Rethinking Your Ride to the Airport: Drive or Rideshare?

Parking Guidance Solutions 03.11.2025

For today’s travelers, one of the first decisions occurs long before arriving at the terminal: should you drive yourself and park, or take a rideshare like Uber or Lyft? On the surface, rideshare may seem like the simpler solution. However, thanks to modernization and advances in parking technology, the experience of airport parking has changed dramatically. In fact, driving yourself often offers more control, less stress, and in many cases, better value than travelers realize. Let’s take a deeper look.

The Trade-Offs of Leaving the Driving to Someone Else

Of course, there are advantages to choosing a rideshare service as well: being dropped off right at the terminal doors is convenient, and for short trips, it can sometimes be the lower-cost option.

But Uber, Lyft, and other popular rideshares have significant trade-offs. The driver and their chosen route ultimately control your timeline (for example, you may share a faster route, but the driver is not obligated to take that advice.) At smaller airports or those located outside the city, pickup availability isn’t guaranteed especially for early-morning or late-night departures. And as the Washington Post recently pointed out, most airports weren’t built with rideshare in mind, which can create a confusing experience for pickup on the return trip.

The Advantages of Parking at the Airport

When you choose to drive, you control the schedule. There’s no waiting for a car to arrive, and no risk of a driver taking a wrong turn that could cost you precious time. You can leave when you’re ready, make a stop on the way, and know exactly how much time to budget.

With the help of the Park Assist Solution, a camera-based parking guidance technology, at more and more airports nationwide, finding an open parking space is faster than ever. Smart sensors with colored LED lights guide drivers directly to the nearest available spot, eliminating the frustrating loop around the garage. A green light shows the driver an open parking space is close by. A red light tells the driver to keep looking, no available spaces. At airports like Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), studies have shown travelers are able to park up to 63% faster with the Park Assist Solution in place.

Cost is also a factor worth reconsidering. While rideshare can look cheaper upfront, parking can be surprisingly competitive depending on trip length and destination, especially compared to rideshare surge pricing.

One Traveler’s Forever-Changed Perspective

Seasoned traveler Laura Bayzle recently shared her experience at RDU, where she encountered the Park Assist Solution firsthand. Writing in her article titled, “The Green Light That Changed My Whole Travel Mood”, she described how the system shifted her perspective on airport parking:

“It’s a smart solution to a very real, very frustrating problem (parking at the airport). A single green light solves real problems for the traveler, the business, and the environment.”

In fact, the convenience changed her travel choices. After discussing further with her about her experience with the Park Assist Solution at RDU, Bayzle shared:

“With RDU’s new [parking guidance] system I’m less likely to use Lyft or Uber to get to the airport. In the past, I’ve taken a shared ride because I knew they could drop me off at my departure gate and I didn’t have to worry about parking. But with the green lights I know I can find a parking spot easier. Now, I’m more likely to drive and park on site.”

She continued, “Within the whole idea of going to the airport, getting ready, parking is one less thing to worry about, which is always positive. It makes the journey better, more fun.”

Bayzle explained how, ultimately, the new parking guidance system impacted her view of RDU. “It’s not just a parking garage. They're looking at ways to make parking, which is very mundane, more innovative. That tells me RDU is constantly looking to satisfy the unmet need. That they’re constantly looking to improve. It also tells me that they care about their customers, investing in their overall experience.”

Start Your Trip on Your Terms

Travel has enough unknowns (from TSA lines to flight delays) without adding rideshare uncertainty to the list. Parking garages equipped with a parking management system assist travelers with finding a spot quickly and easily, letting them stay firmly in control of their journey.