We’re not sure if it is just because we live in Colorado where there isn’t a good public transportation system. Or whether it is because everyone is spread so far out that they have to drive to the airport, but the parking prices to leave your car at the airport for seven days is astronomical. We’ve found a trick to save ourselves a little money and make flying out of Denver a little easier. Instead of parking our car at the airport, we spend the night prior to our flight at one of the airport hotels. Many of the hotels offer seven days of free parking if you spend a night. Sometimes they charge an additional $10 for the parking, but some, like the Embassy Suites, do not.
A one night stay at the hotel is much cheaper than what the airport charges for parking. In addition, if you do a little research, you can find a hotel that offers some additional perks, such as free breakfast or a manager’s reception. One of the reasons that we chose the Embassy Suites was that they offered both. Not just a continental breakfast, but a full hot breakfast including omelets and French toast made to order. To make things even better, their manager’s reception includes a complimentary full bar, house brands only, but at that price, who cares. They also provide a variety of snack food and their restaurant appetizers are half price.
The other benefit of staying at the hotel is convenience. For example, our flight to Cabo left Denver International Airport at 8:26 a.m. For us to drive from Colorado Springs and get to the airport at the recommended two hours in advance, we’d be leaving our home at 5:00 a.m., meaning we’d have to wake up by around 4:00 a.m. Not a fun way to start a vacation. By staying at the hotel, we get complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport, allowing us to be dropped off at the terminal and not lug our suitcases from the parking lot.
Taking a taxi or some form of public transportation is probably the most ideal solution rather than parking a car at the airport, but, depending on the price of a taxi or parking at the airport, you may want to consider looking for a hotel at the airport and spending the night there instead. For the convenience, cost, and piece of mind, we find it an excellent solution. If anything, we just consider it an opportunity to start our vacation a day early and relax and let the hotel staff pamper us a little prior to our trip.