Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport raises lost-token fee

If you’ve ever claimed a “lost token” at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport to save a little money, know that the airport has caught on to the clever trick.

The Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority voted Tuesday to increase the lost token fee to $100 after discovering an increased number of perhaps conveniently misplaced tokens during the summer months when Phoenicians escape the rising temperatures in the Valley.

Staff caught on when the number of lost tokens suddenly increased.

In months like July and August, the airport’s parking lots were averaging roughly 70 lost tokens each month, which was high for lots that typically see just 1,500 vehicles parking monthly and much higher than the rest of the year.

How the trick saved flyers money

Parking at Mesa Gateway airport is $11 in the lot near the airport and $7 in the economy lot where you need to take the shuttle to the terminal. That meant for a week of parking, the lost token fee of $42 was less than the $55 for the most expensive lot — a savings of $7 to $13 per day depending on where you parked.

If you do the math, that trick would yield an even more significant savings the longer you were away.

Since the exit system is automated, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority Executive Director Brian O’Neill said people didn’t even have to pass a “face test.” They could just choose “lost token,” pay the $42 and go.

How much lost tokens cost now

To put a stop to it, the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority voted unanimously to increase the lost token fee to $100. However, the board also voted to allow customers who genuinely lost their token to present their itinerary to the parking lot manager and have the price adjusted accordingly.

If you’re still doing the math on the point where “losing” the ticket still might pay off, a word of warning: O’Neill says airport staff plan to continue to monitor the parking lots to ensure that people aren’t gaming the system.

Other changes coming soon

The airport is building covered parking in the economy lot to help keep cars shaded while their owners escape Phoenix’s heat. The new spots are expected to be available to flyers in June.

The Authority voted to price those spots at $11 per day.