Cleveland Hopkins airport Parking is Now Free

CLEVELAND, Ohio — On-site parking at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is now free.

The airport made the announcement Tuesday morning via Facebook and Twitter. It’s unclear how long the parking perk will continue.

All airport-owned lots — including the Red, Blue and Orange lots, plus the Smart Parking Garage — are included. The Brown lot is currently closed.

An airport official said the move was made to limit interaction between the public and airport personnel during the coronavirus pandemic. It was also done in an effort to ease the stress of travelers on their way home, according to the official.

Air traffic at Hopkins — and at airports around the world — has plummeted in recent weeks, with widespread flight cancellations and numerous planes taking off and landing nearly empty. Just Tuesday afternoon, nearly a third of flights due to arrive in Cleveland were listed on the airport website as canceled.

The decline in air travel is expected to have a dramatic and negative effect on the finances of U.S. airports, which rely on passengers for much of their operational revenue via airline fees and on-site spending, including food and beverage purchases, as well as parking.

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