The good news is you don’t have to work it out on the day, in the queue, with everyone waiting on you. You can sort Melbourne Airport parking online weeks ahead, before you’ve so much as started packing your bags.
Onsite parking suits a family because everyone gets from the car to the terminal in one go, with no off-site lot to reach first. You pull in, everyone’s out, and you’re on your way to check-in with the kids and the bags.
Here’s why leaving the car onsite suits a family flying out together:
- The car stays on airport grounds, close to the terminals
- There’s an onsite option to match any budget and trip
- A built-in time buffer for the long drive in and the return flight
- Booking online early locks in your rate before you fly
The Car Stays Close, Not Across Town
Parking onsite means the car stays within the airport precinct the whole time you’re away. There’s no off-airport depot to find on the way in and none to get back to when you land back at the end of the trip.
How you reach the terminal depends on which option you pick. For self-parking, the Terminal Car Parks sit right at the terminals, with the T123 Terminal Car Park right across from Terminals 1, 2 and 3 and the T4 Terminal Car Park about 100 metres from Terminal 4. The Premium Car Parks offer the closest undercover self-parking to the terminals. For a longer family trip on a budget, the Value Car Parks right off Airport Drive are the more affordable option in the lineup.
An Onsite Option to Match Your Trip and Budget
Parking the car yourself or handing the keys over? If you want it done for you, Melbourne Airport Valet and Qantas Valet will take the car at the door. If you’d rather park it yourself, there are the Terminal Car Parks and the Premium Car Parks, plus the Value Car Parks with a free bus that runs to the terminals every 15 minutes, 24/7.
For a family heading off for a week or two without spending a fortune on parking, the Value Car Parks tend to be the pick. The free bus runs to the terminals all hours of the day, so it doesn’t matter how early the flight is or how late you land back. Which of the two you go for comes down to your terminal.
The Value North Car Park bus stops at Terminal 4 and Terminal 1, with Terminal 3 and Terminal 2 a short walk from each. The Value South Car Park runs directly to the T4 Transport Hub and makes no other stops along the way. That means it can be a faster option if you’re flying Jetstar, Rex and Link Airways from Terminal 4, or Virgin Australia from Terminal 3.
A Grace Period for the Drive Down and the Flight Home
All online bookings get a grace period built in. That’s two hours either side of your booked entry and exit on any stay over four hours, or one hour on both ends of the booking for shorter stays. If you leave Shepparton with time up your sleeve and get there early, or the drive down takes longer, the booking takes it in its stride.
The same buffer is there for the trip home. If you want extra cover for the trips that go properly sideways, there’s an optional Overstay Guarantee you can add when you book. It’s there to cover overstay charges if a flight is cancelled, a border closes or someone falls ill.
Lock in the Parking Rate Before You Leave the Driveway
You can book Melbourne Airport parking online up to 12 months out, and the earlier you book, the lower the rate tends to be. Melbourne Airport is one of Australia’s largest 24/7 travel hubs, with more than 36 million passengers per year. It’s busiest over school holidays and long weekends, so you’d want to book parking early.
The rate you see when you book is the rate you get, so booking well ahead usually works out cheaper than turning up and paying the drive-up price on the day. There are no booking or credit card fees when you book online.
Book Melbourne Airport Parking Online
Ask anyone who flies out of the Valley a fair bit, and they’ll tell you the same thing. The trips that go smoothly are the ones sorted well before you back out of the shed. Flights, bags, who’s feeding the dog. The car park belongs on that list, and it’s about the easiest thing on it to tick off.
So next time there’s a trip on the horizon, head to the Melbourne Airport site and sort parking early. Get it booked, and it’s one less thing to think about at half past four in the morning with the car running and everyone waiting.
