In 6 of JFK airport’s terminals, there are over 17,000 parking spaces that you can pay with rates varying for short-term and long-term parking.
In this article, I have explained how much it cost to park at JFK airport giving details of costs for short-term and long-term parking.
About JFK Airport Parking and history
The 17,000+ parking spaces give you an idea of how big JFK airport is. It is one of the busiest airports in the world, handling over 59 million passengers a year.
in 1974, the Fountain of Liberty and flowerbed were demolished to pave way for a massive expansion of JFK airport’s parking.
In the late 1980s, the airport unveiled JFK 2000, a $3.2-billion modernization project. The centerpiece of the plan was a huge centralized terminal with an advanced baggage delivery system and an elevated and automated people mover called AirTrain. The birth of AirTrain paved way for more plans that resulted in the reorganization of JFK to create more parking spaces and remove the passenger congestion issues that had been experienced since 1968.
In a 2017 Report on the ‘new JFK’, there a plan to restructure the airport parking was unveiled and was signed by the then Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo.
Problems with JFK Parking to be Fixed in the Upcoming restructure:
In the 2017 report, JFK’s parking was described as “not built in balance or scale that benefits the airport”. The report went further to say that the “Airport’s roadway network is overly complicated, with decision points located closely together, requiring a number of vehicle merges and weaves to navigate the system.”
This was in line with what many people who frequently used the airport had been saying for a long time. The main problem was that the parking situation at JFK was not only inconvenient but also very expensive.
The other thing that the report pointed out is that most of the parking structures at JFK are old and in need of repair or replacement.
The JFK parking restructure is said to be the most ambitious one yet and it is set to change how people park at the airport.
The first thing that will be done is the construction of a new 9,000-space parking garage that will be built to replace the existing terminal 5 Parking Garage. The new garage will have 5 levels and it will be located south of the Van Wyck Expressway.
The second part of the plan is to create a new 6,000-space parking garage that will be built to replace the existing Terminal 8 Parking Garage. The new garage will also have 5 levels and it will be located north of the Van Wyck Expressway.
The last part of the plan is to create a new 4,000-space parking garage that will be built to replace the existing Terminal 4 Parking Garage. The new garage will have 3 levels and it will be located south of the Van Wyck Expressway.
JFK Airport Long-term Parking:
Close to Howard Beach AirTrain Station, JFK has a large parking lot designed for those looking to park for longer periods of time, ranging from a day to a week. The closest terminals to JFK long-term parking area are Terminal 8 and Terminal 1.
When you park at the Long-term parking area(marked blue on JFK map below), you’ll need to board an AirTrain to get to your terminal as it is some distance that will take you some 15 to 20 mins on the AirTrain.
According to JFK Airport’s website, two companies are authorized to offer airport parking services:
- SmartPark JFK – 877-535-7275
- AirPark JFK/JFK Long-Term Parking Inc.– 718-898-8400
I have provided a parking map of JFK airport below which is color-coded to show you the different rates for short-term and long-term parking.
To determine the cost of long-term parking at JFK, I used their website to make a parking reservation. I found that the cost to park in the long-term parking area for the first day to be $40 and it increases daily by $20. So, if you book for a single day, you’ll be charged $40 but if you book for 3 days, the total cost will be $100 ($40+$60) as shown in the snapshot below I obtained from JFK’s parking website;
You should also note that the maximum parking period allowed in the in-airport parking spaces at JFK enables you to park for a period not exceeding 30 days. Below is a snapshot of the error message I got when I tried to book for 31 days.
Also, it will cost you $600 to book JFK’s parking for an extended 30-day period as shown in the booking sample I got from the website;
JFK Parking Long Term (by a third party)
JFK Long Term Parking Inc. is a third-party long-term parking services provider with parking spaces close to JFK’s staff parking lot at Conduit Avenue, Queens. It is about 5 to 10 mins drive from JFK.
They charged about $25 per day and offer the 7th day for free. Check their current parking rates on their website here.
Overnight Parking at JFK:
If you want to park at JFK overnight, say from 7 pm to 7 am, it will cost you $20 to $47 depending on where you choose to park.
At Terminal 5, color-coded Yellow, it will cost you $47 and this is because it is closest to Terminals. It is a walking distance to Terminal 5 and is usually sold out.
Another parking spot for night-time parking is adjacent to Terminal 4 and Terminal 5 Yellow parking area will cost you $42, respectively. Premium parking overnight at JFK’s Termial 8 will cost you $38 and is within 5 minutes walk to the terminal.
If you want a spot closest to Terminal 7, it will cost you around $36 to $38 as per the rates I checked today on August 2022. If you opt for long-term parking spaces situated about 15 to 20 mins by AirTrain, it will cost you just $20 to park in those spots overnight.
Prepaid options at Federal Circle Station will also cost you $20 but will take you 5 mins by train to get to JFK terminals.
Short-term parking at JFK:
On yellow and blue-coded parking spots in the JFK parking map above, you can get short-term parking that will cost you $6 for the first 30 mins and $6 for each additional half-hour up to 3 hours. The rate will jump to $12 per hour for each additional half-hour after the initial 3 hours.
Check today’s parking rates for yellow and blue spots on its website here.
Parking spaces marked red or orange is a bit cheaper for short-term parking. It will cost you $4 for the first 30 mins and $4 for each additional half-hour up to 3 hours. The rate will jump to $8 per hour for each additional half-hour after the initial 3 hours.
Check today’s short-term parking rates for red and orange spots on its website here.
JFK Airport Parking Map:
How JFK Airport’s Parking is arranged:
JFK airport is divided into 2 main areas for parking: Terminal 1,2,8 – which includes long-term parking P6 and the cell phone lot near P4. Then there’s Terminal 4 – 7 inclusive of the long-term parking at Lefferts Boulevard.
There are 5 ways to access JFK airport’s parking areas:
The first is via the Van Wyck Expressway, this is the main highway to JFK airport and has exits for Lefferts Boulevard, Federal Circle, and Terminal 5. The second way is via the Belt Parkway, which has exits for Lefferts Boulevard (exit22B) and Federal Circle (exit17). The third way is the JFK access road, which has exits for Lefferts Boulevard and Federal Circle. The fourth way is via Rockaway Boulevard, and the fifth way is the Southern State Parkway.
JFK airport parking rates:
The rates for parking at JFK airport vary depending on how long you plan to park and which area you want to park in.
Short-term parking is available at all of JFK’s terminals except for Terminal 4, where only hourly parking is available. The short-term parking rates are $4 for the first half-hour, $8 for 1 hour, $12 for 1 to 2 hours, and $24 for 2 to 24 hours.
Long-term parking is available at all of JFK’s terminals except for Terminal 5, where only hourly parking is available. The long-term parking rates are $18 for the first 24 hours, and $6 for each additional 8-hour period.
The cell phone lot near P4 is available for passengers being picked up by private vehicles. The rate is $1 per half-hour, with a maximum of $3 per day.
You can pay for parking directly when you get to JFK or can use third-party sites such as;
JFKairport.com:
They charge a minimum of $36 even for an hour of parking space. They also have long-term parking at $20 for the whole day. They have a nice site which you can book here.
Spothero.com:
They charge $8 per hour
Parkobility.com:
This is an off-site facility. They charge $4 for every 30 minutes, which can go up to $39/Day. One of their 3 off-site parking facilities close to JFK charges $10.99 for the whole day and $76.93 for the whole week. You’d have to use a shuttle to get there though but they do offer free shuttles to their parking spaces outside the airport. You can read more about their offering on their website here.
Way.com:
Offers on-site parking spaces at JFK and provides add-on valet services and can leave their car with them at the terminal. Their rates are as low as $4 per 30 minutes at the Green, Orange, and Red Parking Lots and go up to $42/day. You can read more about their offerings here.
Cheapairportparking.org:
You can also opt for cheapairportparking.org, a third-party independent site that offers rates from as low as $12.95 and is a bit more expensive compared to other options.
The following companies are authorized to offer parking at JFK but have liased with several other third-party booking sites including the ones above to offer seamless booking online.
| SmartPark JFK | 877-535-7275 |
| AirPark JFK/JFK Long-Term Parking Inc. | 718-898-8400 |
If you prefer to book directly from JFK-authorized booking companies, feel free to use the phone numbers above to make a booking.
JFK Airport Parking Tips:
To avoid the crowds, it is best to arrive at JFK airport early. Parking spaces fill up quickly, especially on weekends and holidays.
If you are picking someone up from JFK airport, it is best to use the cell phone lot near P4. This will save you time and money, as opposed to parking in the short-term or long-term parking areas.
If you are dropping someone off at JFK airport, it is best to use the terminal’s drop-off area. This is typically located in front of the terminal, and is usually free for the first 15 minutes.
When parking at JFK airport, it is important to remember to take your parking ticket with you. You will need this ticket in order to exit the parking area.
Be aware of the time limit for your parking spot. If you exceed the time limit, you will be subject to additional charges.
If you have any questions or need assistance, there is always a parking attendant nearby who can help you.
JFK airport offers a variety of parking options to accommodate all passengers. Whether you are looking for short-term or long-term parking, there is a spot for you. Be sure to arrive early and have your parking ticket ready when leaving the parking area. If you have any questions, feel free to ask a parking attendant for assistance.
Parking spaces at JFK
There are 6 different parking areas at JFK:
– Terminal 1 Parking Lot
– Terminal 2 Parking Lot
– Terminal 4 Parking Lot
– Terminal 5 Parking Lot
– Terminal 8 Parking Garage
– Cargo Area Parking Lot
JFK Terminal 1 Parking Lot:
– Located next to Terminal 1
– 3,000 parking spaces available
– Rates: $4 for the first half-hour, $8 for one hour, $12 for 1-2 hours, and $24 for 2-24 hours.
If you booked for a whole day, your best bet is to book the long-term parking spots but you’ll have to walk for 15 to 20 mins.
Below are the rates for 2-hour parking or short-term parking rates at Terminal 1 from its website
Terminal 1 green lots:
1 Long-Term Lot (GT1): $4 for the first half-hour, then $8 per hour/$24 per day
T1 Short-Term Lot (ST1): $4 for the first half-hour, then $8 per hour/$12 for 1-2 hours/$24 per day
JFK Terminal 2 Parking Lot:
– Located in front of Terminal 2
-It is also known as the Yellow Lot has 1,400 parking spots and they’re usually cheaper than the other lots.
– Rates: $4 for the first half-hour, $8 for one hour, $12 for 1-2 hours, and $24 for 2-24 hours.
JFK Terminal 4 Parking Lot:
– Located in front of Terminal 4
– 1,100 parking spots available
– Rates: $4 for the first half-hour, $8 for one hour, $12 for 1-2 hours, and $24 for 2-24 hours.
JFK Terminal 5 Parking Lot:
– Located in front of Terminal 5
– 500 parking spots available
– Rates: $4 for the first half-hour, $8 for one hour, $12 for 1-2 hours, and $24 for 2-24 hours.
Orange Parking JFK/T7:
Closest to JFK’s Terminal 7 is the Orange parking area which is about a 3 to 5-mins walk to their Terminal. It costs about $36 per day.
-Largest parking space within the airport
-Adjacent to Terminal 7
JFK Terminal 8 Parking Garage:
– Located in front of Terminal 8
– 4,000 parking spaces available
– Rates: $4 for the first half-hour, $8 for one hour, $12 for 1-2 hours, and $24 for 2-24 hours.
-You can access it from the A train station.
JFK Cargo Area Parking Lot:
– Located in the Cargo area
– Only open to JFK employees with a JFK ID
– 1,200 parking spots available
– Rates: $4 for the first half-hour, $8 for one hour, $12 for 1-2 hours, and $24 for 2-24 hours.
JFK Parking Phone Numbers:
The following are contacts I obtained from JFK’s Parking website;
- Free emergency automobile services use the yellow HELP phones in parking lot, or call: (718) 244-4168
- To report a crime, an accident or a medical emergency, use the yellow HELP phone in parking lot or call (718) 244-4335
- General Parking:(718) 244-4168
- Parking lot operator:(718) 244-4168
- All Airport Information:(718) 244-4444
- Impound lot:(718) 244-4345
FAQs
Q: Is there free parking at JFK Airport?
A: No, there are no free parking spots at JFK. You’ll need to find either short-term or long-term parking options which can range from $4 per 30-minutes period for short-term options or at least $20 per day for long-term parking option.
Q: Which is the best long-term parking at JFK?
A: 17,000 parking spaces are available at JFK airport in 6 of its terminals. The best long-term parking is the one closest to your arrival/departure terminal and should be managed by JFK itself, not some third-party companies that do not have on-site parking.
Sources:
My name is Alex Mutuma and I founded this blog, Airport LLC as a way to document and engage with clients in my travel consulting business. Airportllc.com is the only source of over 2,000 fun things flyers could do during layovers.
Over the past 7 years, I have designed and planned tour packages for hundreds of clients and have recently focussed on the mission of changing boring layovers to excellent mini-vacations by giving you the best suggestions on must-do activities when flying over different airports.
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I currently reside in New York City and have obtained a license to provide professional tour guidance at Airports in the US and across the world. Why should you listen to my suggestions? I have flown through more than 100 airports in the world and fortunately, I have pictures, stories, and tips to share with you regarding all the fun stuff you can do as you wait for your next flight.
Aside from gaining thousands of flying miles, I am also a travel consultant assisting clients with bookings and specifically advance tour bookings of things to do at airports when the layover is longer than 5 hours.
To make a 15-minute free things-to-do consultation with Alex, use my email, alex@airportllc.com.
This is only recommended for flyers with long layovers of over 5 hours. If your layover is 3+ hours, you can still reach out but we cannot guarantee the ideal package that will change your layovers to mini-vacations. I only support clients flying through US airports and a select number of cities across the world.
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Name: Alex Mutuma
Profession: A professional travel consultant with a focus on airport activities to do during layovers
Email: Alex@airportllc.com
Phone: +1 945 348 889
Website: airportllc.com
Location: 322 Main Packway Street, Boston, US
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