Public Service Announcement
By Phillip Molnar / The San Diego Union-Tribune / August 25, 2024
San Diegans are about to experience the first benefit of the major $3.8 billion remodel of the airport. San Diego International Airport’s new parking garage — which it calls a plaza — will have 2,834 parking spots, enough to make a difference for those using short-term parking or longer term.
The airport says the five-story T1 Parking Plaza opens Labor Day weekend but, technically, there will be a soft launch before its official public opening on Tuesday, Aug. 27 at 5 a.m.
The plaza is just one part of a major construction effort, which started on the aging 1960s-era Terminal 1 in November 2021 and is the biggest project ever undertaken by the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority.
“The pain is worth the gain,” said Brendan Reed, the airport’s senior director of operational planning and readiness, during a tour of the plaza Tuesday.
How do I get to the T1 Parking Plaza at the San Diego Airport?
As far as airports go, it should be fairly simple to get to the new parking plaza. If you’re heading west on North Harbor Drive (from downtown toward the airport), get in the right lane and follow the big sign for Terminal 1. Then, follow along the road until you see signs directing vehicles to the left for the parking plaza and to the right for arrivals and departures. If you are traveling east on North Harbor Drive, get in the left lane when you start seeing the Terminal 1 sign, and then follow the signs to parking.
How much does the T1 Parking Plaza cost?
It costs $2.50 for 15 minutes in the one-hour parking spots, which totals $10 if you stay the whole time. It is $38 for the whole day — which could really add up for a long trip. The maximum time you can stay is 60 days, costing $2,280. The Airport Parking Office must be notified about vehicles parked beyond 60 days. Unauthorized vehicles will be towed away at the owner’s expense. If you accidentally turn into the parking plaza, there is a 10-minute grace period.
How do I pay for parking?
The simplest way is to just go to the parking plaza, get a ticket, and then pay at one of the walk-up terminals within the garage. They take cash, credit or debit cards, or Apple Pay. However, you can reserve online beforehand at san.org/Parking. Click on “Terminal 1 Parking Plaza.” There’s even a promo code for 10 percent off: T1PPNEW10.
The first thing you are asked is whether you want to buy an optional carbon offset to reduce the environmental impact of your flight for $5. You can register with email and password to make it faster in the future. It will then ask your personal details, credit card information and license plate number.
One good thing about paying online: the new parking plaza has license plate readers that scan the back of your car when you enter. If everything was entered online, the gate should open and you just drive in. When you leave, it scans again, and it just charges your credit card without you having to do anything.
Will this improve traffic conditions near the airport?
Probably not by much. The first phase of the new Terminal 1 won’t open until late 2025, so there is still heavy construction going on at the airport. However, the addition of nearly 3,000 new parking spots might cut down on the traffic at the combined arrival and departure area of Terminal 1. Eventually, planners say, all the road improvements for Terminal 1, because of new roadways, will remove 45,000 vehicle trips per day from North Harbor Drive.
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Brendan Reed with Airport Planning gives a tour of Terminal 1 Parking Plaza in the San Diego International Airport on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024 in San Diego, California. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Do you need to take a shuttle from the parking plaza to the airport terminals?
The new parking plaza is very close to both terminals so most passengers, especially those with just one carry-on item, probably won’t need a shuttle. Even if you park in the Terminal 1 Parking Plaza, and have to walk to Terminal 2, it is only about 400 feet away. The free shuttle is called the Terminal Loop Shuttle and it runs daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
One issue that Molnar did not address is how are all of the airport costs being paid for and what will happen when the airport reaches capacity and or becomes a constrained airport? The airport capacity is about 290,000 aircraft annually, but just like every thing else in San Diego, it is seasonal, with peaks occurring during the summer months. In July of 2024, the airport became constrained, exceeding the limit by about five percent. Also, it was at 86 percent of capacity. What happens when it reaches capacity? Here is my prediction. The airport already broached the constrained airport limit in July of 2024 and if it continues to increase operations at its current limit, it will run into capacity in Q3 of 2025. There is only one way to increase capacity and that is by eliminating the curfew, and allowing a substantial number of international departures until about 3:30 am. Codifying the 290 nighttime agreement will decrease the resistance to elimination of the curfew, although it will likely require a public referendum to achieve this objective.