a small coffee maker & water cooler, plus a bathroom down the hall. The agent will order a Lyft on their account and ours came within 5 min. Once the rideshare is ordered, a text message is sent to the booking's mobile # with the driver's name & car description. The agent can track the Lyft location but the text currently doesn't offer any tracking. Agent will also provide a phone number to call for pick-up which you meet on departure level.
Pick-up: Arrived around 8 pm. We called the TravelCar arrivals phone number twice. First time, no one answered the line. Second time, we reached a TravelCar agent whom we provided with guest name, terminal and door #. Agent sent a Lyft, time estimate, and texted the pick-up. The text estimated a 3 min pickup but it took more like 6-8 min? Still quicker than many parking shuttles. The car was parked for easier exit and we waited a few minutes to speak with the single TravelCar agent who was helping other customers. She returned the keys and off we went. Payment was billed to the card provided during booking. Lyft rides are paid for by TravelCar with the TravelCar SFO parking option and we opted to tip the drivers in cash.
The other options are to rent your car out or self park. Opting to rent your car out provides free parking and money if someone rents your car. If you self park, there is no $10 service fee, no included rideshare, and your car won't be moved from the original parking space. You could be blocked in by another car when returning as we saw double parked cars.
#243
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The Uber/Lyft effect must be really stinging the airport lots these days. These are pretty much fixed costs operations (very little increase or decrease in costs as the number of parkers rises or falls). The reduction of revenue from people who opt for Uber/Lyft rather than park comes straight out of their profit margin.
#244




Join Date: Feb 2003
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Park 'n Fly has a throwback rate (today only) on their social media sites for parking thru 12/20. Comes out to $10++/day at SFO, including valet. They add some junk fees, so it's a bit more than that. I got 3 days for $39 ($13/day), which is not too bad for valet. https://www.facebook.com/parknfly/
#246
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It varies. Sometimes Richmond has them (and sometimes they are 10 packs for 2x the price). Sometimes the Peninsula stores have them. I've also bought them when further discounted (i.e., $79.99 for the 10 pack). Sometimes the stores do not have them. If you go directly to the pick up counter (where you actually pick up the vouchers) they can check to see if they have them, because sometimes those large cards aren't out on the display.
#247
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Reporting back on parking options for peak holiday travel (the most expensive time of year!):
ParkSFO: Indoor $18/day; Valet $24/day - they confirm space is avail. Coupon for 2 free days (on 5+) but not valid on blackout dates. 8 days indoor with coupon=$108
Anza Parking: $14.50/day w/web coupon. - they confirm valet space is avail. 8 days = $132
TravelCar: Quotes $116 for 8 days valet w/wash. Very mixed reviews on yelp so I think I'll pass on this one.
SFO long term: $25/day so 8 days=$150
Looks like I will be rolling the dice with ParkSFO as my last experience there was good.
ParkSFO: Indoor $18/day; Valet $24/day - they confirm space is avail. Coupon for 2 free days (on 5+) but not valid on blackout dates. 8 days indoor with coupon=$108
Anza Parking: $14.50/day w/web coupon. - they confirm valet space is avail. 8 days = $132
TravelCar: Quotes $116 for 8 days valet w/wash. Very mixed reviews on yelp so I think I'll pass on this one.
SFO long term: $25/day so 8 days=$150
Looks like I will be rolling the dice with ParkSFO as my last experience there was good.
#249




Join Date: Jul 2007
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Some of the rates include tax (eg, the SFO airport rates, which I believe are required by law to include tax in the price as they are covered by City of San Francisco laws), whilst others do NOT (eg, ParkSFO, who will even charge you the tax on the "free" days if you use a coupon)
#250
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Took photos of the parking offer at Costco when I stopped in the location north of SFO before a flight this week. The item number is there if you want to check other locations closer to you.




#251
Moderator: Hyatt, American Express; FlyerTalk Evangelist




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There's also a targeted AMEX card offer for $15 off $75 at Park N Fly through 4/8.
#252
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#253




Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 6,477
Just used ParkSFO after not using it for 3-4 years. The prices are expensive now and I think they changed the way they calculate dates. It seems like they do it from 12 noon now instead of midnight to midnight. So parking from Friday night to Sunday night actually costs 3 days instead of two. Anyone else notice this?
#254
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Just used ParkSFO after not using it for 3-4 years. The prices are expensive now and I think they changed the way they calculate dates. It seems like they do it from 12 noon now instead of midnight to midnight. So parking from Friday night to Sunday night actually costs 3 days instead of two. Anyone else notice this?
Cheers.
#255
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Just used ParkSFO after not using it for 3-4 years. The prices are expensive now and I think they changed the way they calculate dates. It seems like they do it from 12 noon now instead of midnight to midnight. So parking from Friday night to Sunday night actually costs 3 days instead of two. Anyone else notice this?
"Daily Rate is up to 24 hours, a new day will be charge after 24 hours."
Their current indoor (and roof) self-parking rate is $17.95 per day plus tax. Coupons are available at Coupons Park SFO
Also, they are in the process of building a second garage to add 1,500+ spaces. However, this is on the (former) outdoor lot that had 600 spaces, so they temporarily have fewer spaces, and are having to do more valet parking.
Note: Info is taken from ParkSFO website and is believed to be accurate. I haven't parked there in a while, but will be going again very soon, and will confirm/update then.
Last edited by KathyWdrf; May 21, 2018 at 11:56 pm



