Consolidated "Parking at DEN" thread
 

Am I the only one who enters the DIA parking garage even though the signs say all levels are "FULL"??? I have always found a spot...always.
Usually within 10-15 min of searching.

FULL is the best time to enter. That means there's a good spot up close because everyone else believes the signs. :)

Btw, this isn't really UA-specific and should prob go to the Western USA forum.

DIA Parking
 

LOL, true. Is it UAL specific if I mention that the WEST side is always full and I still go in? :)

I always go in as well. There is only one time I had to drive around for more than 10 minutes to find a spot.

Denver area/DEN airport long term parking for a 'part time' resident
 

I live in Omaha currently but my job is in Colorado (small town 3 hrs SW of DEN). I am considering taking a second residence in Colorado so I would go between OMA and DEN every few weeks (more frequently than I do now).

Part of the planning involves whether to own a second cheaper used car in Colorado vs. renting a car every time I come. Hertz 5-Star has been great but the highly variable rental rates would be tough to predict. Sure, work pays for a rental car when I infrequently go to the office, but if I take a residence there they are less willing to shoulder costs of a rental car for so many trips. Owning would mean a more predictable car budget in CO but I'd need to find cheap/secure long term parking either near DEN airport or along the AF SkyRide route somewhere away from the airport. The remoteness of the job location pretty much necessitates a personal vehicle - no public transport exists to this town (however, happily I would be able to bike to work once in CO and the car could stay parked the majority of the week - I just need a way to get from DIA<>this town each trip).

Has anyone ever worked out a long-term arrangement for keeping a car at a hotel or other business parking lot for 2-3 weeks at a time ? Do the Denver RTD park-n-ride lots allow moderately long term parking?

I don't know anyone directly in the Denver area where I could use a residence to leave a car, besides it would need to be convenient enough to get to/from when transiting DEN airport.

Any ideas for where I might cheaply park my Colorado car when not in town would be appreciated. Not sure I really want to put up with Pikes Peak long term parking lot, any other ideas? :D

(and to preemptively head off an expected question - no, I am unable to just simply move permanently to Colorado at this time. As a divorcee I still have family obligations in Omaha but wish to begin spending more time in Colorado).

RTD is no good
 

RTD Park-and-Rides have a loose no overnight parking policy. I say loose as I've known people who work in Downtown Denver and have parked their car at a Park-and-Ride, went for drinks after work and couldn't drive home. They didn't get towed but they did get the car the next day. For your purposes, I think your car would get impounded if you used one.

I'm not sure if a parking garage in downtown or in the DTC would have an average daily cost of $5/day which is what Pikes Peak charges. I agree with your consternation about Pikes as I've waited over an hour at DIA waiting for the bus and no longer use Pikes unless I'm departing and arriving during a weekday. The bus' seem to run more consistently during the work week than weekends.

I've left my car at the Stapleton park-and-ride for as long as 10 days. It seems to be actively encouraged by RTD.

Check out rtd-denver.com for more details, but on there they encourage long-term parkers that are using Skyride to park at either Stapleton or 40th/Airport Blvd.

An off-site option would be FastTrack airport parking, formerly PCA. They've cut their prices recently to $6.75/day plus $2 one-time fee. They also have a punch card and after 30 days paid you get a 10-day stay free.

For what you are looking for, I might look on Craigslist and see if you can find somebody located convenient to RTD that has a garage for rent.

When you add it all up (insurance, registration, maintenance, parking) you might be better off renting with Priceline or something.

Huh???

My fiance has left her car at the Park N Ride for up to two weeks, even during the Christmas Blizzard of 2006! No issues at all. I did tell her to hide the shovel in the trunk, less some poor soul break in to her car in search of a shovel!

As has been said, the RTD encourages the practice. They run a bus to these lots from the airport, for like $5. It's a heckuva deal. Far better public transit options than COS, which can't even seem to run a public bus to the airport!

Hmmmm

3 hrs SW DEN...Canon City? Fort Carson?

What about flying in/out of COS or PUB or EGE? (depending on where) A smaller airport might have better opportunities for creative car parking...?

RFTraveler :D

Was thinking the same thing. A colleague of mine used to leave the car @ COS long-term airport parking for 1-3 weeks all the time. She also used to do "mini-leases" through hertz which, though not sure they still exist, worked out to about $10-15/day and parking @ Hertz lot was free (including a wash).

@ $5/day (30day max) I think Pike's peak is the best you'll find without "bending" a rule or two. ;)

I've had pretty good success with US Airport Parking. When I when to grab the link to paste here, I saw that they have prepaid monthly and annual parking.

For normal parking there, there are a lot of 10% discounts to be had; if you have AAA, then the discount is 15%, though I don't know if it applies to the prepaid options.

http://www.usairportparking.com/rates.asp

RTD-Denver now charges for parking at their Park n Rides. It seems to be money down the drain for $250,000 projected revenue vs hassling customers. The only one coming ahead of this is the private parking enforcers.

Wow there's a lot of misinformation here.

http://www2.rtd-denver.com/RTDNews/N...0NR%202009.pdf

You can park at the park-n-ride for up to 15 days, or up to 30 if you have written permission. The cost for the 40th and Pena (Airport Blvd.) lot is $1/day if your vehicle is registered in the Denver metro or $2/day registered outside the Denver metro. If you sign up for an automated account, you get a 15% discount.

Even with the per-day charges, this is still by far the best deal in airport parking pretty much anywhere, except for trips <4 days. (The bus fare to/from the airport from the 40th & Pena stop is $8 each way.)

COS has *heinous* options for long term parking compared to DEN.

Airport Parking Deals - Denver?
 

wondering if anyone knows of a site with deals for airport parking (particularly Denver)... I know this isnt necessarily related to miles, but thought someone here might be able to point me in the right direction, please?

Try Long Term Parking's Colorado page:


http://www.longtermparking.com/colorado.htm

I don't know of a particular site with such coupons. However, USAParking (both open and covered) is a few dollars cheaper than comparable parking at the terminal, and with AAA you get an additional 10% off; $1/day off coupons for them used to be pretty easy to find. They pick you up and drop you off at your car and will help with luggage. Coming from the north, it saves a toll booth also. Their vans seem to be running a little less frequently now, so I would assume a few minutes wait on both ends.
On the airport property (and maybe nearby also), Pike's Peak parking is probably the cheapest (uncovered only, AFAIK); there the buses pick you up at ends of aisles (luggage assistance is rare in my experience).

Deleted

Stapleton p-n-R
 

If you're gone for more than a week, a great option is Stapleton Park & Ride (one of the old parking garages at the former Stapleton Airport).

It's gotten a little worse since February, when they changed it from a free lot to a pay lot, but at $1/day (if you live in the "Denver transportation district", otherwise it's $2/day), plus an $8 shuttle (usually runs about every 30 minutes or so, takes about 25 mins to get to/from the Park & Ride and DIA) each way, you can do 14 days for $30, or just over $2/day. Not too shabby. Techinically, at $1/day plus $16 r/t on the shuttle, the break-even point vs. Pike's Peak (on-airport shuttle parking) is 4 days, though I'd be willing to do Pike's Peak for a stay of probably up to a week, just because the savings isn't worth having to add on ~1hr or more on each end of your trip (waiting for the shuttle and then riding it, and the fact that Stapleton p&r is farther from where I live than DIA).

There are some covered spaces (only the first floor of the garage is still open) and some outdoor.

Be wary of stays over 30 days - I've done it (left my car there over 50 days one time), though technically, you're supposed to call ahead and clear it with the lot management.

It's a somewhat sketchy location, but I've never felt unsafe there. There are 24-hour private security patrols who drive around the lot in SUVs.

One warning - it is dusty/dirty as ANYTHING in the garage, and very windy. If you're gone for 2 weeks or more, expect to have a thick layer of dirt covering your entire car... you don't want to be out of windshield washer fluid when you come back!

More information at: www.rtd-denver.com

dia parking?
 

i have to park at dia several times in the next few months. any suggestions as to which place has the best parking rates/ frequent parker deals? i know there are several to choose from... just wondering if anyone has more experience with this? thanks

Agree, not too may options available down here. Airport long term parking used to be $5 a day and $25 a week, but that sadly was quite some time back. Now is a straight $6 a day. But long term slots are only a 2-3 minute or so walk from the terminal, so you can arrive/depart quickly.

The other long term parking option I've heard of is at the airport area Radisson Hotel, about 4.25 miles from terminal. Heard some time back they charged $4 a day. Drop off/pick up pax using their shuttle. Not sure if this parking is still available, or if so of the current cost.

6 Mar '11 UPDATE: So many people are now parking long term in the short term lot, since short term is only $2 more per day than long term, that close in spots for those wanting short term are now difficult to find. Puzzles me, therefore, why folks don't just park in long term, if that's what they really need, and save the $2 a day. Honestly, it is only a 30 second longer walk out to long term!

USA Parking has a frequent parker program where you get a card punched based on the length of stay. When full, you can apply to a future rental (maybe $45 off?). I seem to recall that they also have discount rates for recurring parkers also, but I have never looked into that option.

http://www.wallypark.com/DIA/landing.html

WallyPark offers 25% discount for AAA members (about $8.20). My company gets a 30% discount, so I pay $7.95 a day, which makes it cheaper than USAirport Parking. The perk is that it's super close to the airport when the Pikes Peak lot is full.

Also just noticed that you can bring in a competitor coupon and park for $7.95/day.

The Parking Spot
 

The Parking Spot has a new lot in Denver, and they are offering a special from now until May 15, 2011, where parking is only $5 per day at their Denver lot for anyone who is wearing spots. Their press release about it says that you can even draw spots on yourself to get the rate!

A new lot, Canopy Parking, has opened up across the road from USAParking on Tower Road. On Canopy's website they currently have a $3 off per day (thus rate is $6 per day) coupon you can print, good through June 2011. USAParking will also accept this same coupon for parking at their lot, as I did this past week.

Wyo folks often park at the I-25/Harmony Rd. Park and Ride in Fort Collins. Free parking, SuperShuttle is $80 RT. No Denver traffic or tolls.

---------------------

ETA: Turns out the trip is $57.80 RT with "Visa discount" on Supershuttle.

I need to park at DEN on a weekday afternoon this week in order to go in and meet someone who's arriving after a WN flight. (No, I can't simply pick him up at one of the passenger pick up doors but need to meet him when he comes up the escalator from the train).

The couple of times I've parked at DEN in this situation I seem to end up a long way from where I needed to be (and am more used to picking up UA fliers with checked baggage in any case).

My pick-up-ee will not have any checked luggage.

Can someone give me a primer on where to go and how in order most easily park and then with the least confusing walk get to and from that escalator for arriving pax? Short-term/pricier is fine; I don't expect to get there but about 30 minutes ahead of flight arrival.

THe 'Super Short Term" parking is on the arrivals level (level 4) on the left hand side as you come in. Follow signs for 'arrivals' on the West side, stay to the left as you enter the structure, and it will be on your left. $2/hour, I think. Park there (West side is slightly closer, given that the escalator from the train is on that side of the main atrium), walk across to terminal (maybe 50 yards), inside, up 1 escalator (into Baggage Claim) - then out to the middle to the fountains. Easy-peasy.

Agreed. Just to reiterate as this is confusing: Do not follow the signs to "Parking." Follow the signs to "Arrivals" and get in the far left lane.

I never knew there was a lot up there... When I've had to pickup, I've usually parked in the same spot I normally park (1st level of the garage, in the middle, elevators go "right to" the arrivals area).

Thanks to both of you. Most helpful. DIA website says that it's $3/hour, fyi.

Worked perfectly. Thanks!

Covered airport parking near DIA
 

Looking for recommendations for inexpensive covered airport parking.

The only two I see are...

Canopy Airport Parking - $12 with ExpressToll discount
ParkDIA - $13.18 with AAA discount

Am I missing any other place?

USAirport parking is across the street from Canopy and has covered parking
http://www.usairportparking.com/

Thanks. It's $12.75/day with AAA discount.

On a map, it looks like ParkDIA is significantly closer to the main terminal compared to Canopy/USA. Anyone know the difference in time it takes from each lot?

For reference, I typically park Sunday night or Monday morning through Thursday night. I have a very significant discount at WallyPark, which I will continue to use for regular parking. Covered parking is for weeks when snow is expected.

Of course, when I posted the question, I thought there were be more than three options.

Easy Reasonably priced long term parking at DEN
 

I need to leave my sister's car for her at DEN. I'll leave it next Saturday on my way to a flight, she'll pick it up a week later.

What are good, reasonably priced options where she can easily catch a shuttle to the lot and where I can clearly describe the car location?

Hope some Mile Highers can point me in the right direction.

Thanks!

Doc

I don't find any of the options particularly reasonably priced. I've used Canopy and WallyPark and like Canopy better, although they're both basically the same.

Different suggestion: If you possibly needed a hotel for your trip, leave your car at one of the hotels that offers a week's parking. There are a number of options on Tower Road, and many more in the complex northwest of the Pena/I-70 interchange.

I would think that might be way easier than making sure she has the claim check and trying to describe in a massive lot where the car is.

Good idea. The hotel idea might work, I could just get her a room at the end. She'll be coming in at night from a really long series of flights, she could just hop the hotel shuttle, sleep, and drive home the next day. I may push that on her as I'd rather not have her drive up to the mountains after a huge day like that.

Covered or uncovered?

If uncovered, the hotel park-and-fly options are pretty good. Example: Holiday Inn Express lets you park for $5 a day at their place with a one-night stay.

I hear a lot of complaints about long waits for the independent parking shuttles, especially from the terminal back to the car.

Pikes Peak Shuttle Lot is $8 a day, part of the airport. I've used them several times and never had a long wait for the shuttle to return to the lot. https://www.flydenver.com/pikespeak

Thanks, Brian, I'll check out HIE.

With WallyPark, you are given a card with the exact location of your car--which you hand to your driver on your return. You could park at WallyPark, take a picture of the card, and then send it to your sister. Sister can then show the picture to the driver.

That's what we did when there was a 1-day gap between my sister leaving and us returning--except we used WallyPark's valet parking.

But, yes, hotel is probably the best option.