“Parking difficulties” are a thing of the past—see how new technologies are solving the airport parking conundrum.

Airports around the world are striving to provide travelers with faster, more convenient journeys. Yet parking challenges often deter passengers from driving to the airport or leave them dreading the time and expense of finding a spot—especially when time is tight before boarding—adding an unwelcome blemish to what should be a pleasant trip.

As the number of travelers choosing air travel continues to rise, the availability of parking spaces is steadily shrinking. How to make more efficient use of limited space has become an urgent challenge for airport management. To deliver a seamless journey—from doorstep to destination—airport operators must implement measures that streamline and simplify parking. With a wave of integrated‑innovation and cross‑disciplinary projects now underway, the longstanding issue of parking scarcity has been effectively addressed; indeed, some recent initiatives have even surpassed consumer expectations by offering entirely new experiences.

London Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom has signed a framework agreement with Stanley Robotics, making it the first airport in the UK to pilot a robotic valet parking service.

The airport uses robots for automated parking.

The trial operation will begin this autumn. Near the entrance to the airport’s South Terminal, a spacious, well-lit parking station has been set up, where passengers need not hand over their car keys. Driverless robots will gently lift the vehicle and then park it safely in an appropriate spot within the parking facility. The parking system can receive real-time flight information; upon receiving details of the passenger’s return flight, the robot retrieves the vehicle from the parking lot and delivers it back to the parking station. At the same time, passengers will be notified that their vehicle is ready and awaiting their arrival.

Guy Stephenson, Chief Commercial Officer of Gatwick Airport, is confident about this venture: “Valet‑parking robots could fundamentally transform the airport’s parking landscape and may even become standard equipment at airports and enterprises around the world.”

“This new service delivers a convenient, personalized experience, saving travelers time while reducing vehicle‑related carbon emissions.” By significantly increasing parking capacity, this innovative automated system requires only minor infrastructure upgrades, helping to alleviate the pressure that growing passenger volumes place on airport parking facilities.

The airport uses robots for automated parking.

Stefan Ivanov, Chief Operating Officer of Stanley Robotics, stated: “Gatwick Airport’s operational excellence is recognized worldwide, and we are proud to be leading the implementation of this innovative project at the airport.”

In his view, the UK market is of strategic importance to Stanley Robotics and holds significant development potential. As this marks the first collaboration between the two parties, Stanley Robotics has established a dedicated office in the UK and assembled a specialized team to advance the project.

“We are now partnering with Gatwick Airport, aiming to fundamentally transform the parking landscape and deliver a seamless travel experience. In addition, we will maximize land-use efficiency at Gatwick Airport and provide them with sustainable solutions, looking forward to our long-term collaboration,” said Ivanov.

In the United States, the long-term parking garage at San Antonio International Airport will be equipped with ParkAssist’s M4 Parking Guidance System (PGS). The garage spans five levels and offers more than 5,400 parking spaces.

San Antonio International Airport is located in Texas. According to the airport, M4PGS was ultimately chosen for its capabilities in exploration, early warning, and monitoring, leading to a partnership with ParkAssist.

The plane swept past the parking lot.

According to reports, the M4PGS is equipped with intelligent sensors that operate using cameras, enabling travelers to quickly and easily locate available parking spaces. Upon returning to the garage, users can utilize the ParkFinder app on their mobile device. After entering their license plate number, the M4PGS swiftly searches its database and employs license‑plate recognition (LPR) technology to pinpoint the vehicle’s exact location.

Parking management authorities can also maintain orderly parking operations by using ParkAlerts software, which automatically sends alerts to the department when vehicles are parked improperly.

ParkSurveillance is an advanced application of smart sensors that uses cameras to capture moving images whenever a motion‑detecting object is identified. This not only helps garage operators monitor vehicles but also gives customers peace of mind when parking their cars.

San Antonio International Airport previously collaborated with ParkAssist, installing the M4PGS system in its short-term parking garage. Due to its superior reliability and accuracy, the airport decided to deploy the system in its long-term parking facility as well.

By offering improved parking services, both parties are confident they can achieve their goal of enhancing the passenger experience. “We look forward to partnering once again with San Antonio International Airport to deliver a timely, convenient, and stress-free parking experience for travelers,” said Vince Balsamo, General Manager of ParkAssist North America.

AeroParker has signed a contract with Glasgow Airport in the United Kingdom to enable travelers to book parking services online and via a mobile app. According to a company spokesperson, the platform will offer a brand‑new experience for passengers who wish to secure a parking space or access other airport amenities before arriving at the airport.

Airport parking lot

The new system will include AeroParker’s loyalty module. This module is currently being integrated with Glasgow Airport’s CRM provider and is leveraging a REST API to enable third-party channel integration, thereby accelerating the rollout of its features.

Passengers can plan their trips and purchase destination‑specific services, such as lounge access, before they travel. Payment options are diverse, including PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, as well as debit and credit cards.

Frasor Ralston, E‑commerce and Digital Manager at Glasgow Airport, commented: “We are committed to delivering a superior digital experience for our passengers, and AeroParker is the natural choice to help us achieve this goal.”

Atkins, a globally leading design, engineering, and project management consultancy, has designed a new parking facility for Nashville International Airport in the United States. With the commissioning of this $102 million complex, which integrates parking and a ground transportation hub, parking at Nashville International Airport will become much more convenient.

This new building, constructed by JEDunn Construction, is part of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority’s BNA Vision—a $1.2 billion expansion and renovation program designed to meet growing regional population trends and surging air travel demand.

The new parking and transportation center project was completed within budget and features a six-story garage with 2,200 parking spaces. Sensors in the garage’s parking guidance system help drivers locate available spots.

The project’s landscape design places sustainability at its core, featuring an entire wall of living greenery, a rainwater‑harvesting system for irrigation, and corridors that connect the parking garage to the terminal. The garage is equipped with car‑spotting kiosks, electric‑vehicle charging stations, and complimentary tire‑inflation services. It includes five passenger elevators, and passengers can view flight information on display screens located on the ground floor. The ground level serves as a dedicated hub for taxis, limousines, buses, shuttle services, and shared‑mobility vehicles, with three designated passenger waiting areas.

Parking‑service booking platform ParkVia continues to expand in the Polish market, having signed an agreement with Katowice International Airport earlier this year and recently extending its partnership with Łódź Airport. Over the past six years, ParkVia has collaborated with Łódź Airport, providing marketing and online sales services for its parking offerings. Travelers can easily book parking spaces online through ParkVia’s reservation platform.

Robert Makowski, Head of Route and Business Development at Łódź Airport, stated: “Our network covers the capitals of 31 European countries, and passengers have shown tremendous interest in booking parking spaces—this is precisely why we are vigorously promoting this service.”

Technological advancements are evolving at a rapid pace, and environmental constraints are steadily increasing; both passenger expectations and stakeholder demands are exerting significant influence on airport development. As parking is an integral part of the travel experience, it is receiving growing attention from major airports. No longer is the era when passengers were satisfied simply with having available parking spaces—parking services have become an essential component of airport operations.

In the future, autonomous vehicles and automated shuttle services will gradually take over the roads around airports. This places higher demands on airport parking facilities, calling for more intelligent parking management systems and the installation of additional charging stations. In the meantime, airports are partnering with specialized technology firms to address the challenges of limited parking spaces and high fees, making relentless efforts to enhance the passenger travel experience.

SmartParking is committed to continuously enhancing parking service quality through technological innovation. With offices in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, its smart parking sensors and integrated smart parking solutions have been deployed across 17 countries. Since December 2017, the company has partnered with Queenstown International Airport in New Zealand to upgrade the airport’s parking facilities, with a focus on improving the passenger experience.

The initial phase of the project includes installing more than 450 vehicle‑detection sensors across the airport campus, deploying digital guidance signs, and building a management platform. For the second phase, SmartParking will oversee and manage the airport’s parking facilities, using guidance systems to encourage travelers with long‑term parking needs to park off‑site, thereby alleviating congestion at the airport.

SmartParking recently signed an agreement with Queenstown International Airport, under which its Smart-Cloud management platform will serve as an integrated hub for managing airport parking data and flight information.

This parking‑optimization project extracts flight information into the SmartCloud management platform, links it with parking‑data, and then conducts a comprehensive analysis of the two datasets. This enables the airport to better monitor parking‑lot operations, anticipate surges in demand, and deliver improved parking services to travelers. Additionally, airport‑related service information can be seamlessly integrated into the system, helping the airport provide a seamless travel experience and continuously enhance service quality.

Ontario International Airport in California, USA, recently digitized its on-site parking system, making travel more convenient and providing passengers with enhanced services.

Passengers can access the new parking system through the airport’s website. They need to enter their departure and return dates, select a parking package, make an online payment, and then scan the barcode they receive by email when entering or exiting the parking facility.

Mark Thorpe, CEO of the Ontario International Airport Authority, said, “The new parking service was introduced entirely with the goal of enhancing the airport experience. We aim to offer travelers more options, which requires us to continue expanding our range of services and investing in our facilities.”

This service eliminates travelers’ concerns about finding parking and the affordability of parking fees, thereby reducing their travel-related stress. The online prepaid system allows passengers to reserve parking spaces or opt for valet parking, enabling the airport to efficiently track available parking spots.

Martin Jones, President and CEO of MAGUSA, the developer of the online booking system, said: “We’re used to booking flights and hotels well in advance—there’s no reason parking should be left to chance.” Travelers can still pay on-site, but they must book online in advance to take advantage of the discounts.

Enhancing the airport parking experience not only earns travelers’ recognition of airport services and strengthens the brand image, but also reduces the workload of parking‑lot staff, boosts operational efficiency, and lowers management costs. Upgrading services is imperative.