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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 Apr 10, 2024 | 7:49 pm
  #496  
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Originally Posted by Kacee
It was less frequent for me, but they definitely ask about reservations at peak times. I was on occasion asked to show my boarding pass to the guy standing at the gate, I'm guessing they have an issue with non-travelers parking in the lot.
I'm glad that they (ParkSFO) ask for a boarding pass, as I see it as a security enhancement.

It's all about the discounts here!
I hasten to add that ParkSFO still offers multi-day discounts. (Hope those don't go away!)
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Old Apr 10, 2024 | 8:26 pm
  #497  
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Originally Posted by KathyWdrf
I'm glad that they (ParkSFO) ask for a boarding pass, as I see it as a security enhancement.

I
They have never asked me for a boarding pass. But I always show them the app, so Im sure that suffices for security.

Cheers.
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Old Apr 11, 2024 | 12:01 am
  #498  
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Originally Posted by brp
They have never asked me for a boarding pass. But I always show them the app, so Im sure that suffices for security.

Cheers.
So you're verifying that you have a ParkSFO reservation by showing the app? Maybe the boarding pass is only requested when there is no reservation.
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Old Apr 11, 2024 | 12:51 am
  #499  
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Originally Posted by KathyWdrf
So you're verifying that you have a ParkSFO reservation by showing the app? Maybe the boarding pass is only requested when there is no reservation.
Never been asked for a BP.

When I've been asked about a reservation, I just say yes, and sometimes they ask me to show them. I've shown the app an then been waved through. However, app does not confirm a reservation, I think the confirmation email is the only thing that would. The only thing the app proves that you have is an account with them. You can't even make a reservation on the app (though I'm not sure why.- you do need to go to the website to do that).
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Old Apr 11, 2024 | 5:14 am
  #500  
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Originally Posted by KathyWdrf
So you're verifying that you have a ParkSFO reservation by showing the app? Maybe the boarding pass is only requested when there is no reservation.
No reservation. I just show them that I have the app, and they waive us through. We travel at non- peak times, and it could be different at peak. However, even when we traveled during peak times, we only failed to find a spot once in many years, and that was before the new building.

Cheers.
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Old Apr 11, 2024 | 10:45 am
  #501  
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You know, I wonder between discounts for frequent users, discount club, special promotions--which method really does retain customers? Or does any of this matter any more and it's just about the cheapest price? In parking here there seems to be a difference in the product so there's that as a differentiator, but on other 'similar services' like flights, I wonder which method 'hooks' the customer the most?
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Old Apr 11, 2024 | 2:53 pm
  #502  
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Originally Posted by SamirD
You know, I wonder between discounts for frequent users, discount club, special promotions--which method really does retain customers? Or does any of this matter any more and it's just about the cheapest price? In parking here there seems to be a difference in the product so there's that as a differentiator, but on other 'similar services' like flights, I wonder which method 'hooks' the customer the most?
For me, once upon a time (and a long time ago), it was about reliable and convenient pick-up service and a fair enough price with various discounts, and frequent parker program. And for me, once upon a time (and a long time ago), it was Park'n'Fly. Fill a punchcard, get a free week. Regular shuttles, and they'd pull right up to your car, whether coming or going. I abhorred places where I had to leave my keys. (I once returned to a car with CDs strewn about and a radio station I never listened to on full blast when returning to my car.)

I got "unhooked" when I not only moved closer to SFO (still in the East Bay) but with other transport services available, from public transit to affordable rideshare, and previously at times, a shared van service - given my location, I was frequently the last or second to last pickup on the way to SFO, and the first or second dropoff on the way home.
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Old Apr 12, 2024 | 8:23 am
  #503  
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Originally Posted by SamirD
Or does any of this matter any more and it's just about the cheapest price?
Everyone has their own calculus. When I was parking frequently at SFO (and after SFO stopped offering big book in advance discounts for on-airport parking), ParkSFO offered the best price/convenience combination. In terms of freeway access, ease of finding a decent spot, and frequency of shuttle, I found it to be the best off-airport lot at SFO by a pretty large margin. Pricing was also good, if a bit opaque in terms of how the discount would apply.
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Old Apr 12, 2024 | 8:25 am
  #504  
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Coming back with egg on face as I stand on the AirTrain from LTP. I started to make a reservation based on our conversation, just to see, but did not finish. Well, reservations only (or members).

The reservation is non-binding and takes no payment. Ill not make that mistake again, even at times I think are non-peak.

Cheers.
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Old Apr 12, 2024 | 3:00 pm
  #505  
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Originally Posted by brp
Coming back with egg on face as I stand on the AirTrain from LTP. I started to make a reservation based on our conversation, just to see, but did not finish. Well, reservations only (or members).

The reservation is non-binding and takes no payment. Ill not make that mistake again, even at times I think are non-peak.
Are you saying that you had to park at LTP because you couldn't get into ParkSFO without a reservation?
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Old Apr 12, 2024 | 3:31 pm
  #506  
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Originally Posted by econ
Are you saying that you had to park at LTP because you couldn't get into ParkSFO without a reservation?
I am saying exactly that.

Cheers.
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Old Apr 12, 2024 | 3:35 pm
  #507  
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Originally Posted by brp
I am saying exactly that.

Cheers.
Yikes. I guess just say 'yes' when they ask about reservation. I always just show the app (even though I have the 'non-binding' reservation), which like I say, doesn't prove a reservation otherwise.

Interestingly enough, entered on 3/28, start of spring break (in Pleasanton, at least), and found a better spot (and more quickly) than I have in a long time. First time not needing to go in the new area, and on level 4 to boot (haven't been below 5 in ages).

I still think they really need to work on the accuracy of the spot full lights/indicators, as I frequently find them more inaccurate than accurate. Every level always has a few showing green when the spots are actually used.
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Old Apr 12, 2024 | 4:02 pm
  #508  
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Originally Posted by brp
I am saying exactly that.
Originally Posted by emcampbe
Yikes. I guess just say 'yes' when they ask about reservation.
Or just make one on the spot? Although they weren't allowing new ones last weekend when I checked last minute on the website.

Originally Posted by emcampbe
I still think they really need to work on the accuracy of the spot full lights/indicators, as I frequently find them more inaccurate than accurate. Every level always has a few showing green when the spots are actually used.
LTP garages have the same problem.
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Old Apr 12, 2024 | 4:08 pm
  #509  
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Originally Posted by emcampbe
Yikes. I guess just say 'yes' when they ask about reservation. I always just show the app (even though I have the 'non-binding' reservation), which like I say, doesn't prove a reservation otherwise.
I showed the app, but he was talking to each person and would want to see the reservation if I had one. There was no waiving through today.

In the end, I did not have a reservation and have no interest in lying just to try and get what I want. To each their own.

Cheers.
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Old Apr 30, 2024 | 5:39 pm
  #510  
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Originally Posted by brp
I showed the app, but he was talking to each person and would want to see the reservation if I had one. There was no waiving through today.
Yes, you won't be let in unless you have a reservation. Then again, I could probably have used the first reservation I ever made with ParkSFO, because the small print on a smartphone isn't easy to read from the gatehouse.

When all is said, I find it odd that even now ParkSFO hasn't managed to integrate the reservation into the app.
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