For those that fly out of CMH

Couple questions.

Any difference other than price of the Red/Blue/Green lots? Im frugal and figured I would park at the Green lot but the way I am understanding it, the busses are more frequent and pick you up directly at your car in the Blue lot.

How early on a Monday morning is reasonable to arrive for a flight? Typically I have arrived before the terminal opened but I do not need to leave my house to early since I am living much closer to the airport now than in the past, I have always left early because I figured traffic and such would slow me down.

 

I can only really speak to the parking part of the question as I drive from an hour away so I always end up either just barely making it or have tons of time to spare. I usually park in the green lot (98% of the time) and they will only pick up/drop off at the designated shuttle stops, and I have stood outside waiting for about 10 minutes to get picked up at the longest. My last trip it was cold, so I decided to splurge and park in the blue lot. The bus was right there, and the attendants sent you to where the bus was waiting. (If you fly a lot in the area, the blue lot has the same system as the CVG airport's long term lot). When I returned home, this was the first time ever that I saw a green shuttle waiting, while I stood outside and waited on the blue lot bus to arrive! That's my luck.

 

Thanks for the info, its what I needed to know about the busses and parking. I have either used the Sunpark or Thrifty but both of those left a bad taste in my mouth with the extra fees they tack on so I decided to just park at the airport this time around.

 

I live about 10 min east of the airport and always park in the green lot. The buses run about every 10 minutes. My friend and I flew out on a 645am Monday flight and it was horrible. Monday mornings are Southwest's busiest morning. We got there an hour early and were literally the last two to board. Security only had one lane open and opened to two about 30 minutes into our wait. Traffic at that time is non existent and rush hour kicks in around 7.

 

I am in Canal, so it would be 33-270 to the airport for me, I have a 740am flight. I figure I will be at the airport by 530-600 at the very latest.

 

270 should be vacant of traffic at that time and your timing should be ok. I'm in Blacklick and work downtown and take 270 north to 670 and as long as as I'm gone by 645 traffic is a peach.

Good luck on your trip!! I'm not going until April. Bleh

 

I drive in from Granville. Far east side, I don't sweat the traffic, I sweat SWA. Some mornings they are bombed!! I always get there at least an hour and a half before flight. I prefer two hours just to be safe.

 

If it's cold and/or you're running late, I wouldn't park in the green lot. Last time I flew to Vegas out of CMH in October, it seemed like it took forever for a shuttle to pick me up, and it was COLD! Then when I got back I saw shuttle after shuttle picking other people up, but no green shuttle. Finally after what seemed like forever, the green shuttle game by. I swore then I would not park in the green lot again. In March, I'm going to park at work, which is down Stelzer, and have a cab pick me up. About $40 round trip.

 

I drive from Dublin, on my last trip to Vegas headed to the airport around 8am for a 10am flight. Luckily I caught on the radio an accident on 270 around Easton and diverted to 315/670. I always park at thrifty, love having the car warmed up, defrosted, and parked up front on my return.

 

I always park at The Parking Spot. They pick you up and drop you off right at your car. Pickup at the car has always been almost immediate, although once I did have to wait 5 or 10 minutes for the shuttle at the airport.

 

Great replies. I more than likely will do the blue lot since they pick you up at your car and it seems they are in the area more often. I did Thrifty in 2011 was suppose to be $9 a day with my coupon but when they tacked on their fees it came out to about $14 a day, was not thrilled about that. Sun park same thing, they tack on a fee and its no longer less expensive.

 

I go from Powell to the airport at that time whenever I fly and traffic is never an issue. To be safe, just plug the route into Google Maps and it will give you real time traffic updates as well as tell you the expected duration of each route you could take. I added a picture to give you an example. Good luck on your trip!

I typically use the blue lot as well.

 

I use Google Maps mostly as well. I am looking forward to it, just three months and 20 days :-(

 

This just occurred to me: have you thought about using Uber to get to the airport and back? That early in the morning it should be dirt cheap and you won't have to worry about parking.

 

I have but the quote I did for the fare would be cheaper for me to park, at $28 each way

 

We did too! Then last month we found out they no longer leave them warmed up and running. They drive them up front and then shut them off and take keys inside. WOW, you talk about some pissed off people. It was 1am and 10 degrees and we all thought we were coming back to warm cars. WRONG. That is also after they took 20 mins to pick us up at airport. THe clerk said too many people were taking off without paying so they changed policy.

 

I would never recommend anyone use the green lot. Use the blue or red. ONly like $1 or so a day difference. I always worry about winter weather so we use thrifty in the winter or park in the garage at the airport. Hang onto your hat though if you park in the garage, its super expensive.

 

Yeah the garage is to expensive. I will more than likely do the blue lot.

 

Yeah, I only use for extreme weather. Last year we were going to Jamaica with the kids and we were supposed to get like 11 inches of snow while we were gone. I didn't want to come back to a vehicle that was frozen over and that you couldn't get in or wouldn't start.

 

Even then I would use the covered parking at the blue lot.