Parking at airport getting hard to find
Lots nearly full as busy travel season kicks in
Arrange a carpool for your spring break plans because parking at the Des Moines International Airport is nearly full. All of economy parking lots are full and the long-term parking garage is 99% full, as of noon Tuesday.
Where can I park at the Des Moines airport?
During high-demand seasons for the airport, the purple lot is open to the public. It is typically used for rental car parking and is across from the gray lot south of the terminal. Parking is offered at a discounted rate at $6 a day and can be paid through a QR code.
What is the demand for parking at the Des Moines International Airport?
The demand for onsite parking has grown over the last few years. This resulted in the airport constructing a new parking garage, which is set to open in 2025 creating another 1,100 stalls. Last year, the economy gray lot was expanded by 400 stalls to accommodate the demand. But the need for onsite parking continues and is nearly outpacing the expansion, said Kayla Kovarna, deputy director of communications for the Des Moines International Airport.
How much does Des Moines airport parking cost?
Onsite parking ranges from $7 to $12 a day in the economy lots and includes the shuttle ride to the terminal. The parking garage offers covered parking starting at $20 a day for longterm parking and $48 a day in the hourly spaces.
What are tips for parking at the Des Moines International Airport?
You can check the status of parking at the airport via the Airport Parking website page. There are updates for all of the shuttle times, as well as a parking estimator.
As of noon Tuesday, all three economy lots were 100% full. There were an estimated 19 spaces in the long-term garage and 25 hourly garage spots. That had improved by 2 p.m. when economy lots were listed as 97-100% occupied. Numbers are expected to fluctuate frequently.
Be sure to arrive at the airport at least 90 minutes early and consider planning extra time for shuttles, Kovarna said. Each shuttle is estimated to take up to 10 minutes even during peak hours, but Kovarna said it is better plan for extra time just in case.
Base your arrival time at the airport on the boarding time listed on your ticket, not the departure time. Doors to a flight close 10-15 minutes before departure, Korvarna said.
Where are shuttles for parking at the Des Moines Airport?
Shuttles continuously run to the gray, red and blue parking lots at the airport. They are estimated to take up to 10 minutes. You can track each shuttle from the Des Moines International Airport’s parking page.
How much has the parking demand increased at the Des Moines International Airport?
This year has already exceeded the parking peak of 2023, and spring break is expected to continue the trend. The Des Moines International Airport is anticipating an 8-10% increase in parking throughout this year’s spring break in comparison to 2023. There is also nearly a 10% increase in the number of the seats departing from the Des Moines airport.
Are there other parking options near the Des Moines International Airport?
Keck and Jet offers parking near the airport. Both companies provide a shuttle service to the airport and charge $10 a day. Jet’s Parking is also full for the next week to nine days. Keck is at maximum capacity. The best time to park is bright and early. As the morning goes on there are fewer spots open, said Thom Wierenga, Keck airport parking manager.
“High demand would be an understatement,” Wierenga said. “It isn’t unusual for spring break, but we have been full almost every day for the last week.”
Jet Parking is located across the street from the airport. Reservations must be made 72 hours in advance of the reservation. Keck Parking, located across the street from the airport, allows reservations to be made 48 hours in advance of the parking date.