Parking Increases Coming to Charlotte/Douglas International Airport

The new daily parking deck at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport opens May 1, and rates are going up.

The changes mark the first parking-rate increase at the airport since 1995, according to a memo sent late Wednesday to the Charlotte City Council.

The 3,000-space parking deck will cost $1 per hour, up to a $6 per day. Once the deck opens, the daily surface lot will cost the same, up from $4 a day.

The airport will also allow free parking in the hourly parking deck that is closest to the terminal -- but for 30 minutes only. After that, each additional half hour will cost $1. Currently, that deck costs 75 cents per half hour. For quick pick-ups, the airport also recently opened its cell phone lot, which is free.

The remaining surface lots -- which will be called remote and long-term -- will now cost $3 a day, up from $2.75.

Curbside valet parking will remain $19 per day.

The new deck brings the number of parking spots to nearly 17,500. Airport officials say adding parking makes sense because low-fare airlines will attract more local passengers.