How to find parking near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

One of the more inconvenient hassles of air travel is figuring out what to do with your car. While the concerns of someone picking up passengers are different from those of the traveler himself, Los Angeles International Airport or LAX has a number of parking options available for you to use. These vary widely in price, in the number of accommodations they offer and in security levels. Finding the right parking situation for your vehicle and price range is simply a matter of knowing where to look.

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  The central parking structure is accessible from all terminals. parking structure arrows image by Aaron Kohr from Fotolia.com

  Use the Central Terminal Parking Structure. If you are going to pick someone up from the airport the quickest and easiest parking is the central LAX parking structure located in the middle of the traffic loop. This structure is accessible from both the upper and lower levels and is ideal for short waits. The first hour is $3 and every 30 minutes afterwards is another $2. There is a $30 maximum fee for every 24 hours. Entrances to the structure generally line up with the terminal numbers, but even if you miss your terminal you can walk through the structure to the appropriate part of the airport.

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  Lot C is ideal for picking up international travellers. full parking lot image by Aaron Kohr from Fotolia.com

  Take the official LAX shuttle from Lot C for longer waits. This is ideal for picking up passengers whose flights may be delayed or who experience luggage or customs issues. The first two hours are free, as is the shuttle that takes you the block and a half from the parking lot to the airport and back. Each additional two hours cost $1 with a maximum charge of $12 for every 24 hours.

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  Park One Public Parking is within walking distance of some terminals. airplanes on a runway of international airport terminal. image by Sergey Mostovoy from Fotolia.com

  Try out Park One Public Parking. This parking area is also owned by LAX it charges $15.95 per day for uncovered spots. After the first hour they charge $2 for each thirty minutes. This lot is within walking distance of Terminal 1 (Southwest and US Airways) and has a free shuttle service to the rest of the terminals. There is also a daily valet parking rate of $21.95 for uncovered parking spots.

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  Some people prefer privately-owned facilities for security reasons. Red cars image by Catabu from Fotolia.com

  Consider using one of the many privately-owned parking facilities within the immediate area. These facilities charge more than the city or LAX-owned lots, but they are also better lit and offer better security for your vehicle.

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  You can take the Green Line to Aviation station from any Park & Ride location. warsaw metro image by Maciek Lazecki from Fotolia.com

  Park your car at the Metro Green Line's Aviation Station Park & Ride lot. The only requirement for parking here is that you purchase one Metro Green Line ticket. Once you have purchased a ticket at the automated kiosk you are welcome to board the free shuttle to the airport. There is no daily or weekly limit on the amount of time you are allowed to leave your vehicle in this parking lot. The base Metro fare of $1.50 is all that you are required to pay regardless of the number of days your vehicle is there. The airport shuttle operation is subject to Metro's weekend and holiday scheduling. The security at this location is not comparable to the privately-owned parking lots or even the lots owned by LAX.