Motorcycle/scooter parking at airports -- MASTER LIST
 

I am starting this thread to aggregate the knowledge about motorcycle/motor scooter parking at airports.

At most airports motorcycles/scooters can park in the regular car park, paying regular car rates. This is the default operation, and does not need to be mentioned. But some airports have special areas for motorcycles, often free. And some other airports specifically forbid motorcycles from regular car parking, or have automated gates that will not sense a motorcycle and spit out a ticket, making is super difficult to park a two-wheeler at the airport.

I will start this thread with those I know of. Please add/discuss below and I will update posts #2, 3 or 4 to maintain the master lists. Please indicate airport, motorcycle parking location or driving direction, cost, access, security, and anything you think is relevant for another bike rider to know.

The GOOD list (airports with specific motorcycle/parking)
 

AMS - FREE designated covered motorcycle parking by the control tower (link, coords N52.30721 E4.76298). Adjacent to the Privium parking deck.

BDA - FREE designated scooter/cycle parking area
Between the departures and arrivals halls, an area with dozens of free designated spaces. Must park within the lines and in a designated space. Parking outside the lines or in a car space will most definitely result in a ticket.

BRS - FREE [official link]

BRU - FREE camera-monitored parking facilities for motorcycles
On coach park P15a on level 0

CPH - FREE. From their website "Naturally, we offer free parking for your bicycle or motorcycle at Copenhagen Airport when you traveling". Naturally. Per the map, motorcycle parking is in P4.

DSM - FREE designated motorcycle parking area, new location as of April 2012, east side of long term surface lot. Take Cowles Drive and follow signs to motorcycle parking.

DTW - FREE, officially-sanctioned motorcycle parking in the garage at the McNamara terminal.

EWR - FREE covered motorcycle parking at the entrance of parking deck P4 (about 20 spaces). Follow signs for P4. Park just outside the gate in designated motorcycle parking area. Take AirTrain to the terminals.

FCO - Designated covered motorcycle parking in Parking Deck E. Rates for motorcycles are 10-14€/day, as opposed to 24-30€/day for cars. Free helmet check too.

GVA - FREE partially covered spaces for motorised two-wheeled vehicles near the P2 arrivals car park. link

HEL - FREE bike parking under Terminal 2's drop-off ramp on the ground level

HNL - Five PAID locations, with lower rates for motorcycles than cars ($1/2hrs, $5/day, $50/month) link

IAH - FREE, covered, walk to terminal. IAH has a place in Terminal A. Once you are in the A/B loop, past terminal B come around A, and just after the pickup for arrivals, on the left there is a sidewalk into an official motorcycle parking. Into the terminal straight past the pay booths, and down the hall up the escalator come out by spirit/westjet. Come out the way you came in. Inter terminal train available before or after security. Never had a problem, left the keys in the bike once

JFK - FREE uncovered motorcycle parking by the kiss-and-fly by Lefferts Blvd (AirTrain station B). Follow signs for Long Term Parking, then Valet Parking, then Kiss-and-Fly. Locations shown on official parking map. Motorcycle spaces are specifically designated. Take AirTrain to the terminals.

LAX - FREE parking inside the Central Terminal Area parking structures. Officially sanctioned. When entering, drive carefully around the entrance gate arm and DO NOT take a ticket. Do not park in a space for a car. A motorcycle may be parked at the ends of rows, in corners, and in other spaces provided it does not block access to parked vehicles, handicapped spaces, Smarte Carte machines, passenger traffic, paths for the disabled, automobile traffic, doors, elevators, driveways, etc. When exiting, drive carefully around the exit gate arms.

LCY - FREE motorcycle parking opposite Avis, in front of the terminal.

LGA - FREE designated motorcycle parking (10 spaces). Follow signs to the Marine Air Terminal A, parking lot P7. Look for the motorcycle parking spaces outside the P7 fence just off Fiorello Lane, adjacent the P7 toll booth exit lane. Walk to the Marine Air Terminal for Delta Shuttle flights, or take a shuttle bus to the other terminals.

LGW - FREE parking for motorcycles in designated motorcycle spaces in South Temrinal (car park 2) and North Terminal. Motorcycles must NOT park in car spaces, only in motorcycle spaces.

LHR - FREE designated motorcycle parking at all terminals. For T1/T2/T3, behind Short Stay Car Park 1A/5, to the right of the exit. For T4, opposite the arrivals forecourt. For T5, on arrivals level, behind the Short Stay Car Park (follow signs for the Sofitel, pass the Sofitel, then turn right, and the motorcycle parking will be on the left).

LIN - Two designated covered motorcycle areas, in Parking Decks P1 and P2. Rates are about 1/4 of the rates for cars.

LIS - Free designated motorcycle parking in lot P3.

MCM - As you come to the end of Avenue des Ligures, instead of making the U-turn at the end just continue straight between the pylons to the right of the orange building. Park there.

MKE - FREE covered motorcycle parking area located at the north end of baggage claim drive (by baggage claim #5 ), perhaps as a nod to HD.

MSN - Officially free. Go toward the parking ramp entrance; use the far right lane and squeak by the gate. Parking is immediately on the right as you enter the parking ramp; motorcycle spaces are striped. Ignore the "hourly parking only / no parking 2am-5am" signs--they're left over from when those were car spaces. Exit via the small path labeled "Motorcycle Exit Only" about halfway down the same aisle you came in.

NAP - Designated uncovered motorcycle parking as you approach T1, just after the premium parking lot P2. 1€/hours or 7€/day, as opposed to 4€/hour or 29€/day for cars in the adjacent premium parking P2.

NCE - FREE Outdoor fenced parking next to Terminal 2, with parking for 500 bikes in marked spaces. Not great signage, but entrance is on the right before you get to T2, at N43.65865 E007.20329 link

PDX - FREE motorcycle parking on the arrivals level under the upper roadway. Walk to the terminal. link

SFO - Try Ace Parking. 401 East Milbrae Ave, Milbrae (Aloft Hotel). You can park your bike on unused space (not regular parking spaces) and pay just $5+tax per day.

SIN - Hundreds of designated motorcycle spaces in the Car Parks at all three terminals. Motorcycle rates are $1.30 per day, as opposed to $20/day for cars.

The TRICKY list (airports where you can trick your way into motorcycle parking)
 

This is a list of airports where motorcycle parking is practiced and tolerated, even if not officially condoned.

OPO - It's supposed to be for employees only, but there are no checks or signs at the motorcycle parking area. If you want to try it, go the entire length of the terminal, then keep right, and turn right at the first opportunity into P11 "Funcionários - Staff". Go around the short gate arm, then turn right, riding under the building to the very end until you reach the glass wall of the arrivals building. Hop the curb, and bikes and scooters park along the glass wall, to the left as you look towards the building. See post #23.

SEA - There are two motorcycle parking areas intended for employees, but there are no signs that this is for employee only and no reports of enforcement against non-employee parking. Area 1: Follow signs for "arriving passengers", stay in the far left lane and make the left right under the Toyota billboard. Park near the other bikes, near the taxis and hotel shuttles. Area 2: pretend you're a rental car shuttle but instead of turning at the billboard, continue all the way through the shuttle and taxi stop area. The parking area is on the right at the end. The lettering on the pavement at the second area does say "employee motorcycles" but there are no stories of it being enforced. Area 2 is larger and more convenient to airlines farther south.

SFO - Go to Long Term Parking. Two lights before the garage entrance, ride up on to the sidewalk and into the fenced employee long term parking. Go to the end of the fence and there is a somewhat sheltered designated motorcycle parking space (about 12 spots). Exit the same way.

SNA - Motorcycle parking spaces inside the parking deck, next to the elevator. Although no signs are posted, it seems that local practice is to enter at the left side lower parking lot, passing between the yellow posts. To exit, go towards the exit pay booths, and there is a space for bikes to pass without paying. Although no signs are posted saying that this is free, the practice is common and not challenged by the parking attendants at the exit booths or the OC Sheriff.

YUL - Unconfirmed internet story of free designated motorcycle parking area adjacent to the parking attendant's booth of the Marriott HotelParc.

The BAD: airports where there are restrictions against motorcycles
 

GSP - There are signs prohibiting motorcycle parking, but the airport authorities do not enforce the prohibitions. It's probably just a liability thing: if your bike is damaged or stolen, we told you not to park here.

IAD is one of those airports where parking in a regular car space is permitted, but the automated gates will not open for a motorcycle (and there is not enough space to maneuver around). I tried and failed at daily garage 1, then tried and failed again at daily garage 2, but the exit gate at garage 2 was a attended and the attendant saw me and ran over to give me a ticket (at regular car rates, of course).

TRI - There are signs prohibiting motorcycle parking, but the airport authorities do not enforce the prohibitions. It's probably just a liability thing: if your bike is damaged or stolen, we told you not to park here.

More about motorcycle/scooter parking at airports
 

(reserved for future use)

Thanks! With higher gas prices these days and more motorcyclists on the road today, this is really helpful!

Now if they can get motorcycle rentals to be anywhere near the airport premises. :D

Thanks for compiling.

ELM - No mention of it on the website, but there are reports from 2008 of motorcycle parking and a bicycle rack being built in front of the terminal. Can anyone confirm?

GVA - FREE partially covered spaces for motorised two-wheeled vehicles near the P2 arrivals car park.

MKE - FREE covered motorcycle parking area located at the north end of baggage claim drive, perhaps as a nod to HD.


IAD is one of those airports where parking in a regular car space is permitted, but the automated gates will not open for a motorcycle (and there is not enough space to maneuver around). I tried and failed at daily garage 1, then tried and failed again at daily garage 2, but the exit gate at garage 2 was a attended and the attendant saw me and ran over to give me a ticket (at regular car rates, of course).

Thank you so much for doing this! When I worked in Los Alamitos, LAX got all my business because of the free parking even though LGB was much closer.

SEA actually has two motorcycle parking areas; the second one is also accessed by pretending you're a rental car shuttle but instead of turning at the billboard, continue all the way through the shuttle and taxi stop area. The parking area is on the right at the end.

The lettering on the pavement at the second area does say "employee motorcycles" but I've never heard of it being enforced. I worked at SEA a couple years ago--we did provide our plate numbers to the Port but a number of us rode different bikes without incident, and there were no parking decals. That second area is larger and more convenient to airlines farther south.

DTW also has free, officially-sanctioned motorcycle parking in the garage at the McNamara terminal. I'm pretty sure there are signs directing riders to it.

One for your "good" list

There are around 80 free spaces by the Air traffic control tower at AMS. Here's the picture of the exact location

http://goo.gl/maps/ZFmRu

Best deal for motorcycle parking at SFO
 

Try Ace Parking. 401 East Milbrae Ave, Milbrae (Aloft Hotel). You can park your bike on unused space (not regular parking spaces) and pay just $5+tax per day. It's the best deal I have seen so far...

Got another one to add:

MSN: Officially free. Go toward the parking ramp entrance; use the far right lane and squeak by the gate. Parking is immediately on the right as you enter the parking ramp; motorcycle spaces are striped. Ignore the "hourly parking only / no parking 2am-5am" signs--they're left over from when those were car spaces. Exit via the small path labeled "Motorcycle Exit Only" about halfway down the same aisle you came in.

Anyone overnight parked their bike at EWR? Thinking about doing it this weekend just for one night. Total time would be less than 24 hours.

I have done it many times. I will be parking there this weekend too, for 2 nights. You'll be fine.

Awesome! Thanks for the info. I'm assuming you've had no issues bringing your gear on to the plane with you either or do you just leave it with the bike?

Most stuff I leave with the bike. Helmet definitely stays with the bike; jacket, boots, gloves, may or may not depending on my destination and weather there. I have even left my GPS out on the handlebar, and a few days later it was still there. The valet guys keep an eye on the bikes, it's very safe.

Then again, most bikes there are nicer than mine. If someone were intent on mischief, there are better targets than mine.