Reagan Airport Hourly Parking: Rates, Grace Period & Tips

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Reagan Airport hourly parking is available at two on-site garages, Parking 1 near Terminal 1 and Parking 2 near Terminal 2, with rates starting after a free 60-minute grace period. Both garages charge $7 per hour with a $35 daily maximum. The Economy Lot also bills $7 per hour but caps at $25 per 24-hour period. All three serve Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

• Free first hour: Both Parking 1 and Parking 2 garages offer the first 60 minutes at no charge, useful for quick drop-offs and pickups.
• Hourly rates: Both garages cost $7/hour after the grace period ends.
• Daily caps: Both garages max out at $35/day. The Economy Lot is $7/hour up to $25 per 24 hours.
• Break-even point: In either garage, the daily rate kicks in after 5 billed hours (6 hours total including the free first hour).
• Cell Phone Lot is closed: The DCA Cell Phone Lot is temporarily closed due to construction, so use the free 60-minute garage option for pickups instead.
• Off-site lots Triply sells near DCA run about $9 to $11/day for longer stays, far below the $35 garage daily max. Off-site rates are for a 7-day stay booked ahead and change by date.

Planning a longer stay? Compare DCA parking from about $9/day on Triply. Triply sells two off-site lots near DCA, Sheraton Suites Old Town Alexandria and Westin Crystal City, both with free cancellation with a full refund up to 24 hours before check-in.

How Much Does Hourly Parking at Reagan National Airport Cost?

DCA's two garages charge the same hourly rate. Here's the full breakdown, per Reagan National's official parking page (checked October 2026).

The Economy Lot bills $7 per hour up to a maximum of $25 per 24-hour period, and the free first 60 minutes applies to the terminal garages. A free shuttle runs to all terminals about every 10 minutes, and the lot's capacity is reduced by about 40% during construction.

Which Parking Lots at DCA Offer Hourly Rates?

Parking 1 and Parking 2 are the garages with a free first hour and hourly billing at Reagan National Airport. The Economy Lot also bills $7/hour but caps at $25 per 24 hours, and the two off-site lots Triply sells near DCA are priced by the day.

Parking 1 — Terminal 1 Garage

Parking 1 sits directly adjacent to Terminal 1, which serves Southwest Airlines, Frontier Airlines, and Air Canada Express (Gates A1–A9). It's the most convenient garage if you're picking up or dropping off a Southwest or Frontier passenger. The rate is $7/hour after the free first hour, capping at $35/day.

Parking 2 — Terminal 2 Garage

Parking 2 connects to Terminal 2, covering all of Concourses B, C, D, and E. That means American Airlines, Delta, United, Alaska, JetBlue, and American Eagle all depart from this side. At $7/hour with a $35/day cap, Parking 2 costs the same as Parking 1, so choose the garage by your terminal. The majority of DCA flights use Terminal 2, so this is the garage most passengers will use.

How Does the Free 60-Minute Parking Grace Period Work at Reagan Airport?

The first 60 minutes are free in both Parking 1 and Parking 2. You don't need to register, pre-pay, or do anything special — just pull a ticket on entry and exit within an hour.

This grace period was designed for passenger drop-off and pickup. The DCA Cell Phone Lot at 2401 Smith Blvd is temporarily closed during ongoing construction, so MWAA recommends using the garage free-hour option as your pickup waiting area. You can pull into either garage, wait for your passenger's text that they've landed, and exit within 60 minutes — at no cost.

A few things to know about the grace period:

• It applies to both Parking 1 and Parking 2, not the Economy Lot.
• The clock starts when you take your entry ticket.
• Leaving at 61 minutes triggers the first hourly charge ($7 in either garage).
• Pay by credit or debit card at the exit lane or at pay stations inside the garage.

If your pickup runs late and you go past the hour, you'll owe one hour of parking, $7 in either Parking 1 or Parking 2. That's still far cheaper than a rideshare surge fee during peak times.

When Does Hourly Parking Become More Expensive Than the Daily Rate?

This is the question most people skip — and it's the most important math to know. Once your hourly charges hit the daily cap, you're paying the daily maximum regardless of how much longer you stay.

Here's the break-even math:

• Parking 1 and Parking 2: At $7/hour, you hit the $35 daily cap after 5 hours of billed time (5 x $7 = $35). So after 6 total hours (1 free + 5 billed), you've paid the daily max in either garage.
• Economy Lot: At $7/hour, you hit the $25 cap per 24 hours during the fourth hour of billing.

If you're staying longer than about 5-6 hours, you'll automatically pay the garage daily maximum of $35. At that point the Economy Lot at $25 per 24 hours is cheaper, saving you $10 per day. For multi-day trips, see our Reagan Airport long-term parking guide for more options.

For stays beyond a day or two, the off-site lots Triply sells near DCA start at about $9/day at Sheraton Suites Old Town Alexandria and about $11/day at Westin Crystal City. That is about 74% and 69% less than the $35 garage daily maximum. See our full Reagan Airport parking cost guide for a complete rate comparison.

How Do You Enter, Pay, and Exit Reagan Airport Hourly Parking?

The process is simple. Here's exactly how it works at both Parking 1 and Parking 2:

1. Enter: Pull up to the garage entrance and take a ticket from the automated dispenser. The gate opens automatically.
2. Park: Find a space on any level, and allow extra time during peak hours.
3. Pay before you exit: Find a pay station inside the garage (near elevators or exits). Insert your ticket, pay by credit or debit card, and get a validated exit receipt. You can also pay at the exit lane directly.
4. Exit: Insert your receipt or use the exit ticket reader at the gate. The gate lifts and you're out.

Pre-booking is also available at reserve.flyreagan.com, the airport's own reservation site (not Triply). Reservations must be made at least 12 hours ahead and are honored even if the facility is full, which matters now that the Economy Lot is operating at roughly 40% reduced capacity during construction. The garages accept cash at attended lanes, plus Visa, Mastercard, Amex and Discover.

Before you drive, check real-time traffic on Waze — the George Washington Memorial Parkway and I-395 can back up badly during rush hour. A 5-mile drive from downtown DC can take 20+ minutes in traffic.

Is There Off-Site Hourly Parking Near Reagan National Airport?

The off-site lots Triply sells near DCA do not offer hourly billing. They charge by the day, so they're not useful for quick pickups or short waits under a few hours. For those situations, stick with the free 60-minute grace period in Parking 1 or Parking 2.

However, if you're staying 6 or more hours, off-site daily rates are worth considering. Here's how the two off-site lots Triply sells compare to on-airport rates (on-airport rates checked on flyreagan.com in October 2026):

Both off-site lots include a free shuttle, but neither runs around the clock: the Sheraton Suites shuttle stops from 11 PM to 7 AM and the Westin shuttle from 10:30 PM to 4:30 AM, so plan your own ride for very early or late trips. For anything beyond a same-day trip, these lots save real money. Our guide to cheap DCA airport parking covers the best rates near Reagan National in detail.

How Does DCA Hourly Parking Compare to Taking the Metro?

The Metro is a strong alternative to hourly parking — especially for solo travelers heading into DC. The WMATA Yellow Line stops directly at Reagan National Airport and reaches L'Enfant Plaza in just 4 stops and about 10 minutes. The Blue Line also serves DCA with a direct connection.

Here's how the options stack up for a typical 2-hour airport run:

• Parking 1 or Parking 2 (2 hours): the first hour is free and the second hour is $7, so $7 total. Three hours in the garage comes to $14.
• Metro round trip: Typically $2–$6 each way depending on distance and time of day, per WMATA's fare schedule. Round trip from downtown DC runs roughly $6–$12.
• Rideshare: Generally $15–$30+ each way with surge pricing, rarely cheaper than parking for a short stay.

The Metro wins for solo commuters or DC residents heading to pick up a friend. Driving wins when you have heavy luggage, multiple passengers, or an early morning flight before Metro service starts. Metro begins service around 5 AM on weekdays and 7 AM on weekends — plan accordingly for very early departures.

If you're dropping someone off, the free 60-minute garage grace period is almost always the fastest and cheapest option — no need to compare Metro fares at all.

Tips for Saving Money on Short-Term Parking at Reagan National Airport

A few smart moves can make a real difference on your parking bill at DCA.

• Pick the garage by terminal. Parking 1 and Parking 2 both cost $7/hour with a $35 daily cap, so use whichever is closer to your terminal.
• Leverage the free 60-minute window. For pickups, enter the garage and wait inside the terminal or in your car. You have a full hour before any charge kicks in.
• Don't let hours pile up. Once you hit the daily maximum, stop watching the clock, because you're not paying more. But if you're close to 5 billed hours, consider whether the Economy Lot ($25 per 24 hours) would have been cheaper for your trip.
• Pre-book for overnight or multi-day stays. The Economy Lot is down about 40% capacity during construction. Reserve at reserve.flyreagan.com so you're not turned away on arrival.
• Consider TSA PreCheck to save time, not money. TSA PreCheck won't reduce your parking bill, but faster security means less time in the garage, and every saved hour at $7 adds up.
• Switch to off-site for anything over 6 hours. Sheraton Suites Old Town Alexandria is about $9/day with a complimentary shuttle (7 AM to 10:30 PM), and Westin Crystal City is about $11/day with a free shuttle (4:30 AM to 10:30 PM). Both are far below the garages' $35 daily maximum.

The bottom line: use the garages for short stays under 5-6 hours, and switch to off-site or the Economy Lot for anything longer. Compare off-site DCA parking on Triply, with rates from about $9/day and free cancellation with a full refund up to 24 hours before check-in.

Compare DCA parking rates. The off-site lots Triply sells near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport cost about 69% to 74% less per day than the $35 terminal garage daily maximum.