Free parking for your whole trip sits in Long Stay behind Short Stay
Long Stay Parking at BMI is the lot behind the signed Short Stay area, and the airport says it’s free for the entire length of your trip. This is the long-term option, marked on airport signs as you approach the Main terminal. If you’re flying out or picking up a rental car, you can leave your vehicle here without a daily charge.
The airport’s own parking page doesn’t list a daily rate for Long Stay because there isn’t one; FlyerTalk regulars call BMI a “free-parking airport” for exactly this reason. Long Stay is intended for overnight or multi‑day trips, so skip Short Stay if you’re gone more than a day. You still park within easy walking distance of the single Main terminal doors.
CIRA notes that Long Stay sits directly behind the Short Stay lot, so the drive-in sequence is terminal, Short Stay, then Long Stay in back. Signs on the access road split traffic into Short Stay or Long Stay; regulars simply follow the Long Stay arrows and head to the back rows for multi‑day parking. There’s no ticket machine to pull a paper ticket for daily charges.
There aren’t meaningful complaint patterns online about BMI parking, and no posted maximum-stay length for Long Stay on cira.com as of 2024. The one rule the airport calls out: the free-parking policy applies when you’re flying or renting a car through CIRA. If you’re planning to leave a car for an unusually long stretch, call the airport office at least 24 hours before departure to confirm it’s okay.
Tip: On busy mornings, drive past the first Short Stay rows and keep going straight to reach Long Stay; budget an extra 5–7 minutes from airport entrance to parked and walking inside.