Plan your parking now at PHL ahead of holiday season

With the holidays approaching, PHL officials are putting out the warning: start planning your trip to the airport now.

PHILADELPHIA - COVID closed Philadelphia International Airport's economy lot and now we're learning it will likely never re-open as we knew it before.

"We tried to get in there and it was closed in August," traveler Frank Celon said.

Closed in August and still is. The 7,000 parking spots have been empty since March of 2020, leaving the 12,000 in the garages as the only on-site parking alternative.

And these days, those garages average 85 % capacity. As anyone who parks there will tell you, it can be a challenge:

"It took me about 15 minutes to find a spot, and I lucked out because somebody was just pulling out," Frank Shinal said.

With the holidays approaching, PHL officials are putting out the warning: start planning your trip to the airport now.

"We take Uber or Lyft. We're about 40 minutes away and it's just the same price, give or take, and it's just more convenient," Son Merrill said.

"People should plan on using alternative means of getting here, whether it's SEPTA, whether it's a taxi, or Uber and Lyft companies," PHL Chief Revenue Officer Jim Tyrrell said.

Plus, nine off-site parking operators have a combined 8,000 spaces.

But the question many travelers have: why is the economy lot still closed? The airport says an employee shortage means it would take months for the airport's contractor to find enough shuttle bus drivers.

And long-term, the airport announced plans last summer for a major expansion of a new cargo facility to create thousands of jobs and billions in economic impact, but the project *will use* some of the economy parking space.