Lubbock airport passengers using short-term parking instead of long-term parking may pay more as a stick to get them to use the right lot – opening more space for people only going to the airport for an hour or two.
The Lubbock City Council is considering a rate hike for airport parking. If approved, it would take effect October 1.
Short-term parking is for picking up people or for trips less than 24 hours. When folks use it for days on end, there’s no room for the day-to-day visitors who need it.
“Talking to frequent travelers, they would say, ‘Well, I first go to covered [parking]. And if it’s full, I go to short term. And now it’s full, and then I end up in long term,’” said Kelly Campbell, executive director at the Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport
Parking fees
Short term:
Current: $18 maximum per day
Proposed: $22 maximum
* There are hourly rates (click here to see) with a daily maximum and the first 30 minutes will still be free.
Covered parking (garage):
Current: $12 per day
Proposed: $13
Long term:
Current: $7 per day
Proposed: No change
Airport Shelter Park:
Current: $8 per day
Proposed: No change
Parking study
In 2019, the airport did a study as Campbell wondered if there was enough parking. That’s about the time Campbell noticed folks parking on the top level of the garage. Historically that top level would start to fill at Spring Break and Thanksgiving, but not all the time.
COVID caused travel numbers to plummet (right about the same time as the study was finished). But then the parking problem returned.
“We went through this parking study to see if we had a need to develop and construct something new or if we just needed to better utilize what we had,” Campbell said.
“We actually have ample parking. It’s just not where people want it,” Campbell said to the City Council during recent budget talks.
People who should use the other options, instead, take up all the short-term parking.
Covered parking is more than 100 yards away from the terminal building – with short-term parking closer. That’s part of the issue. Here’s the other. Travelers are just not that excited about using Airport Shelter Park.
“The parking study recommended two phases of rate increases,” she said during a budget presentation. “We had a rate increase last year for covered and short term. We left long term the same and actually decreased Airport Shelter Park – our off-site location.”
Airport Shelter Park explained
Campbell said, “Airport Shelter Park is the off-site covered parking.”
“Shelter Park is also very easy. People are just a little bit hesitant to use it,” Campbell said. “It does require you to take the shuttle up to the terminal building.”
The shuttle is no extra charge, and it picks you up right at your parking spot.
The reluctance, Campbell said, is that’s far away. Short term parking is right across the street while Airport Shelter Park is about a mile away at Regis Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
“We’re hoping to better utilize our long-term and Airport Shelter Park for customers and passengers who are more price sensitive.”
Covered parking would be for the folks who are willing to pay a little more.
“And have short term available for its intended purposes,” Campbell said.
The study said, “The demand/capacity analysis does not show a clear need for additional parking.”
The study recommended waiting for the results of the new rates then reassessing the potential need for more parking.
Slideshow: Parking areas at (or near) the Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport.
Not quite a done deal
The proposed pricing still requires the City Council’s blessing.
The overall budget for the airport will go from $18 million to $20.4 million. The airport is funded separately from the rest of the city. So none of this impacts local taxes.
Last year, parking revenue was $3.6 million. For this current budget cycle, which ends September 30, the projected revenue is $4.6.
If you include people getting on a plane and folks getting off, combined, the airport estimates it will serve close to 1.2 million passengers this year.
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