Looking for the best deal on a car parking spot at Brisbane Airport?
We've surveyed the car park companies and crunched the numbers to reveal the cheapest short-term and long-term rates, from a single day to five days and beyond, for both domestic and international travellers.
Your first choice is between parking at Brisbane Airport itself or using an 'off-site' parking station with a free shuttle bus to and from the airport.
Off-site parking
Off-site parking is typically less than half the cost of the official airport long-term car park.
Prices vary between companies based on the length of your stay.
Even if one car park is the cheapest for a two day stay, it doesn't mean it'll also be the cheapest for a week-long stay – always do your research.
Most off-site car parks provide undercover parking at an extra charge. If you're travelling during the summer storm season, think of the small premium as a nice ‘insurance policy’ against potential hail damage.
Location aside, the only real difference is that you'll usually need to book your parking at least 24 hours in advance.
Although some might offer advance payment discounts, it's best to check the cancellation rules – some companies may provide full or partial refunds if you give them enough notice.
You'll also have to leave your car key with most off-site car parks.
Brisbane Airport parking
If you just can't beat the convenience of parking at the airport proper, it's worth visiting the Brisbane Airport website to prebook your parking before you head to the airport – you'll save at least a small amount on the drive-in rates by doing so.
Consider also that BAC's parking rates are calculated in blocks of 24 hours – so if you'll be flying out in the evening but returning home the next morning, you'll only be up for the '1 day' rate if you enter the correct entry and exit times.
Furthermore, if you're flying domestically and the rates are the same (or similar) for the different parking structures, we'd suggest opting for P1 over P2 when offered (as pictured) – it's a newer complex and is closer to the terminal, so you won't have to walk quite as far.
Ignore the colourful branding – opt for the closest car space at the lowest price
Brisbane also launched a new parking service called AirPark in June 2015, which offers cheaper rates than its other parking products because it's a little further away from the terminal - there are complimentary shuttle buses that take you to the terminal, but just keep in mind that outside of peak hours (peak hours are defined as 5AM - 11AM only) the bus is only available every 20 minutes.
Even with the new AirPark option, it's worth looking beyond the bounds of the airport if you want to find the best deal.
Brisbane Airport's off-site car parks
To begin, here's a handy list of parking operators near Brisbane Airport.
Alpha Airport Parking
Where: 511 Nudgee Road, Hendra (Cnr Nudgee Rd & Airport Drive)
Hours: 05:00-23:00 seven days (Christmas 6am-midday)
Andrew's Airport Parking
Where: 539 Nudgee Road, Hendra
Hours: Open 24/7
Budget Airport Parking (BAP)
Where: 66 Cullen Avenue West, Eagle Farm
Hours: 04:00-midnight, although arrangements can be made outside of these hours
Gateway Airport Parking
Where: 240 Macarthur Avenue Central, Eagle Farm
Hours: Open 24/7
Kingsford Smith Airport Parking
Where: 767 Kingsford Smith Drive, Eagle Farm
Hours: 04:30-midnight
Portside Cruise & Airport Parking
Where: 7-11 Curtin Avenue, Eagle Farm
Hours: 04:30-22:00, with a commitment to remain open for scheduled flights arriving after 10pm due to airline delays. Arrangements can also be made outside of these hours.
Best Brisbane Airport parking for one, three and five days
Out of all the third-party airport carpark operators, the vast majority of them publish their rates online according to the length of your stay. These are the rates that we have included below, however it's a good idea to check their websites before booking as there are often specials to be found.
One day open air (same day in/out): Budget Airport Parking offers the cheapest 'drive up' rate of all the third party car parks for a single day - just $15. As mentioned above, it's worth looking at their rates online beforehand - currently they offer a special on open air parking for as little as $6 a day if you can book it online early enough.
One day undercover: Budget Airport Parking also has the cheapest 1-day under cover parking at $20 - again, it's worth checking their website for any special offers. Gateway Airport Parking and Kingsford Smith Airport Parking both come in second with a rate of $22.
Three days open air (two nights): Kingsford Smith Airport Parking offers the most competitive rate at $32, with Alpha Airport Parking not far behind at $33.
Three days undercover: Gateway Airport Parking is the cheapest option at $45, while Portside Cruise & Airport Parking offers $54. Keep in mind that Portside's price is after a 10% discount for prepaying your parking.
Five days open air (four nights): Again, Kingsford Smith Airport Parking has the best rate available at $41 with Alpha Airport Parking and Gateway Airport Parking charging $42 and $46 respectively.
Five days undercover: If you're able to prepay your parking, Portside Cruise & Airport Parking offers a 10% discount on their pricing resulting in a cost of $67.50, while Gateway Airport Parking comes in at $69.
For longer stays, Gateway Airport Parking , Alpha Airport Parking and Kingsford Smith Airport Parking alternate between first and second place by just a couple of dollars, so if you've had great service from one of these companies in the past, you won't save much by shopping around.
The pricing shown here is correct as at June, 2016, however car park operators frequently adjust pricing – so do confirm in advance before making a booking.
What you'd pay at the airport
Compare the rates above to what you'd pay at the airport, and you can see why people make the effort to park elsewhere on their travels.
One day undercover: At both the international terminal and the domestic terminal, you'd be up for a hefty $45.
One day open air: Brisbane Airport's new AirPark offers reasonable rates if you're looking for the best deal - we found rates ranging from $10 to $20, with the cheaper rates usually locked-in and non-refundable or amendable.
Three days undercover: $85 would buy you three days at the international or domestic terminals.
Three days open air: AirPark offers rates of $30 - $40.
Five days undercover: Heading away for the working week would see you charged $105 - $115 at the domestic or international terminals.
Five days open air: AirPark offers rates of $50 - $70.
Other options
Have we missed your favourite car park operator? Let us know who you park with in the comments section!
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Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
05 May 2014
Total posts 1
Alpha Car Parking are Absolutely untrustworthy, did not take proper care of my car, were late for pick up, way later than every one else, made us needlessly walk to them rather than park close by, the driver must have thought he was a co pilot the way he was on the 2 way the whole trip, never saw my GPS again, it was in the car when I left it there...waste of time complaining to the owner, who just told me he was rich and basically didn't care, he eventually offered a %15 discount next time I come there to be ripped off…fat chance, waste of money, left to feel like a fool for using them. Totally humiliating way to finish off our holiday. Use some one else, there are plenty of other airport parking places without their odious reputation, I wish I had read the reviews first.
17 Aug 2016
Total posts 1
Alpha airport parking is absolutely terrible. I parked my car at their Gold Coast parking but on return from my trip found a 40x30cm dent and scratches on my rear bumper. I showed the manager Matt straight away and he denied it could have happened there, and refused to show me any CCTV footage to find out what happened. When calling the head office to complain they simply hang up the phone. I have used them for many years but NEVER again. They simply DON'T care about their customers.
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