Melbourne airport parking - Pickup Options

[CaptainPersia]

Hey all,

Just wanted to share this parking trick I always use in Melbourne airport. So if you want to go and pick up or drop someone at the Airport, you can just book Terminal 2,3,4 parking online for 30 minutes and then you can enter and exit the airport parking 1 hour prior and 1 hour after. So with just 30 min booking ( usually $7 or $8) you can stay up to 2 hr 30 min in the airport,

Any other tips or tricks you know? Share it so others can benefit too!

 

[AIRwin]

Wonder if this will work at BNE?

 

[CaptainPersia]

Wonder if this will work at BNE?

I just checked and unfortunately this will not work at BNE:
7.3 If you arrive early or leave late such that your vehicle is parked in a Car Park for any time outside the Booking Period, you will be charged additional fees in accordance with the parking boards posted at the car park entry.

Parking Terms and Conditions - Brisbane Airport

Read through Brisbane Airport's parking terms and conditions including privacy information, contact details, conditions of entry, pricing and more.

www.bne.com.au

 

[AIRwin]

Thanks @captainroma !

 

[tdimdad]

From memory, Sydney may also be enforcing the actual parking time. i.e. the clock starts from when you enter and any minutes past the pre-booked time are charged on top of the booking.

 

[Quickstatus]

In SYD the time starts from actual entry.

 

[GSP]

Have used this feature many times, really only used when needing to get out of the car. If picking up and not needing to get out of the car, the 20 min spot is pretty good - haven't had the need to have a second entry and not sure if that is possible, but I know of plenty of other spots where you can wait (not on the side of the freeway of course).

 

[MathNerd]

Hey all,

Just wanted to share this parking trick I always use in Melbourne airport. So if you want to go and pick up or drop someone at the Airport, you can just book Terminal 2,3,4 parking online for 30 minutes and then you can enter and exit the airport parking 1 hour prior and 1 hour after. So with just 30 min booking ( usually $7 or $8) you can stay up to 2 hr 30 min in the airport,

Any other tips or tricks you know? Share it so others can benefit too!

I've used this exact "trick" on all my trips to the airport to drop someone off / pick someone up, but initially when I first learnt of the "trick" I booked for 1 hour @ $11 rather than 30 minutes @ $7. What a fool I was!

 

[opusman]

Sounds like a feature that might be subject to change without much notice if too many people start taking advantage of it

 

[Quickstatus]

Sounds like a feature that might be subject to change without much notice if too many people start taking advantage of it

And talking about it

 

[opusman]

And talking about it

This is an internet forum, talking about things is what it's for.

 

[Human]

I use this feature (taking advantage of the 1-hour "grace" period either side of the booking) all the time. It's fantastic for short parks at the airport and it's occasionally mentioned on various forums on various sites. Having lived in both Sydney and Perth before living in Melbourne, I have to say that MelAir parking, while not perfect, is the best of the three in terms of convenience and value-for-money.

 

[GSP]

And talking about it

I get the feeling that MEL airport would like people talking about it and taking advantage of it - more cars parked. They would of course be aware of the lurk and almost anybody who uses it would be aware of it.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Sounds like a feature that might be subject to change without much notice if too many people start taking advantage of it

This has actually been on OzBargain since last year... lots of discussion there (although it was about the 1hr, not 30minute block). Doesn’t seem to have been an impact so far (fingers crossed).

 

[Monarch]

The 'grace period' feature is offered by major parking business such as Wilson Parking and Secure Parking, so I doubt it's under threat, even at Melbourne Airport. Most people probably aren't organised enough to take advantage of it!

 

[Madison177204]

We have a great service in Townsville called FIFO. We have lodged one of our spare keys with them permanently and now drive into the airport short term parking, leave $5 on the seat of the car (or somewhere else inconspicious) and go get on our plane. They come and pick it up, take it away and bring the car back about 30 mins before we return. We deplane, collect our car and drive away! We pay them per credit card and the charges are $10/day - absolutely fabulous for us for up to 10 days as we live 200 klms from the airport and it would cost more than $100 to have someone travel with us and drop us off and come back 10 days later to collect us. Any more than 10 days and we get our house sitters at the time to drop us off and come back and collect us - magic!

 

[gizzard]

Have used this feature many times, really only used when needing to get out of the car. If picking up and not needing to get out of the car, the 20 min spot is pretty good - haven't had the need to have a second entry and not sure if that is possible, but I know of plenty of other spots where you can wait (not on the side of the freeway of course).

I have waited for just under 20 minutes at one of these spots and then gone out and back in again immediately afterwards without charge.