Airport parking in Australia: What are the options?

When booking flights, accommodation, and activities, not to mention packing and taking your dog to the kennel, it’s easy to overlook car parking when planning a holiday.

However, if you’re flying, it’s typically necessary, and a lack of organisation can cost you time and money.

Depending on what terminal you’re leaving from, whether you’re heading internationally or domestically, and the length of stay, these details can impact which parking options are available or more suited to you.

Adding to this, with a wide variety of parking options available, usually the larger the airport, the more there are – it can be confusing trying to determine which one suits your needs.

carsales has broken down some of the most popular car parking options at two of Australia's busiest airports to help you choose which best suits you.

Description: This is a budget-friendly option, especially for longer stays and the cheapest on-site parking options available.

At Melbourne Tullamarine, it is called Value Parking, and P3 (domestic) and P7 (international) at Sydney’s Kingsford Smith.

In Melbourne (Tullamarine) the car park is open-air (outside), and it has a free shuttle bus that runs to all terminals every 15 minutes.

At Sydney’s P3 and P7 carparks, apart from the roof, the parking is all undercover.

There is express transport to terminals from the ground floor, or you can walk to the domestic terminals T2 and T3 in 5-8 minutes from P3, or to the international terminal from P7 in 2-5 minutes.

Sydney Airport also has the Blu Emu open-air car park with a free shuttle bus that maintains a 15-minute service to the terminal.

Cost: The price varies depending on your stay and how you book. In Sydney, you can save up to 70 per cent if you book online in advance but the price typically starts at around $10.33 per day for the Blu Emu option and from $46.83 per day at the terminal.

For Melbourne, booking online in advance is also cheaper. The price starts at around $12.00 per day.

Ideal for: Long-term parking and those looking to save money.?

Description: Valet parking (someone parking your car on departure and retrieving your car upon return) is available at both Melbourne and Sydney airports and for domestic and international terminals.

Located near the terminals, it is ultra-convenient and can save you time and stress. It does, however, cost much more.

Cost: Depending on how long you stay for, which valet package you choose and which terminal you’re travelling through, it can range anywhere from $23.93 to $41.35 per day in Sydney and from $79 per day in Melbourne.

Ideal for: Those who value convenience and don't want to worry about parking.?

Description: Premium self-parking are carparks located closest to the terminals, offering quick access to check-in counters.

In Sydney, P1 Prime Park is less than a minute’s walk to T2 and T3, while in Melbourne, Premium Self-Parking is located close to all domestic terminals and is located on Level 1 of the Terminal 1, 2, 3, and 4 carparks.

Cost: In Melbourne, it starts from $79 per day (booking online is the cheapest option) and in Sydney, it ranges from around $34 to $44 per day.

Ideal for: Those who value convenience and want to minimise walking distance.?

Description: Offsite parking is located outside the airport's immediate vicinity and run by independent companies that typically offer a shuttle bus service that transports you from the parking lot to the airport.

Cost: Parking off-site is the cheapest option for both airports. The price varies depending on how long you’re parking and which company and service you choose (outdoor parking is typically cheaper than undercover). Prices start from around $25 per day but the longer you stay, the cheaper the daily rate is.

Ideal for: Those who want to save some dollars on car parking, who are more flexible with time and who aren’t bothered with the extra stop.

Other: Most airport parking services also offer car cleaning add-ons as well, so you can return from your trip with a clean car waiting.

Finally, while each airport’s car parking options vary, you can usually compare costs by heading to the specific airport website, navigating to their parking page, and then putting in your dates, terminal, and other preferences.

For external providers, you will need to check prices and options individually.