THAT’S MY SPACE! Airports embrace reserved parking for customers, increasing loyalty, boosting revenue, and easing parking area management and operations
BY KIM FERNANDEZ
Canopy Airport Parking garnered a lot of attention when it opened near Denver International in late 2010. Incorporating sustainable features that included
geothermal systems and solar and wind power,
the architecturally recognized facility earned both
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Gold certification and an Award of Excellence
from the International Parking Institute.
Airport customers have flocked to Canopy, and
while some might have done so because it’s a
greener choice than many parking options, most
have enjoyed taking advantage of a direct perk: the
ability to reserve a space ahead of time.
Reserved parking is a trend that’s starting to
catch on throughout the parking industry. It works
much like restaurant reservation systems such
as Open Table. Drivers log onto a secure website,
enter the dates and times of their travels, and
receive confirmation that there will be a space —
sometimes down to a specific assigned number
— waiting for them when they arrive. In return,
they pay a higher hourly or daily rate for that spot,
a reservation fee, or sometimes both. This brings
extra revenue to the parking provider while offering
