Know the garage before you turn in.

Live occupancy at the airport, lot by lot — plus the walking vs shuttle decision most boards skip.

CodeAirportUpdated

BWI Baltimore/Washington International — DCA Ronald Reagan Washington National — IAD Washington Dulles International — MSP Minneapolis–St. Paul International — PDX Portland International — RDU Raleigh-Durham International — SFO San Francisco International —

How to pick a lot

The closest garage is the one you walk from. It costs more per day and saves the bus. Economy and long-term lots sit farther out. They are the right trade for a week and the wrong trade when you have thirty-five minutes to bag drop.

Open means you can still drive in. Limited means the garage is nearly packed — you may loop for a space or get waved to another lot. Full means that lot is not taking drive-up cars right now. Treat the board as a live look, not a hold on a stall.

Rates on these pages are the usual drive-up numbers travelers see at the gate. They move. Confirm the sign. Height limits matter at San Francisco. Terminal names matter at Minneapolis. Construction has squeezed Economy at Reagan through 2026.

Airport guides

BWI

Baltimore/Washington International · Linthicum, Maryland

Hourly for drop-offs, Daily if you want cover, Long Term when the trip runs long.

DCA

Ronald Reagan Washington National · Arlington, Virginia

Two terminal garages you can walk, and an Economy lot that needs the bus.

IAD

Washington Dulles International · Dulles, Virginia

A long airport. Terminal Lot if you can walk; Economy if you are gone a while.

MSP

Minneapolis–St. Paul International · Minneapolis, Minnesota

Park at the terminal you are actually flying from. The two are not a short walk.

PDX

Portland International · Portland, Oregon

Short-Term if you can walk. Economy if you want the cheap lot and a seven-minute shuttle.

RDU

Raleigh-Durham International · Morrisville, North Carolina

Premier to walk. Central for most trips. Economy 3 when you are gone a while.

SFO

San Francisco International · San Francisco, California

Domestic Garage for T1–T3. International G for the international hall. Long Term when you are gone a while.

Questions before you leave

What do Open, Limited, and Full mean?

Open means you can still drive in. Limited means the garage is nearly packed — you may loop for a space or get waved toward another lot. Full means that lot is not taking drive-up cars right now.

Which lot should I use for a short trip?

Use the closest garage when you will be gone a few hours: hourly, short-term, or a terminal ramp. Those cost more per day and save the shuttle. For an overnight or a week, economy or long-term is usually the better trade.

How fresh is the board?

Each airport page shows how recently that garage last reported. Treat it as a live look, not a reservation. A lot can fill between the house and the airport road.

Do economy lots take longer?

Yes. You park farther out and ride a shuttle. Build in ten to twenty minutes at most airports, more at Dulles or BWI if the bus has just left.