Do you have an early flight from the Indianapolis Airport or are you picking up someone? Whatever your situation is, planning the parking ahead at the Indianapolis airport can save you from hassle later. It has multiple options of parking available that offer free waiting lot to premium parking service at valet. In this guide, you will learn about the various parking options available along with the fee associated with it, charging stations, and everything else that you might need to know before taking your car to Indianapolis Airport.
What Are the Parking Options at Indianapolis International Airport?
Which lot makes the most sense depends on how long you're going to be away. IND divides its choices into two easy categories: short stays for drop-offs and pickups and longer stays for everyone who would fly out. This is precisely the way that parking at Indianapolis Airport is structured—not just by price but also by length of time.
Another basic rule for Indianapolis International Airport parking is that none of these lots can be booked in advance. These are all first come, first served and are not reserved in advance but simply match the duration of your trip to the number of drop-off spaces available.
Short-Term Parking at Indianapolis Airport
Looking for a fast, short-term (4 hours or less) parking? The two are the most convenient, and are only suitable for short visits, not long-term.
Free cell phone lot: Guests awaiting pick-up of arriving passengers can park in the free cell phone lot. Upon arriving at IND, follow the signage to the Cell Phone Lot and wait there until you hear your passenger's voice that they have landed and retrieved their bags. When passengers come to you, you will let them know and then guests proceed to the terminal where they will be picked up.
Hourly Parking: The Indianapolis airport parking garage (Terminal Garage) is on Level 3 directly above the ticketing hall and has hourly parking. It can be used for a quick in-cell pickup and drop-off of a bag or a short visit to guest services rather than a return to the cell phone lot. If your appointment is only a few minutes away, you don't need to pay a full day's charge for parking at the Indianapolis International Airport.
Long-Term Parking at Indianapolis Airport
Need long-term (4+ hours) parking at the airport? These are the 4 parking Indianpolis Airport options travelers are looking for when trying to find long-term parking near the airport doors—Terminal Garage vs. Long-Term Lot outdoors; hence, the convenience factor comes into play, depending on how much space you have to cover.
Valet parking: Valet parking is on Level 3 of the terminal garage. Those who do not wish to park in the lot will have their keys handed to them at the curb and an attendant will park the vehicle for them.
Daily parking: The daily parking option is available at all the floors of the terminal garage. It is covered and easily connected through a pedestrian walkway and facilitates the passengers who are looking for a short walk to the parking area rather than taking a shuttle.
Park & Walk: Located close to the entrance of the terminal. The passenger can simply park their vehicle and walk inside the terminal without worrying about the hassle of a shuttle. Those who prefer a little walk can pick this as an alternative to economy.
Economy Parking: Travelers who have an extended trip crossing a week or more, the economy lot is the most affordable and convenient choice with continuous shuttles throughout the day. It has 8,000 spaces for the vehicle, so the chances are always high that you might easily find a spot for your vehicle.
How Do You Calculate Your Indianapolis Airport Parking Fee?
No fee to plan around because there isn't an online booking system for parking at IND. All lots are 'first come, first served' and it offers flat Indianapolis Airport parking fees rather than increasing at the gate, so the total charges can be calculated before arriving at the airport.
Pick your lot and note its rate type: Choose Hourly airport parking Indianapolis, billed by the half hour, or a daily-rate parking option, which is valet, daily parking, park & walk, or economy.
Estimate your parking duration: Figure out how long your car will be in the parking lot, from drop-off to return, plus a cushion for a late flight.
Calculate an hourly stay: If the parking period is hourly parking, compute as the number of half-hour blocks x $2, with consideration of the daily limit for longer periods.
Calculate a daily stay: For Valet, Daily Parking, Park & Walk, and Economy, calculate as follows: multiply the daily rate by the number of days (or part of days) held.
Take a ticket at entry: When entering, take a ticket from the gate arm. This will set your date and set the clock ticking.
Pay at exit: pay by credit card at a self-service pay station, or pay a cashier in cash or by credit card as you leave.
For example, if you have to pay $9 per day for a three-day trip in a lot, the total cost of the trip is $27; but if you pay $23 per day in a different lot, the total cost of the trip is $69. To avoid paying more than expected for parking at Indianapolis Airport, the best tip is to determine when your flight is scheduled and allow for a few extra minutes in case of delays.
There is no way to guarantee a space before heading out, but visiting the airport's real-time space count before you depart home is the best way to ensure a space, and in the event the Terminal Garage appears full, heading straight for the Economy Lot or Park & Walk is a good option. Coming a few days before holidays or big events in the area will further increase your chances.
What Is the parkIND Plus Program?
The ParkIND Plus Program is IND's complimentary loyalty program based on a single concept: the more you park, the more you get back. All parking fees at IND (hourly, daily, valet, park & walk, and economy) earn points that can be used to get free days of parking later. In addition to the points, members acquire a few practical benefits:
No paper tickets for entry/exit, as you can scan instead of pulling a paper ticket
Digital receipts (helpful if you are parking as an expense for your business)
Easier access to the pay station at the end of a trip, resulting in less time on the pay station.
To register it is free and only requires a few minutes to do online. As long as the account is still active, points will be accrued and won't expire after twenty-four months of no account use. After signing up, you can log in whenever you want to see how much you have earned, see previous parking receipts, and know when you will have a free day.
Where to Charge an EV at the Indianapolis Airport?
To help drivers charge their electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, there are 70+ spaces of complimentary charging throughout the Terminal Garage and Valet Parking at IND. Each set of chargers is situated here:
Garage Level 3: There are 29 chargers (8 DC fast and 21 standard); most are in the garage
Garage Level 4: There are 16 chargers (2 DC fast and 14 standard)
Garage Level 5: There are 20 standard chargers is intended for those looking for longer stays.
Valet Parking: charging free with guaranteed access if requested at check-in
Outside of valet, charging will be first come, first served, with DC fast chargers used for quicker visits to keep the spots in rotation. There is no reservation system for EV charging, so leave some time to spare if you're booking a charge before you head home.
How much are Indianapolis Airport parking rates?
The Indianapolis Airport parking rates differ for each parking space. Therefore, it is important to compare the prices before picking one to make the best choice. The table below will take you through every available option and its rate.
| Parking Option | Location | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cell Phone Lot | Cell Phone Lot, near the terminal | Free | Waiting to pick up arriving passengers |
| Hourly Parking | Terminal Garage, Level 3 | $2 per half hour | Quick drop-offs and pickups under 4 hours |
| Valet Parking | Terminal Garage, Level 3 | $32 per day | Fastest in-and-out, no walk to a lot |
| Daily Parking | Terminal Garage, all floors | $23 per day | Covered parking connected to the terminal |
| Park & Walk | Long Term Lot | $14 per day | Short walk to the terminal, no shuttle wait |
| Economy Parking | Long Term Lot | $9 per day | Longer trips, lowest on-site daily rate |
Conclusion
Whether you're looking for a free parking spot to wait in the cell phone lot or a valet pickup that doesn't involve parking at the lot, Indianapolis International Airport offers many options. The only questions are how long will the car be there and how much walking or shuttle time are you willing to give up for a lower price? After you've matched your trip length to a lot, calculating the cost only takes a few seconds, as it's simply the posted rate times how long you'll be parked. Since each lot is processed first-come, first-served, it's best to arrive with a buffer and an estimate, if anything is guaranteed. When combined with the parkIND Plus Program, even the simplest of trips starts to pay back in free parking days over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Indianapolis Airport parking costs range from the free cell phone lot to $32 for valet parking, with economy parking being the cheapest choice, costing only $9 a day.
Economy parking is the cheapest parking option at Indianapolis Airport, costing just $9/day, and is easily accessible via a 24/7 shuttle.
If you are parking for an extended trip, the best parking option is the economy lot, costing just $9/day and a 5- to 7-minute complimentary shuttle. Whereas the terminal garage is the most convenient option, which is closest to the terminals.
To get the best deal on parking at Indianapolis Airport, the passengers are advised to choose the best option as per their requirements, as there is no online prebooking or discounted rate available.
There is no free space available for parking near Indianapolis Airport for extended trips. However, if you want to park for a short period like 30 minutes, then you can use their free cell phone lot.