Leaving Your Car at the Airport: A Pre-Trip Checklist

The short answer

To leave your car at the airport, clear out anything valuable, lock it, park somewhere lit or covered by cameras, and save the level and space number. Before the trip, check the battery and tires, and look up your airport's rules on long stays, because some airports have a maximum stay or ask you to tell them about long stays.

The checklists below cover what to do at home, in the lot, while you're away and before your flight home. If your car has a connected app, each reading should show when it was last updated, so you can tell a fresh reading from an old one.

Before you leave home

A few checks at home save you trouble at the end of the trip, when you're tired and want to drive straight back.

• Car battery: If your battery is getting old, or it's winter and you'll be gone a long time, have it tested before the trip. Ask the shop to check the charging system too, which is the part that keeps the battery topped up while you drive.
• EVs: Charge enough to cover the drive home plus whatever the car uses while it sits. There's no reliable figure for how much charge a parked car loses, so leave yourself some extra.
• Tires: Check the pressure and fill them to the level your owner's manual recommends.
• Airport rules: Search for your airport's name plus "parking maximum stay", or call the parking office. The next section shows how much the rules can differ.

How long you can leave your car

There's no single US rule. Each airport sets its own limits, so check your airport's parking page before you go. A few examples:

• Columbia Regional Airport, Missouri: Allows up to 30 days of free terminal-lot parking without written approval from the airport manager. Cars left longer can be ticketed and later towed.
• Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport: The state identifies cars parked over 30 days and sends the registered owner a certified letter. Cars that aren't moved can be towed.
• Idaho Falls airport: Requires written notice for stays longer than 60 days. Cars without a filed form can be towed at the owner's expense.

When you park

Pick a lot or garage that's staffed or has cameras, and park under a light if you can. Then run through this list before you head to the shuttle or terminal.

• Clear the car: Take valuables, the spare key and the parking ticket or stub with you. Take your garage door opener and anything showing your home address too. Remove anything that can be seen through the windows.
• Take photos: Photograph all four sides of the car and the dashboard, showing the mileage and fuel level, in case you need to report damage later.
• Lock it: Lock the doors and pull a handle to check. If your car reports lock status, you can confirm it in its app before you leave the lot.
• Save the spot: Write down or photograph the level and space number.
• Apple Maps on iPhone: Maps can mark your Parked Car automatically when you disconnect from the car's Bluetooth or CarPlay. Bluetooth, Location Services, Significant Locations and Show Parked Location need to be on. You can edit the marker and add a note, such as the level and row.
• Google Maps on Android: Tap the blue dot that shows your location, then tap Save your parking. You can add notes and photos.
• Google Maps on iPhone: It can save your spot automatically. Google says connecting to the car by Bluetooth, CarPlay or USB gives the most accurate location.

What your car's app can show while you're away

Depending on the car, a connected app can show location, lock status and fuel or charge level, plus odometer and tire pressure if the car reports them. What you get depends on your make, model and year, and weak cell coverage can limit what works.

Concrete parking garages often have weak signal. If the car can't reach the network, the app may show the last reading it received, so look at when each reading was last updated.

Some cars also cut back their connection after sitting for a while to save the battery. If a reading looks old, that may be the reason.

Before your flight home

A day before you fly back, check the fuel or charge level so you know whether you can drive straight home or need to stop for gas or a charger first.

If the app can't reach the car, look at when the last reading came in and the last location it showed. The garage may have no signal, or the car may be in a power-saving mode.

If the car won't start when you get back, ask at the lot office first, since some airport lots offer a jump-start service. Otherwise, call roadside assistance through your carmaker or your insurer.

Checking on the car from your phone

CarConnect reads the connection your car already has built in, so nothing is installed or left in the car. On eligible cars you can see where the car is on a map, whether it's locked, whether doors are open or closed, and its fuel or charge and range. You can refresh its status from the departure gate or your hotel, and lock or unlock it over the internet from the terminal or after you land. Each reading shows when it was last updated, and like the carmaker's own app, it can only show what the car last reported. When you land, you can open the car's position in Apple Maps or Google Maps to find the right row or level. What works depends on your car's make, model and year, and you need an active connected-services account with your carmaker. That account is a prerequisite, and the app doesn't replace it. A free in-app compatibility check shows what your car supports before you pay, with no account or card needed.

Common questions

How long can I leave my car at the airport? It depends on the airport. Some, like Columbia, Missouri and Honolulu, use 30 days as the point where you need approval or the car can be ticketed or towed. Idaho Falls requires written notice after 60 days. Check your airport's parking page before you go.

Will my battery die while I'm away? There's no reliable figure for how long a parked car's battery lasts. If your battery is getting old, or you're leaving in winter for a long trip, have it tested before you go. For an EV, charge enough to cover the drive home with some extra.

Why does my car's app say it can't reach the car? The garage may have no signal, or the car may be in a power-saving mode. Check when the last reading was updated.

Do I need an app to find my car when I land? No. A photo of the level and space number works, and both Apple Maps and Google Maps can save where you parked.