Grey Economy Lot

$8/day Grey Economy Lot sits between Red and Blue on price

This is DSM’s middle option: cheaper than Blue or Garage Daily, but closer in than the Red Economy Lot at 0.4 miles from Terminal 1. It’s a remote surface lot with a posted rate of $2 per hour and an $8 daily maximum, so it works well for full‑day or multi‑day trips where garage pricing starts to sting.

The Grey Economy Lot uses a shuttle system, with airport info listing a 10‑minute shuttle ride and pickups roughly every 10 minutes. The ride itself is short, but you still want a buffer on peak mornings and Sunday evenings. Compared to hiking from farther-flung economy parking, this feels like a simple park‑and‑ride tradeoff: a few extra minutes, solid savings over the closer lots.

Payment is card-only here, according to the airport’s parking page, so plan on a credit or debit card instead of cash at exit. That $8/day cap means a 3‑day weekend runs about $24 instead of climbing into the higher brackets of the Blue lot or Garage Daily. If you’re under an hour or two, you might still be better off using short‑term closer in, but beyond that, Grey usually wins the math.

Reviews call out one recurring headache: the Grey and Blue shuttles and curbside stops look similar outside Terminal 1, and first‑timers sometimes hop on the wrong bus. Regulars get around this by checking the front sign on the shuttle and watching the pole labels at the terminal pickup zone. A lot of frequent users also snap a quick photo of their zone or pole number in the Grey lot so they’re not roaming a big surface field at midnight. One tip: on return, follow the terminal signs to the economy shuttle stop and wait for the coach clearly marked “Grey Economy Lot” before you board.