San Diego Airport (SAN) Parking Rates and Costs

Where these numbers come from

San Diego differs from most airports here because it has no separate economy lot listed on its parking page. The two Parking Plazas, one at each terminal, charge $3 for every 15 minutes up to a $40 daily maximum. Valet costs $60 per day. A cell phone lot is free but limited to one hour.

The per-15-minute pricing adds up to $12 an hour. A 2-hour visit is 8 periods at $3, or $24. The cap arrives at the 14th period, because 13 periods cost $39 and the next would bring the total to $42, so a stay of about 3 hours 16 minutes or more is billed $40. That means the cap, not the hourly rate, decides costs on almost any trip that involves a flight.

Trip arithmetic at the cap: 3 days costs $120, a week costs $280 and two weeks costs $560. Valet at $60 is $180 for 3 days, $420 for a week and $840 for two weeks. Valet therefore adds $140 over a week compared with parking it yourself, and $280 over two weeks.

The plazas have height limits. Level 1 admits vehicles up to 9 feet 6 inches, while Levels 2 to 5 require under 8 feet 4 inches. The airport also lists 16 electric vehicle charging points with a $1.00 per session fee plus $0.55 per kilowatt-hour. You can reserve up to 30 days ahead, with a full refund until one hour before your scheduled arrival.

Compare the cap with what a typical trip needs. A traveler leaving for four nights pays 4 x $40 = $160 in a plaza, or 4 x $60 = $240 for valet. There is no cheaper daily tier on the page we read, so the main lever for saving is timing: a pickup under an hour costs at most $12, and anyone waiting for a late arrival can use the free cell phone lot for up to an hour.

Because the airport does not list a cheaper long-term lot, the plaza cap of $40 is the benchmark that off-site operators compete against. We did not verify an operator's published off-site rate for San Diego, so none is shown. Enter your numbers in the airport parking on-site vs off-site calculator. For a price comparison, Salt Lake City caps its economy lot at $14, and Philadelphia charges $18.

Sources

• SAN parking rates and FAQ

Figures checked on September 30, 2026.

This page is general information, not legal, insurance or travel-agent advice. Fees, rules and limits change, so confirm the figures with the official sources listed above before you book or travel.