# BWI Parking - holy guacamole!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 8, 2002, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bwi-parking-holy-guacamole/122976 "2002-08-08T16:08:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bwi-parking-holy-guacamole/122976/1 "2002-08-08T16:08:25Z")
I’m leaving Jacksonville in a few hours for a weekend conjugal visit/family reunion/50th anniversary party in Baltimore. Last night on line, I found a parking/shuttle deal at the airport here for $4/day - seemed like a pretty good deal, and the lot is on the road to the airport, so it’s convenient. Hubby’s going to be flying down here over Labor Day weekend, and for giggles, I looked up parking at BWI. Unbelievable!!! The garage runs something like $30/day - obviously they’re targeting the short-term trade. The cheapest airport parking at a remote long-term lot is $6/day. Off-site at the only places I saw that listed prices was over $11/day. Transport from downtown - where his marina is - runs $18 round trip. It wouldn’t be half bad if public transportation in Balto wasn’t such a hassle. Whew! I’m going to suggest he bribe my sister into taking him - even giving her $10 will more than cover gas. Not a rant - just an observation. All that money to have your car sitting. What a racket… ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bwi-parking-holy-guacamole/122976/2 "2002-08-08T16:19:35Z")
You were looking at the short-term lot prices, **FCM**. From [www.bwiairport.com](http://www.bwiairport.com): > [@](#): > > Daily Lot B BWI’s new convenient parking lot! Located at Elm Rd. and Aviation Blvd., this new parking lot opened on 11/05/01. The new Daily Lot B has 1,400 spaces and is served by closely scheduled shuttle buses from covered bus shelters. Rates are $2 per hour up to the daily maximum of **$11** per day. > > Satellite Parking Located on Aviation Boulevard (MD 170), the Satellite lots have over 7,000 spaces and are served by closely scheduled shuttle buses from covered bus shelters. Be sure to note whether you park in the Blue or Green lot, which are on opposite sides of the road. The economical rates in Satellite make it extremely popular, and lots may be full on some weekends and during holiday periods. Signs will direct you to alternate parking in these situations. To avoid delays, consider parking in the ESP lot or the garage if your trip is only a few days. Satellite is ideal for a longer vacation trip. Rates are $1 per hour up to a daily maximum of **$7** ; every seventh day is still free. > > Express Service Parking (ESP) BWI’s ESP Parking has a new location! ESP Parking has 1,800 spaces and is designed for passengers leaving vehicles for more than one day at the Airport, is located on Aviation Boulevard across from the Air Cargo Complex. Frequent shuttle bus service is offered from the lot to the terminal building. Rates are $3 per hour up to **$13** per day. Any of these are better than the $30 one. That’s for the short-termers - they charge $30 so they can keep long-term parkers out of it. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bwi-parking-holy-guacamole/122976/3 "2002-08-08T17:44:03Z")
Some of the Satellite Parking lots are closer than others. (They’re the ones with the color-coded names, btw - Blue Lot, Green Lot, Gold Lot, etc.) The Blue and Green lots are just a short shuttlebus from the terminal, and service is pretty frequent. We use 'em for all but the shortest trips. Sure, it would be nice if parking at the airport was cheaper, but $7/day is really pretty reasonable, IMHO. Here’s [BWI parking info](http://www.bwiairport.com/frames/2_parking_info.html), and a [map](http://www.bwiairport.com/frames/2_parking_map.html) of their lots. And here’s private [off-airport parking](http://www.bwiairport.com/parking/off_airport_parking.html), which is what it sounds like you had in Jax, **FCM**. This one was the cheapest, at $8/day; the others were $10.80 and $11.75/day, so BWI clearly isn’t trying to rip you off. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bwi-parking-holy-guacamole/122976/4 "2002-08-08T18:29:59Z")
Yeah, just wait until I get back to pick up my car from the Green lot. I’ve been parked there since the 27th. :eek: That’s $84, assuming I come home tomorrow, and that’s a big assumption. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bwi-parking-holy-guacamole/122976/5 "2002-08-08T18:39:28Z")
You want expensive parking, try Newark’s lots. Even the long-term ones are a mint and a half. For one weekend it used to cost me $60+. ---
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bwi-parking-holy-guacamole/122976/6 "2002-08-08T20:02:12Z")
For transportation from downtown, would it be possible to take the [MARC train](http://www.mtamaryland.com/index.cfm) to and from BWI? IIRC it’s only $5. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bwi-parking-holy-guacamole/122976/7 "2002-08-08T20:11:10Z")
The parking garage at the MARC/Amtrak station doubles as a BWI long-term lot, with a free shuttlebus between the train station and the airport terminal. That might help **FairyChatDad** , depending on where he’s coming from. Wouldn’t help **Doors** , who undoubtedly drove down from PA; I’m sure airport parking is cheaper than parking in downtown Baltimore. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bwi-parking-holy-guacamole/122976/8 "2002-08-08T21:25:39Z")
Taking the Light Rail to BWI is $1.35 for a one-way trip. Parking at some of the stops is free.