May 3, 2013, 1:32 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Last edit by: Boraxo

Short term parking:
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

Cons:

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

QuikPark
Pros:

Online reservations
Relatively cheap

Cons:

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.

Cons:

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.)

Cons:

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 if you're only there for the free days (paid if you're there on weekdays and then stay over a weekend)
Online reservations for weekday parking
BART schedule is known well in advance
Pretty much guaranteed a parking spot

Cons:

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

Cons:

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

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Apr 21, 2019, 8:21 pm

#286

Zorak

Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jun 2015

Location: WAS

Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester

Posts: 18,988

Interesting.

Quote:

“We have more spaces now, and we want to increase the use of the garage,” SFO spokesman Doug Yakel said.

Not the type of thinking we usually see in a city that discourages vehicle use and constantly eliminates parking in favor of mass transit.

Indeed, IIRC the increase to $25 was spun as an effort to (negatively) incentivize people to use public transportation in the first place.

Apr 21, 2019, 8:36 pm

#287

DELee

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jun 2010

Location: TOA

Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K

Posts: 20,061

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorak

Interesting.

Indeed, IIRC the increase to $25 was spun as an effort to (negatively) incentivize people to use public transportation in the first place.

They still have to pay the bonds off. Come drive to SFO again!

David

Zorak likes this.

Apr 29, 2019, 9:01 pm

#288

vanillabean

Join Date: Aug 2015

Location: SFO

Programs: AS 75K (OW), SK Silver (*A), UR, MR

Posts: 3,359

Have returned from a nine day trip. The ParkSFO cost using a stay nine days get four free no sales tax included coupon was 17.95 x ((9 - 4) + 9 x .15) = $113.98; self-park rate, but got valet because of packed lot for spring break. In comparison, Park n Fly valet using Costco vouchers would have been 10 x 9 = $90. I am preserving the few vouchers I still have for another trip.

May 8, 2019, 11:23 pm

#289

KathyWdrf

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2001

Location: SF CA USA. I love large faceless corporations. And they cherish me in return (sometimes). ;)

Programs: UA Premier Gold/disappointed 1MM, HH Gold, IHG Plat, MB Gold, BW Diam Sel

Posts: 17,576

Yes, the current offers at ParkSFO are: https://www.parksfo.com/coupons/

1 day free coupon — For parking 3 or more days https://www.parksfo.com/coupons/1day/

2 day free coupon — For parking 5 or more days https://www.parksfo.com/coupons/2days/

3 day free coupon — For parking 7 or more days https://www.parksfo.com/coupons/3days/

4 day free coupon — For parking 9 or more days https://www.parksfo.com/coupons/4day/

May 9, 2019, 10:03 am

#290

Boraxo

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Dec 2002

Location: Danville, CA, USA;

Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat

Posts: 15,755

For really long trips you may want to consider renting a car locally and dropping it at the airport. And then Uber/Lyft back.
Cost comparison for an upcoming 2+ week trip:

Various limo services: $135-275 (one way)
Park SFO off-Airport Parking: $200+ (even with coupons)
Way.com (@ES Burlingame): $179
Uber/Lyft (SUV): $92+ each way, plus tips
One Way car rental: $55 all-in (excluding tolls/gas)

Last edited by Boraxo; May 10, 2019 at 12:36 am

May 9, 2019, 10:13 am

#291

rickg523

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jun 2013

Posts: 17,484

Anyone have any experience with way.com?
I've booked June 10-21 at the Embassy Suites lot for 8.95/day. Prepaid online. They ask that you check in with your confirmation email before parking.
For convenience, I'm staying at the hotel after my return flight on June 20. If I'd booked self parking for that night, it would have cost 29.95 (!) for the night.

May 11, 2019, 2:46 am

#292

arthur -- flyer wanna be

Join Date: Jul 2004

Location: dc/la

Programs: bonvoy lifetime titanium, UA 1k, BR gold

Posts: 143

just booked and parked there today for two nights... total came out to 19.9+8.33 (tax and fees) for 28.33... the shuttle from the hotel was quick... generally no complaints.

rickg523 likes this.

May 15, 2019, 6:54 pm

#293

KathyWdrf

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2001

Location: SF CA USA. I love large faceless corporations. And they cherish me in return (sometimes). ;)

Programs: UA Premier Gold/disappointed 1MM, HH Gold, IHG Plat, MB Gold, BW Diam Sel

Posts: 17,576

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boraxo

For really long trips you may want to consider renting a car locally and dropping it at the airport. And then Uber/Lyft back.
Cost comparison for an upcoming 2+ week trip:

Various limo services: $135-275 (one way)
Park SFO off-Airport Parking: $200+ (even with coupons)
Way.com (@ES Burlingame): $179
Uber/Lyft (SUV): $92+ each way, plus tips
One Way car rental: $55 all-in (excluding tolls/gas)

I've never even considered driving to the airport for really long trips. (I've taken a number of overseas trips that lasted as long as two, three, or even four months.) Back when SuperShuttle used to give good service, I used them to get to/from SFO. In fact, I didn't really start driving and parking until I had a couple of bad experiences with SuperShuttle, and decided I felt more comfortable driving myself, even though the cost for parking even just a few days was more than using SuperShuttle. I've also occasionally used public transit for getting to/from SFO. (But that doesn't work as well if your flight is either really early in the morning or late at night, since BART doesn't run 24/7, and besides, public transit gets creepier in the wee hours of the night/morning.)

May 15, 2019, 11:20 pm

#294

Boraxo

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Dec 2002

Location: Danville, CA, USA;

Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat

Posts: 15,755

From SF you have many more reasonable 3rd party options for airport transport. From the suburbs (and particularly East Bay) the cost is almost prohibitive and thus more interest in parking. Public transit is a nonstarter unless you have hours to kill.

Eastbay1K likes this.

May 16, 2019, 9:34 am

#295

Eastbay1K

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jul 1999

Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA

Programs: Jumbo mas

Posts: 38,701

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boraxo

You do mean "the it gets very hot in summer" part of the East Bay, right

I used to take the Bayporter Express for longer trips, but haven't used it for some time. $38 + tips + possible stops made it no longer worthwhile. For longer trips, we'll typically find a hotel with an acceptable parking rate, as to avoid a vehicle being left on the street for too long or during street cleaning. I've used the Park'n'Fly Costco coupons from time to time, but my days of driving to/from SFO and OAK and using a parking lot have become quite infrequent. The unintended consequences of this are that I can now enjoy an unlimited amount of Pre-Departure beverages on Alaska Airlines.

I now know the real reason why home values in my neighborhood have skyrocketed - generally reasonable UBER and LYFT fares to the airports.

Boraxo likes this.

Jun 9, 2019, 11:42 pm

#296

KathyWdrf

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2001

Location: SF CA USA. I love large faceless corporations. And they cherish me in return (sometimes). ;)

Programs: UA Premier Gold/disappointed 1MM, HH Gold, IHG Plat, MB Gold, BW Diam Sel

Posts: 17,576

Quote:

Originally Posted by docbert

Well here's something I never thought I'd see - SFO is *reducing* the price of parking, although only for long-term.

From https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/...g-13781804.php :

Will be interesting to see how the other lots respond. $18 makes it cheaper than ParkSFO by the time you add in tax (but before their coupons), so you've got to presume they will have to reduce priced to stay competitive, especially given their own expansion. Similar for Park 'n' Fly and several others.

Yes, the SFO Long-Term garage new, lower $18 rate including tax/fees should be a game changer... but thus far, the rates at ParkSFO (at least the indoor self-park/outdoor "overflow" valet rate, the only rate I have used recently), have not budged. By comparison, my recent (late May/early June 2019) 6-day stay at ParkSFO cost $87.96 total, after the 2-free-day coupon. That's still less than SFO L-T, which would have cost $108. Without the coupon, ParkSFO would have been about $124 total.

But AFAIK, the ParkSFO expansion is not yet complete. Maybe they'll reprice, or at least offer some specials, once it is?

ETA: Ironically, ParkSFO coupons are not as good as they were a year ago (June 2018). I noticed my post from that timeframe where I was able to apply a 3-day coupon to my 6-day parking stay, resulting in a total charge of just ~$70. Now you have to park at least 7 days to use a 3-free-day coupon.

Last edited by KathyWdrf; Jun 9, 2019 at 11:58 pm

Jun 10, 2019, 8:34 am

#297

docbert

Join Date: Jul 2007

Location: San Francisco/Sydney

Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC

Posts: 8,164

Quote:

Originally Posted by KathyWdrf

ParkSFO coupons are not as good as they were a year ago

Anyone that remembers the 7-day-free (with 7 day minimum stay) coupon they used to do will agree with you there! If I recall correctly, if you managed to use it for a 7 day stay they didn't even charge you tax on it (although if you went over they charged tax for the entire stay).

Jun 10, 2019, 8:38 am

#298

KathyWdrf

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2001

Location: SF CA USA. I love large faceless corporations. And they cherish me in return (sometimes). ;)

Programs: UA Premier Gold/disappointed 1MM, HH Gold, IHG Plat, MB Gold, BW Diam Sel

Posts: 17,576

Quote:

Originally Posted by docbert

As I said in another post on this thread, those 7-day-free coupons were a long time ago -- more than a decade, I think.

Jun 20, 2019, 11:18 am

#299

ucdtim17

Join Date: Apr 2014

Posts: 1,643

Planning to park at SFO for July 4 trip for maybe the first time ever. I have the Park N Fly Amex offer (and AAA discount) but it looks like the $18 long term rate may still be a better deal all things considered. Is there any reason to consider Park N Fly as opposed to just doing regular long term parking?

Jul 31, 2019, 11:10 am

#300

docbert

Join Date: Jul 2007

Location: San Francisco/Sydney

Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC

Posts: 8,164

Just got an email from ParkSFO proclaiming that their "New 7 story addition is open", and that they now have "Over 3,000 total indoor parking spaces".

Pricing appears unchanged - $18/day plus tax before coupons.

SFO Long Term is now $18/day including tax, but without coupons so ParkSFO still potentially has a benefit depending on how long you're staying...