Parking at Tampa International Airport: A Better Cheaper Option
Parking at Tampa International Airport is now something I avoid whenever possible. I’ve lived everywhere from Boston to California and TPA has always been my favorite home airport. But I’ve been traveling often recently and the parking situation at Tampa International Airport has really gone downhill.
There are 7 issues that are getting me to dread having to fly out of Tampa lately. One, if not both, of the shuttles to your departure gate are taped up and unusable. There are too few food options, especially for morning passengers. The lack of a nice airport lounge bugs me too. But it’s parking at Tampa International Airport that has become my biggest frustration.
Economy parking is way too expensive
The economy airport parking shuttle is great. It was a nice addition a few years ago. The staff is nice. I even like that you can pay for your parking with SunPass. But if I’m parking in a lot labeled “Economy,” I shouldn’t be paying close to $20 a day ($18 at last check).
Sure you save a little (and I mean little) if you pay in advance using Tampa International’s online reservation system. But it’s worth seeking off-airport options now at the rates they’re charging.
A better, cheaper TPA parking option
The best cheap off-airport parking I’ve found is at Westshore Plaza. A company called Safeway Parking Enterprises charges a puny $4 a day to park while you travel. There are no gates, QR codes or lines. You simply pull into the mall and park in a designated area on the 2nd floor on the Gray Street side. You just leave your reservation code on your dashboard and walk away. That’s it.
The thing I love besides the cheaper price? They don’t charge you an extra day for a few extra hours like Tampa International does. If you park at 6am and the day you get back it’s 8AM, you aren’t charged extra like they do at Tampa International.
Customer service is also solid with Safeway. A couple times my travel plans changed last minute and I had no problem modifying or even canceling a reservation. I got a full refund both times I asked.
So what’s the catch with Safeway Parking?
There is one big catch. There’s no shuttle to the airport. Is that a deal breaker? Not really. There’s a $2 bus stop across the street that’ll take you to the rental car center where you can take the same shuttle to the terminal.
If taking the public bus isn’t your thing, just do a $7-8 Uber ride. That way you get dropped off right at the door at TPA. I’ve found if you take an Uber, the amount of time it takes to get to the terminal from your parking spot at Westshore pretty much evens out with economy parking shuttle at the airport.
One other “catch.” You will pay taxes and fees. But we’re so used to that these days. There’s an 8.5% airport tax, the 7.5% Florida sales tax and a processing fee that’s usually around $3. Still… it’s way less than what you’ll pay for airport parking at TPA.
My biggest gripe about parking at Tampa International Airport
My biggest complaint about TPA is one that’s going to make many of you groan. The EV parking situation at TPA is a big fat fail. Yes, yours truly made the leap and got a Tesla last year. Even if you DON’T drive an EV… even if you HATE electric cars, there’s a reason you should be frustrated with how Tampa International Airport has failed.
Why should I care if I drive a car that runs on gas?
With the thousands of parking spaces at the airport, there are a whopping 4 spots for electric vehicles in the economy lot. Yes… FOUR. And where do they put those 4 spots? Right on level 1 near the elevators… PRIME parking spots that everyone wants. This is terrible planning by Tampa International.
By putting those EV spots in such a prime location, it tempts those who drive a regular car to snatch up that great parking spot. Guess that happens if they do. They get towed. All of a sudden that overpriced parking just got way more overpriced.
You probably will never see any of those 4 parking spots available anyway. I’ve only seen one empty spot… once. But there’s a no-brainer EASY solution.
The easy fix
Instead of putting EV parking spots in the GOOD parking spots, move them to one of the upper levels that nobody wants. And forget about the expensive fast chargers. They’re unnecessary. If I’m traveling, chances are I’m going to be parked for at least 3 or 4 days. So there’s no need for the pricy high speed car chargers. Just a regular standard household electric plug will do just fine. They’re way less expensive.
This simple, cheap solution would get more EV drivers to use the overpriced parking at Tampa International Airport. Plus it’d make more prime spaces available to those who don’t drive an EV. A win for everybody. Get this done TPA!
The Uber “Got Ya, Sucker!”
Another way to avoid the overpriced parking at Tampa International Airport some have suggested is to take an Uber. This makes sense if you live a short distance from the airport.
The “got ya, sucker” moment happens when you return to Tampa. The surge rates when I’ve tried to take an Uber home from TPA have been 2 to 3 times as expensive as my ride to the airport. They know you don’t have options at that point. You’ve already committed to leaving your car behind. So they jack the rates up for your ride home. It’s not just Uber. I’ve found that Lyft does the same thing.
What are your Tampa Airport parking tips? Email me at [email protected] or leave a message on my Facebook page and I’ll add them below.
