Parking Garage

Five-minute walk to CMH T security, priced accordingly

The Parking Garage sits directly next to the John Glenn Columbus (CMH) terminal, with a covered walk of about 5 minutes into T security. Daily rates run about $24 for long-term levels and $30 for short-term, so a 7-day trip can easily cross $160–$200 before tax. This is the pay-more, walk-less option for CMH: you park, grab your bag, and head straight up to check-in without waiting on shuttles.

The structure is a six-story garage attached to the terminal, signed for both short-term and long-term parking. Official CMH pricing puts it a clear step above the Red and Green shuttle lots, which undercuts the garage by several dollars per day. Flyers on r/Columbus call it “stupid expensive beyond 24 hours” but admit you can be at the checkpoint in about 5 minutes, even with kids and luggage.

Height clearance is a real constraint here: 9 ft in the helix, 8 ft on standard garage levels, and only 7 ft in the short-term area. High-roof vans, pickups with ladder racks, and SUVs with cargo boxes often end up turned around at the entrance. If your vehicle is close to 7 ft with any add‑ons, measure first or pick the surface lots.

EV drivers get a tangible perk: charging stations on the long-term garage levels that the color lots don’t match. One frequent flyer said they plug in on arrival, then move the car to a normal stall on return if chargers look full, so others can top up. For a 1–2 day work trip, coming back to a nearly full battery partly offsets the $24–30 daily hit.

Regulars treat the garage as a winter or bad-weather splurge, or a quick-turn option when they’re back the next day. Many locals say they switch to Red or Green lots for anything over a weekend because the higher garage rate “can cost more than the flight” on longer domestic runs. Sunday night and Monday morning exits can back up a few minutes at the pay gates, especially when multiple bank flights land around 9–10 p.m.

Tip: If your trip is three days or less and you value a covered 5-minute walk over saving $30–50, the garage earns its keep; for weeklong vacations, price out the shuttle lots first.