There are three things I love about travelling - airports, airline food and getting on the airplane.
Now while not everyone will agree with me about airline food, just about all of us have an intense dislike of airport parking.
Trying to find a good parking spot at the short, medium or long term car park close to the right flight terminal is time consuming, stressful and can be expensive.
Then when you have found your parking spot you have to drag your luggage through the park, up curbs, along walkways, maybe in and out of elevators, across one or two roads, find a trolley, load your luggage - then join the booking queue.
Your flight's good, your business trip or holiday has been rewarding or fun and you've just landed back home at the airport.
Guess what? Do you remember where your car is parked? Have you still got your parking ticket? Have you got more luggage with you now then when you left? And if you're lucky it won't be raining! Now I have done this many times in the past but no more! I have joined the twenty-first century! I have discovered that I can dispense with most of the queuing at the airport by using the internet for my flight arrangements and seat allocation and to book a car park in advance.
I now love airports more than ever before.
And guess what? Valet parking away from the airport can be cheaper and more convenient than parking at the airport! You can use the internet to book your car in for parking close to the airport and be driven there, dropped off as close as you can get to your airline terminal and picked up at the airport when you return from your trip.
How good is that? Sounds complicated did I hear someone say? Well it's not really.
I have used valet parking away from the airport many times and it just gets easier each time.
However you do need to plan your trip for this to work.
But then you have to plan your trip anyway, so off-airport parking just needs a bit more awareness about the timing for your flight.
This is not a problem for me as I like to arrive at the airport with plenty of time to relax and allow a buffer for those things that just seem to go wrong at the last minute.
The first thing you should do is get the best deal for your parking dollar.
Using your favourite search engine compare the rates between off-airport parking providers with charges for parking at the airport.
For example, undercover valet parking away from the airport may cost you around $A57.
00 for three days and $A113.
00 for ten days with open air parking about $A20.
00 less per stay.
Compare this with undercover airport parking at around $A57.
00 to $A65.
00 for three days and around $A145.
00 for ten days.
Valet parking at the airport carpark will cost you about $A20.
00 extra.
So valet parking for ten days away from the airport could be around $A50.
00 cheaper than valet parking at the airport.
Remember, for parking at the airport you may need to check whether you need domestic or international parking! Why is valet parking so good you ask? Well it's a must for off-airport parking.
You leave your car, pay your fee, pile onto a minibus with your luggage and any other passengers and are dropped off at your respective terminal.
You will then be picked up at the pre-arranged time of your return flight and driven to the off-site carpark to be reunited with your car.
If you choose valet parking at the airport, you drive to the carpark, pay your fee, leave your car with an attendant, unload your luggage, and take your luggage to wherever the terminal is.
If you don't choose valet parking you will have to park your car wherever you can find a parking spot.
Personally I enjoy airports and flying too much to be hassled by parking! The choice is yours!