Last Updated: 10/28/09
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Is this spot taken? Check out our guide to long-term lots.
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 On a recent trip to North Carolina, an IndependentTraveler.com staffer found herself circling LaGuardia Airport -- but she wasn't on a plane. Instead, she was driving her car with growing irritation from one airport parking lot to another, searching for an empty space to leave her vehicle while she was gone. With no prior reservation, she came up short at both LaGuardia's long-term lot and several off-airport locations. Finally, desperate and in danger of missing her plane, she found an attendant willing to accept a hefty bribe and landed a space at an off-airport lot.
Anyone who's had a similar experience knows that the hassle of flying can start well before you arrive at the terminal. If you know you'll need long-term parking -- especially at busy travel times like holiday weekends and Monday mornings -- then it's best to plan ahead. How can you ensure your spot in a crowded lot? Read on for our tips.
 At the Airport
Your closest, most convenient parking options are usually the airport's own lots and garages. Unfortunately, you often pay more for that convenience, even when you park in the more economical long-term lots. We've put together a sampler of the lowest available long-term parking rates at major airports around the country. If yours isn't listed, check your airport's Web site for up-to-date parking prices.
Atlanta (ATL): $10/day
Boston (BOS): $18/day or $108/week (six or seven days)
Chicago (ORD): $9/day
Houston Intercontinental (IAH): $6/day
Los Angeles (LAX): $10/day
Miami (MIA): $15/day
Newark (EWR): $18/day for first day, $6 for each eight-hour period thereafter
New York (JFK): $18/day for first day, $6 for each eight-hour period thereafter
New York (LGA): $33/day for first 28 hours, $6 for each eight-hour period thereafter
Philadelphia (PHL): $11/day
Portland, OR (PDX): $10/day, with seventh day free
San Francisco (SFO): $14/day
Seattle-Tacoma (SEA): $26/day or $130/week (six to seven days)
 And these are "economy" lots! Shorter-term parking at the airport can cost you well over $30 to $50 a day and are a rather exorbitant option for trips longer than a couple of days.
Unfortunately, in high travel seasons the economy lots fill up quickly, and most airports won't let you reserve a space there ahead of time. Some airport Web sites do let you check the current status of their parking lots before you leave for your flight -- so if the lot you want is nearly full, you'll have time to consider public transportation or call a few off-site lots.
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