Sandi Spots
    San Diego International Airport terminal and parking structures near Harbor Drive

    San Diego Airport Parking (SAN)

    Terminal plaza, valet, cell phone lot or off-airport — priced against the airport's published rates, not a blog's old screenshot.

    Last updated

    Current airport rates

    Status
    Verified against the airport's published rate page
    Last checked
    September 19, 2026

    How much is parking at San Diego airport?

    $3 per 15 minutes at either Terminal Parking Plaza, capped at $40 per day. Valet is $60 per day. The Cell Phone Lot is free for up to one hour. Third-party parking sites still quote a $32 daily cap — that figure is out of date.

    Sources checked

    Quick answer

    The Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 Parking Plazas both charge $3 per 15 minutes with a $40 daily maximum, so a short pick-up is cheap and a week-long trip is not. Curbside valet is $60 per day. The Cell Phone Lot at 2311 McCain Road is free with a one-hour limit and is the right choice if you are waiting on an arrival. For trips longer than two or three days, an off-airport lot with a shuttle or a drop-off by rideshare or the Route 992 bus usually costs far less than leaving a car at the terminal. Rates change; the airport's parking page is the only figure worth trusting.

    SAN parking options

    OptionCostBest for
    Terminal 1 Parking Plaza$3 / 15 min, $40 daily maxFlights from Terminal 1; walk straight across
    Terminal 2 Parking Plaza$3 / 15 min, $40 daily maxTerminal 2 departures, short and long stays
    Curbside valet$60 per dayEarly flights, mobility needs, no time to park
    Cell Phone LotFree, 1-hour limitWaiting for an arriving passenger
    Off-airport lot with shuttleVaries by operatorTrips of three days or more
    Rideshare, bus or drop-offNo parking costAnyone who can avoid bringing a car

    Where to stay nearby

    Rates and availability change daily, so we link the guide rather than quote a price. Each page compares walkable, short-drive and budget options with parking and resort fees called out.

    Pick the option that matches your trip length

    The daily maximum is what decides this. Under a couple of hours the plaza is the obvious answer; past two or three days the maths flips.

    Terminal Parking Plazas

    Directly across from each terminal · $3 per 15 minutes, $40 daily maximum

    Both plazas connect to their terminal on foot, so there is no shuttle wait. If you park at the Terminal 1 plaza but fly from Terminal 2, walk to the Terminal 1 curb front and take the free inter-terminal shuttle. Level 1 accepts vehicles up to 9 feet 6 inches; levels 2 through 5 are limited to under 8 feet 4 inches, which rules out most roof boxes and vans.

    Local tip: Reservations can be made up to 30 days ahead, and are refundable until an hour before your arrival time.

    Curbside valet

    $60 per day

    Available at both terminal entrances. Worth it when you are cutting a departure fine or travelling with people who cannot walk a garage, and hard to justify otherwise given the plaza cap.

    Cell Phone Lot

    2311 McCain Road · Free, one hour

    The correct way to meet an arrival. Curbside waiting is not permitted at SAN and unattended cars get ticketed, so wait here and drive up once your passenger has bags in hand.

    Off-airport lots

    Shuttle to the terminals

    Several private operators sit within a few minutes of the airport and undercut the terminal cap substantially on multi-day stays. Prices move with demand and by operator, so book directly and read the shuttle frequency before you commit — a cheap rate with a 30-minute shuttle gap is not a bargain at 5am.

    Ways to skip airport parking entirely

    MTS Route 992

    The 992 bus runs between downtown and both terminals, connecting to the Trolley and Amtrak/COASTER at the Santa Fe Depot. For a downtown hotel or a train arrival it removes the parking question completely.

    Rideshare drop-off

    Departures are curbside; arrivals use the designated rideshare zones. For a trip of a week or more, two rides usually beat seven days at the daily maximum.

    Park at your hotel instead

    Some downtown and Harbor Island hotels sell park-and-fly packages to guests. Confirm the nightly self-park rate and whether a shuttle is included before assuming it is cheaper.

    Electric and clean-vehicle parking

    EV charging in the plazas

    $1.00 session fee plus $0.55 per kWh

    The terminal plazas include a large bank of charging points along with clean-air and vanpool stalls. Charging is billed on top of the parking rate, and the posted charging rate has been in effect since May 2024.

    Before you drive to the terminal

    • • Curbside parking is never allowed at SAN; unattended vehicles are ticketed and towed.
    • • Check the vehicle height limit for the level you are entering if you have a tall vehicle or a roof box.
    • • Rates here were read from the airport's page in September 2026 — confirm on the day if the cost decides your plan.
    • • Terminal lots fill during peak travel periods; arrive earlier than you would on an ordinary weekday.

    Prices: sources and last check

    Operators change fares and timetables on their own schedule. Every number below is checked against the operator's own page on the date shown — check the source link before you travel.

    • Terminal Parking Plaza rate: $3 per 15 minutes with a $40 daily maximum at both the Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 Parking Plazas

      Verified Sep 19, 2026 against San Diego International Airport — Parking Information — view the source

      Note: Third-party parking blogs still lists Reports a $32 daily maximum and $2.50 per 15 minutes at the terminal plazas (seen 2026-09-19), so pay at the booth or online rather than assuming one price.

    • Valet parking: $60 per day curbside at both terminals

      Verified Sep 19, 2026 against San Diego International Airport — Parking Information — view the source

    • Cell Phone Lot: Free, one-hour limit, at 2311 McCain Road

      Verified Sep 19, 2026 against San Diego International Airport — Parking Information — view the source

    Official planning sources

    Frequently asked

    How much is parking at San Diego airport per day?

    The Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 Parking Plazas both charge $3 per 15 minutes with a daily maximum of $40. Curbside valet is $60 per day. Those are the airport's own published rates as of September 2026.

    Is there free parking at San Diego airport?

    Only the Cell Phone Lot at 2311 McCain Road, which is free with a one-hour limit and is meant for waiting on an arriving passenger — not for leaving a car while you travel.

    Is it cheaper to park off-site at SAN?

    For anything past two or three days, usually yes. Off-airport lots with shuttles routinely come in well under the $40 daily cap, but rates vary by operator and date, so compare directly and check how often the shuttle runs.

    Can I reserve airport parking in advance?

    Yes. The airport takes reservations up to 30 days ahead, with full refunds until one hour before your scheduled arrival. Unused reservations are not refunded.

    Do the terminal garages have EV charging?

    Yes — the terminal plazas include a large number of charging points plus clean-air and vanpool stalls. Charging costs $1.00 per session plus $0.55 per kWh on top of parking.

    Keep reading

    San Diego airport guide

    Terminals, food, lounges and getting into the city.

    Cell phone lot

    Where to wait for an arriving flight for free.

    Hotels near the airport

    Early flights and park-and-fly stays.

    San Diego parking guide

    How parking works across the rest of the city.

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    About this guide

    Written and fact-checked by the Sandi Spots Editorial team — San Diego residents publishing under Sleep Coast LLC. Every place we recommend has been visited in person or verified against an official source, and no business can pay for inclusion or a higher ranking.

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