Dallas Airport Parking: DFW vs. Love Field, Lot by Lot
Dallas has two major airports, and parking works completely differently at each one.
Dallas airport parking works completely differently depending on which of the city’s two airports you’re flying out of. DFW is sprawling — five terminals, 40,000+ parking spaces, multiple lot tiers. Love Field is compact — one terminal, three garages, a much shorter walk. Here’s what each one actually costs and how to pick the right lot for your trip — and at either airport, booking ahead on SpotHero usually beats the walk-up rate.
Part 1: DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth International)
DFW lot prices at a glance
Valet: $34/day, all terminals
Express Parking (North & South): $10–$15/day, free 24/7 on-demand shuttle
Remote Parking (North & South): $10/day max — cheapest on-airport option, shuttle every 15–20 min
Off-site lots (Ausby, The Parking Spot, hotel park-and-fly): $6.95–$13.95/day with free shuttle
Cell Phone Lot: free — for picking someone up
Which DFW lot makes sense for your trip
- Quick pickup/drop-off (under 30 min): Cell Phone Lot, free
- 1–3 day trip: Express Parking — shuttle convenience without terminal-garage prices
- 4–7 day trip: Remote Parking or an off-site lot like Ausby — real savings start stacking up
- 7+ day trip: off-site lots win clearly — a 14-day stay runs roughly $97 off-site vs. $378 at a terminal garage
- Tight schedule, need to walk straight to security: Terminal Garage or Valet — worth the premium
The free Skylink train connects all terminals airside, running every 2 minutes, 24/7 — useful if you park at one terminal but need another. Pre-booking through dfwairport.com/park — or comparing rates on SpotHero — can save up to 50% versus walking up and paying the gate rate, especially for Express and Remote lots. Terminal garages take cash or card; Express and Remote lots are card/TollTag only.
Part 2: Love Field (DAL)
Love Field lot prices at a glance
Garage B: covered $13/day, uncovered roof $10/day, ~8-minute walk via Skybridge — best value for longer trips
Garage C: covered $21/day, uncovered $20/day, premium level $30/day (rates increased Oct. 2025) — closest to ticketing, ~4-minute walk
Valet: $28/day, runs 4:30am–12:30am daily
Cell Phone Waiting Lot: free, NE corner of Hawes Ave & Herb Kelleher Way
Off-site lots near DAL: roughly $8–$14/day with shuttle service
First-minutes-free rule: Garages A and B are free for the first 30 minutes. Garage C is free for the first 59 minutes on Levels 1–2 and 4–7 — handy if you’re just running in to grab someone.
Love Field sits about 6–7 miles from downtown Dallas, versus DFW’s 20+ miles out. If you’re starting from a central Dallas neighborhood and your airline flies out of both, Love Field usually means a shorter drive, lower rideshare cost, and a faster walk from garage to gate.
FAQ
Which airport is cheaper to park at? Love Field’s Garage B (uncovered, $10/day) and DFW’s Remote Parking ($10/day) are roughly tied as the cheapest on-airport options. Off-site lots undercut both.
Which airport is closer to downtown Dallas? Love Field, by a wide margin — about 6–7 miles versus DFW’s 20+.
Do I need a reservation? No at either airport — all lots are first-come, first-served — but pre-booking online can lock in a lower rate and guarantee a space during peak periods.
Is there free pickup parking? Yes at both — DFW’s Cell Phone Lot and Love Field’s Cell Phone Waiting Lot are free.
Plan around peak travel
Summer travel season and the 2026 FIFA World Cup (Dallas-area matches) are both expected to push DFW garage availability tight on peak dates. Book ahead rather than counting on a walk-up Express or Remote spot. Same advice applies at both airports around Thanksgiving and the December holidays.
Book ahead and skip the lot search
Both DFW and Love Field have reservable third-party parking through SpotHero — useful for locking in a rate before peak travel weeks, the World Cup, or holiday season tighten things up.
Heading to a game or concert too? See our AT&T Stadium parking guide, Globe Life Field parking guide, or the Dallas parking guide.
This post contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you. Parking rates change — verify directly with the airport before you go. Full details on our Affiliate Disclosure page.