Last year, more than 45 million travelers used John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), making it the 12th busiest airport in the planet. With over 20 million international travelers arriving at the airport in 2008, New York Kennedy is also the top international entry point in the U.S. With so many travelers departing or landing at the airport, finding the ideal JFK parking can sometimes be challenging.
The nearest locations, naturally, are in the airport-owned central parking facilities. The JFK parking lots and garages are color coded - Green parking (Terminals 1,2,3), Blue parking (Terminal 4), Yellow parking (Terminals 5 & 6), Orange parking (Terminal 7), Red (Terminals 8 & 9) - each location assigned to 1-3 airport terminals. Parking at these central locations could be a bit pricey: $3 for the first half hour, $6 for up to one hour, $3 for each additional thirty minutes (limited to $33 maximum for every one whole day period).
The airport long-term parking lot at S Conduit Ave may be a more practical choice at $18 for the first 24 hours and $6 for every 8 hours after the first day. However, for those who will be away for a number of days or a few weeks, the parking expenses could rapidly add up, it's more practical to consider parking alternatives at off-airport locations.
JFK Parking on HubPages
The next JFK parking alternative would be the privately-run 'off-airport' parking lots. There are a number of these locations only a few miles away from the airport like AirPark, Avistar, and SmartPark along Conduit Ave. These are excellent establishments boasting rave reviews by previous patrons. If you're particular about parking rates (and who shouldn't be, in this economy), these locations are your best option. They are open for both long-term and short-term parking, are served by frequently-running shuttle vehicles, are prepared to take care of disabled travelers, and most importantly, it costs way less to drop-off your vehicle in these lots than at the airport-owned facilities.
My preferred choice is the 'stay, park, and fly' JFK parking packages popular among the JFK airport hotels. If you think about it, hotel parking is hands down the most convenient and economical option. Visualize this, for instance: your residence is 2 hours away from Kennedy and you need to come in for a 6am early morning departure - you’ll most likely set the alarm for 2am to arrive at the airport at least 1 hour before your plane takes off. On the other hand, if you stay at any of the nearby hotels the night before, you'll have your full night sleep, and not get to your flight dizzy from lack of sleep. And here's the best part: you pay for the room for a relaxed one-night stay, you'll also get 7-10 days complimentary parking at the hotel’s parking lot. The savings you're making from the free parking is essentially paying for your room, plus you'll be pampered with full valet service and other amenities courtesy of the cutthroat competition these hotels are up against.
Apparently, each of these JFK parking choices has its own pluses and minuses. Just pick one that feels right according towhat you’re prepared to pay and the garage’s distance from the airport . Just make sure to plan beforehand and reserve your parking spot conveniently ahead of your scheduled departure. There are plenty of details to worry about when you’re on the road, JFK Airport parking need not be one of those.
Source: JFK Parking Options for the Seasoned Passenger (Ezine Articles)
Author: Emmanuel Gonot
Photo: Leonardnyc - Wikimedia Commons
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