Aside from the lines at TSA, one of the things I hate most when traveling is dealing with parking at the airport. Rate are high. Customer service is horrible or non-existent. And you have to park so far away, then take a crowded shuttle to the terminal. I want to tell you about a better airport parking experience – LUXE Valet Parking.
Read to the bottom to find out how you can win $100 in LUXE Valet Parking.
Everyone wins $25 to use towards your first day of LUXE Valet Parking!
In This Post
What is LUXE Valet Parking?
LUXE Valet Parking is an app-based service that provides on-demand and valet parking services in select cities. Right now, LUXE is available in LAX, Venice, Santa Monica, San Francisco, Chicago, New York City, and Austin.
To use LUXE, launch the app and enter your destination, then the embedded GPS will match you with a Valet based on your estimate time of arrival. You can enter a pre-determined time when the car is to be returned, or you can request your car at any time.
I have used LUXE a couple of times before in Downtown Los Angeles, and the service worked great. So, when I heard that they started offering their service at LAX, I wanted to try it out.
LUXE Valet Parking at LAX
Timmy and I were flying to Stockholm for a few days to explore the city and stay at the Hilton Stockholm Slussen. As we were ready to leave for the airport, I launched the LUXE app and booked my valet parking. I live about an hour away, so there was plenty of time to assign a valet as we got closer to LAX Airport.
When we were about 15-20 minutes away from LAX, a notification popped up that Roberto was going to be our valet.
Shortly after Roberto was picked to be our valet, we were in contact via text. Roberto wanted to confirm which terminal we were meeting at. LAX is a BIG airport that’s super busy, so it is important that we were on the same page. Our ticket was booked on Alaska, but it was a codeshare flight on American. We needed to meet at American Airlines terminal 4, rather than Alaska Airlines terminal 6.
Roberto met us curbside at the American Airlines terminal. His haircut had changed a little, but the big smile was the same as in his picture. He even helped me unload our bags and was really friendly.
Roberto took my vehicle, and Timmy and I were on our way to Sweden. The whole process took less than a minute. No other parking option can compare. I’m pretty sure that LUXE was faster than if my wife dropped us off at the airport because there would be a lot of hugging, kissing, “I’ll miss you”, etc. going on.
I entered the details of our return flight so that LUXE would know when to deliver my vehicle to me. As soon as we landed a few days later, I received a text from our valet, Saul.
Saul inquired whether or not we had checked bags (so he knew we’d need to wait for them at baggage claim). When I told him that we did not, he confirmed our arrival terminal and sprung into action. Within a few minutes, Saul arrived with my vehicle, we said hello, shook hands, and Timmy & I were on our way home.
So much better than taking the shuttle to a parking garage!
LUXE Valet Parking Rates
LUXE valet parking rates vary by city, but generally you’re looking at $5 an hour, with a $15 per day maximum. If you want to park your car overnight, it is $10 extra.
For LAX, the daily rate is $25 a day for the first 4 days, then it is $15 a day going forward.
Compare these rates to The Parking Spot, which is one of the places I’ve used frequently in the past. Their daily rates range from $16.95 a day for uncovered parking to $21.95 a day for valet parking. So, the prices are comparable, especially for longer stays.
If you were traveling on a weeklong vacation, you’d pay $145 with LUXE vs. $119 – $154 with The Parking Spot. Again, comparable price, but with the added benefit of curbside pick-up and drop-off instead of the parking garage/shuttle van combo.
Additional Services from LUXE
While LUXE is parking your car, you can request services to be performed for small additional fees. They will refuel your car for cost + a $7.99 fee. You can request a basic ($25) or premium ($40) car wash.
How to sign up for LUXE Valet Parking
It is very easy to sign up for LUXE Valet Parking. Download the LUXE app from iTunes App Store or Google Play.
Then you’ll create an account, entering in your personal information, vehicle description, and credit card information. It’s important to upload a picture of yourself so that the valets know what you look like when picking up and dropping off your vehicle.
For people that have multiple cars, you can add extra vehicles to your account. Just select which car you’re driving when you reserve a valet so that they know which vehicle to look for.
And don’t forget to add my referral code “LEE101” to get a nice little bonus added to your account.
All Readers Get Their First Day Free with LUXE
Through a special arrangement with LUXE, I have arranged for all of the readers of Bald Thoughts to receive one free day of LUXE Valet Parking. This is a $25 value!
When you sign up for LUXE, just use my referral code “LEE101” and they will take care of you.
One Reader Will Get A Free Trip – Up to $100 Value
I was able to work out an even better deal. We’re running a sweepstakes where one lucky winner will receive their next LUXE valet parking for free. You can use the winning code to get up to 4 days of valet parking free, which is a $100 value.
To enter, all we ask is that you answer this question in the comment section below:
What do you hate most about airport parking?
We’ll be running this contest through midnight on January 31, 2017. Shortly after the deadline to enter, we will pick a winner using Random.org.
Rules of sweepstakes: There is one prize. There will only be one winner. One entry per email address. If the entry is considered spam, it will be deleted and ruled ineligible for the contest.
The Bald Thoughts
I’m a frugal guy, but I’m willing to pay a small premium when a product or service makes life easier. So many people ask “what’s the best place to park at LAX?” After using LUXE, I can definitely recommend them to anyone. In fact, Anna had to go on a business trip last week. I quickly set her up with an account while she was driving to the airport and she was very impressed with how quick and easy the process was… especially since she was running late due to LA traffic. Who knows if she would have made her flight if she had to park off-site and take a shuttle to the LAX terminals?
This is a sponsored post in conjunction with LUXE, but all views are honest and unbiased. LUXE provided complimentary parking during my Stockholm trip so that I could experience their airport valet service firsthand.
What do you hate most about airport parking?
The time it takes to get from the location of the parking area to the airport. You have carry your bags twice, that is a pain especially if you have to take a shuttle or if you are running late.
I hear you Prateek, especially when you have small children.
What do you hate most about airport parking?
Long waits for shuttles to/from parking lots.
Or when they drive right by you as you’re waving frantically…not that I’ve ever done that. Haha
Hate airport parking due largely to uncertainty in not knowing how long will take to actually get to the terminal. Time to find the lot (especially long-term lots), time to find a spot often in some remote corner of the lot, time to walk to shuttle pickup location, time for shuttle to come around, time to travel to the actual terminal. Uncertainty = extra and usually unnecessary time allocated vs trying not to come that much earlier at cost of anxiety. Don’t need any added stress while traveling. And frankly, usually not saving much more money than if I took a taxi to the airport back/forth.
Makes complete sense Shaun. Uncertainty adds a whole new level of stress for no reason.
I hate two (2) things about airport parking: the cost and waiting for the shuttle vehicle in bad weather!
Oh yeah, the weather! Luckily, here in SoCal, we don’t have too much of that to worry about. But, I can imagine how bad it is on other places in the North during winter. Or even when it’s terribly hot during the summer in places like Vegas and Phoenix.
What do I hate most about airport parking?
Not being able to find a spot…
Yeah, I usually do the cheapest parking (rooftop) at The Parking Spot, but it can be full during busy travel times, so I’m then forced to pay more for covered parking.
I hate the stress of worrying if I’m going to find a spot. And also, I hate the possibility of rain on the day I get to the airport. I would love to park in the garage and not have that worry (plus be within walking distance of the terminal–no shuttle), but it costs 3 times more than the economy lots.
Oh yeah, rain! We got some here in SoCal so we finally know what the rest of country has to deal with.
What do I hate most about airport parking?
Having to brush the snow off my car when I get back during winter.
Ouch. That can’t be fun.