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Old May 3, 2013, 1:32 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: RichardInSF
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
  • Price listed online does not include tax and fees (which is around 16%)



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, 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
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
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Old Aug 3, 2019 | 3:10 pm
  #301  
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Originally Posted by ucdtim17
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?
Too late for your trip, but just found that shopping thru ebates.com at PNF gives you 20% off ($14.32 a day uncovered, self park) plus 3% cash back. I coupled that with the Amex $15 back on $75 spend and got 5 days at $73.11 or $14.62 a day, all-in. Not as good as Costco vouchers, but they don't seem to be available anymore.
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Old Oct 14, 2019 | 3:07 pm
  #302  
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Haven't driven to SFO in years, but I have to pick up folks this week who are arriving internationally and need help with luggage.

I'm assuming Garage A or G makes no difference for arrivals?

Is there a specific level I should be parking at or does it not matter?

Thanks.
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Old Oct 14, 2019 | 4:39 pm
  #303  
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Originally Posted by malgudi
Haven't driven to SFO in years, but I have to pick up folks this week who are arriving internationally and need help with luggage.

I'm assuming Garage A or G makes no difference for arrivals?

Is there a specific level I should be parking at or does it not matter?

Thanks.
Yes. G3 is the best. But good luck finding a parking spot.
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Old Apr 16, 2020 | 11:26 am
  #304  
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Well I guess ParkSFO has finally worked out the difference between business travel and personal travel! Rather than only being able to use coupons for a specific stay, you can now bank the free days for future stays. ie, make your expense account pay full price, and use the free days for your own personal travel.

There doesn't appear to be anything about it on their website, but the email is at Untitled Document

It'll be interesting to see how tax is implemented on the free days. They had some screwy rules back when they used to do the free day coupons without a minimum stay, but I forget exactly what they were as I haven't seen one of those coupons for close to 10 years...


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Old Apr 16, 2020 | 5:50 pm
  #305  
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Pretty sure there are lots of parking spaces available at SFO right now.
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Old Apr 17, 2020 | 1:35 pm
  #306  
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Originally Posted by docbert
Well I guess ParkSFO has finally worked out the difference between business travel and personal travel! Rather than only being able to use coupons for a specific stay, you can now bank the free days for future stays. ie, make your expense account pay full price, and use the free days for your own personal travel.

There doesn't appear to be anything about it on their website, but the email is at Untitled Document
I got the email but, as you say, not on the website. The email mentions a free, i.e. no $100 fee, signup. But I don't see how to get that to work on the site.

Cheers.
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Old Sep 1, 2020 | 3:06 pm
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We have to leave a car at/near SFO for two weeks in late October. I don't want to pay astronomical airport parking fees, but I'm also a bit leery about relying on a cheaper off-airport service because I can't imagine they're all that busy these days and so have probably reduced their shuttle services. Does anyone have experience with a good and reasonably priced option in Covid times?
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Old Sep 1, 2020 | 3:22 pm
  #308  
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Originally Posted by ShinyO
We have to leave a car at/near SFO for two weeks in late October. I don't want to pay astronomical airport parking fees, but I'm also a bit leery about relying on a cheaper off-airport service because I can't imagine they're all that busy these days and so have probably reduced their shuttle services. Does anyone have experience with a good and reasonably priced option in Covid times?
One possibility is a Stay-and-Park rate at a local hotel. One night stay and then extended parking., I would think that someone would have a 2-week model And it's generally less and their normal daily rate.

Cheers.
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Old Sep 1, 2020 | 3:23 pm
  #309  
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Originally Posted by ShinyO
We have to leave a car at/near SFO for two weeks in late October. I don't want to pay astronomical airport parking fees, but I'm also a bit leery about relying on a cheaper off-airport service because I can't imagine they're all that busy these days and so have probably reduced their shuttle services. Does anyone have experience with a good and reasonably priced option in Covid times?
Try way.com (or the app). Last year, I parked for 2 weeks at the Embassy Suites lot for about 8 bucks a day. Prepaid through the app. Drove up to the check in circle, presented my Way paperwork at the front desk, received a parking pass to get into (and out of) the lot. And took their shuttle to SFO. We timed it out for when we wanted to be at the airport. It was seamless.
Also, though I didn't need it, I asked at the desk and if you're going to stay near the airport the night before departure or after arrival, you can use the discounted Way parking and stay that night without paying the hotel parking fee ( I think it was 29.95 a night!). (I wouldn't recommend staying at the Embassy Suites (parking was fine), but there are quite a few parking deals at better hotels as well.)
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Old Sep 1, 2020 | 4:13 pm
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Thanks. Embassy Suites looks fairly cheap via Way.com, but it also says "no shuttle" in the app. I guess we could call an Uber though.
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Old Sep 1, 2020 | 4:56 pm
  #311  
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Originally Posted by ShinyO
Thanks. Embassy Suites looks fairly cheap via Way.com, but it also says "no shuttle" in the app. I guess we could call an Uber though.
That's a change from last year. They run a scheduled shuttle. Maybe the hotel wants to charge you a fee. I'd call the hotel. I suppose the Uber would only add a few bucks to the total. You can certainly grab the shuttle back from the airport.
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Old Sep 1, 2020 | 5:23 pm
  #312  
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I stayed at Burlingame Airport Parking, next to the Hilton, this last weekend, at $9 a day plus a 5% tax (some other airport area locations in different cities charge higher taxes). Shuttle is on-request but there were already others waiting for the 5am shuttle when I walked up to the front of the hotel. On return, called the Hilton and the shuttle was there in about 15 minutes. Their lot was less than 25% full and had plenty of spaces. One reason I keep going back here is that I feel my car is reasonably secure - have never seen anyone walk in from the street. When you factor in Uber costs on a lower per-day stay, you might come out pretty close to their rates. I know they used to offer lower weekly rates, and the daily rate could jump as high as $15 in peak times, but I'd input your dates there and see what it prices at.
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Old Sep 1, 2020 | 5:35 pm
  #313  
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Originally Posted by brp
I would think that someone would have a 2-week model
The Holiday Inn in San Mateo did for a few years, as I regularly stayed there with two weeks of parking on international trips. Think too many of us were doing that as now it's only 7 days (plus they're currently closed and due to reopen in October).
I've seen this website mentioned before for stays that include parking:
https://sanfrancisco.parksleepfly.com/
Did a random search for 14 days starting in mid-September and there were four hotels starting at $259 for a one night stay and 14 days of parking.
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Old Sep 1, 2020 | 5:56 pm
  #314  
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Originally Posted by tom911
The Holiday Inn in San Mateo did for a few years, as I regularly stayed there with two weeks of parking on international trips. Think too many of us were doing that as now it's only 7 days (plus they're currently closed and due to reopen in October).
I've seen this website mentioned before for stays that include parking:
https://sanfrancisco.parksleepfly.com/
Did a random search for 14 days starting in mid-September and there were four hotels starting at $259 for a one night stay and 14 days of parking.
Aren't the rooms typically around $180 to $200 without the parking? So, $259 is good value if you need the room.
My international flights often /edit to add - man, I miss those/ have one leg at least where that's very convenient. But it's expensive - $18+ a day - if you really don't need the room.
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Old Sep 1, 2020 | 6:11 pm
  #315  
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Originally Posted by rickg523
Aren't the rooms typically around $180 to $200 without the parking? So, $259 is good value if you need the room.
My international flights often /edit to add - man, I miss those/ have one leg at least where that's very convenient. But it's expensive - $18+ a day - if you really don't need the room.
Hotel pricing is so variable with Covid it's hard to say. There are rates this Friday (Labor Day weekend), using Google hotels without parking, that would be very attractive for a one night stay, and then drive off and park somewhere else (or park somewhere else the night before). The Hilton is $84 and the Crowne Plaza is $79. There's a HIX at $66 and the Hyatt Regency at $97.
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