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Yeah given the choice between the Economy lot and Fast Park, Fast Park is much better due to the door to door bus service (bus picks you up and drops you off at your car) and the fact that you never have to wait too long for a bus (80% of the time, the bus follows me through the parking lot and is right there as I'm unloading my luggage). Waiting 20 minutes for an economy lost bus just sounds like an eternity haha
Maybe it's just me, but if I'm parking at 4am, I'm more comfortable parking at Fast Park that is staffed and monitored. The economy lots creep me out in the middle of the night. You're all alone until a bus finally rolls around.
I guess it stems from a time that I returned from a trip and got to my car in Economy 3 around 11pm where I found a business card tucked in my window from an RPD police officer with a note on the back that cars adjacent to mine had been broken into, and to please contact them if I found anything missing. I suddenly felt VERY isolated.
Yeah I wouldn't want to do that....I've heard some complaints about Fast Park recently though. ANd I was travelling with my (grown) kids and during the day last time I travelled. I imagine central parking can get creepy if you're alone in the middle of the night.
I just went onto the RDU webpage to prebook parking for a future trip, and noticed the current capacity levels ...
As of 5/20, about 15 minutes ago:
Premier Parking is at 100% full
Central Parking is at 92% full
Economy 3 is 100% full
If they're that close to capacity (and it's not even the holiday weekend yet) why have they not opened up the other parking options? (Express or Economy 4). I feel bad for the poor traveler who is struggling to find the 8% of Central that is available and doesn't know about FastPark as an option. They're going to be pretty stressed trying to find parking.
I just went onto the RDU webpage to prebook parking for a future trip, and noticed the current capacity levels ...
As of 5/20, about 15 minutes ago:
Premier Parking is at 100% full
Central Parking is at 92% full
Economy 3 is 100% full
If they're that close to capacity (and it's not even the holiday weekend yet) why have they not opened up the other parking options? (Express or Economy 4). I feel bad for the poor traveler who is struggling to find the 8% of Central that is available and doesn't know about FastPark as an option. They're going to be pretty stressed trying to find parking.
I have NEVER seen economy 3 park and ride anywhere close to full. That's pretty shocking
I believe that the region and RDU airport authority has shot itself in the foot again with respect to the airport buildout in general. I just flew out this morning, and everything was more jammed packed than usual. Understandably so considering it's a holiday weekend.
This airport, with it's two main terminals, is just not scaled to handle the growth that the region is poised to experience. Instead of developing a comprehensive master plan that would take into account projected growth and travel needs long into the future, the airport authority decided to rebuild terminal 2 and remodel terminal 1 about a decade ago in a fashion that will not feasibly accomodate long term growth.
In another couple of decades they will be looking at expanding again, im afraid. Hopefully then they will be willing to spend the money it takes to plan a properly sized airport at that point.
I mean, they have the Vision 2040 plan, right? They have a piecemeal strategy to add 23 more gates as needed by constructing piers at T2 and lengthening T1. They just need the money.
When I moved here, the airport had about 10 gates, there was one surface parking lot where the deck now is, and access was a two-lane road. The Airport Authority has done a good job over the decades of keeping pace with growth. As SFspiderman says, they know how to keep expanding the airport. Whether it will happen fast enough to prevent massive inconvenience, I can't say.
Update 8/1/2022: I strongly recommend FastPark! With app, I reserved spot; pulled up, scanned QR code; they loaded my luggage and gave me location #, and dropped off at zone 8 / terminal 2; on the way back, picked up shuttle at same place and got dropped off next to my car, unloaded my luggage; at exit, I scanned the QR code and paid with credit card and left.
I parked for 4 days and paid $38; received 4 points; after 8 points, I get one day free.
Update 8/1/2022: I strongly recommend FastPark! With app, I reserved spot; pulled up, scanned QR code; they loaded my luggage and gave me location #, and dropped off at zone 8 / terminal 2; on the way back, picked up shuttle at same place and got dropped off next to my car, unloaded my luggage; at exit, I scanned the QR code and paid with credit card and left.
I parked for 4 days and paid $38; received 4 points; after 8 points, I get one day free.
i agree. If you're going to park remote and ride a bus at RDU, defintely use FastPark for the rebate/points. There isn't a HUGE difference in price anymore between the long term garage and FastPark if you're not parking for very long, and the bus ride adds 15 mins before and after each flight. For 1-2 day trips I just park in the garage and spend and extra $5 a day
I'm looking forward to the period mid-September to mid-November when the airports and their parking lots aren't quite so busy.
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